In the context of the Max Planck Research Group "Governance of the Universal Church after the Council of Trent: Papal Administrative Concepts and Practices as exemplified by the Congregations of the Council between the Early Modern Period and the Present“ under the direction of Dr Benedetta Albani four postgraduate positions are to be filled as of 01 March 2014. 

Project

The research group is to investigate in depth the emergence and development of the system of post-Tridentine global governance of the Catholic Church in interdisciplinary perspective over an extended period of time. It will do so by analysis of the activity of the Congregations of the Council, the Dicastery founded in 1564, which was responsible for appropriate implementation of the Council decisions in the entire Catholic world and to which the papal authority of authentic interpretation of the disciplinary decrees was delegated.

The research will focus on specific fields, including the role of the Congregation of the Council in the complex translation processes of the Tridentine normative order in the Catholic world; the internal decision processes and operational procedures of the Congregation and the authority and validity of its decisions in the local churches; the valence of the Roman Curia as the interpretative and judicial authority at the global level; the coexistence of post-Tridentine canon law with preceding or different normative orders within and outside Europe; the development of the concept of interpretatio authentica from the Council of Trent until today.

The existing cooperation with the Vatican Secret Archives devoted to the reorganisation of the archive of the Council Congregation forms a solid foundation for the research activities to be performed by the members of the research group and will permit the PhD students to work with valuable unpublished sources.

The dissertations will be developed in the context of an interdisciplinary team. Applicants may be graduated historians, jurists or canonists. The precise theme of the prospective dissertations will be defined in consultation with the director of the research group. In selecting the candidates, language proficiency (German, Italian, English or Spanish as well as Latin) and both interest and competency in archival research will be regarded as especially important.

We offer the opportunity for participation in an international interdisciplinary research group which is to operate for a period of five years as well as excellent working conditions, continuous scientific exchange, a comprehensive library and the possibility of research deployments in Germany and abroad.

Terms

The postgraduate remuneration will be governed by the German Collective Agreement for the Public Sector (TVöD EG 13 (50 %) and is currently 1,654.29 € gross.

The Max Planck Society is seeking to increase the number of female employees. We therefore encourage women in particular to apply.

The Max Planck Society also strives to employ more severely disabled staff. Disabled applicants are expressly desired.

How to apply

Please address your informative application, including a CV and two-page research proposal, in German, Italian, English, French or Spanish language by email to personal@rg.mpg.de. by 19 January 2014.

For more detailed information, please contact Dr Benedetta Albani (albani@rg.mpg.de).