Church as an advocate for archaeology

Perhaps it sounds unusual, but one can also see it this way: If the university subject of Christian archaeology is de-Christianising itself and - similar to Cologne removing the Cologne Cathedral from its city logo - now sails under the name "Archaeology of Late Antiquity", it should not be surprised if it finds less and less support and interest. The fact that at least the Vatican has its own Christian Archaeological Institute is an argument for considering the usefulness of the Church as a promoter of science. 

This is what Stefan Heid says in the volume edited by Sabine Schrenk and Ute Verstegen, "Forschungsgeschichte als Aufbruch: Beiträge zur Geschichte der Christlichen Archäologie und Byzantinischen Kunstgeschichte". The volume can be viewed online in its entirety. It contains highly readable contributions also on the history of Christian archaeology at the universities of Berlin, Bonn, Erlangen, Freiburg, Fribourg, Marburg, Munich and others.

Allow me to refer to the bicycle tour of the students with Josef Engemann in July 1991 at the Ahr, in which the writer took part and which ended with a nasty fall of a participant. In the photo (p. 50), besides Engemann, Ms Rotraud Wißkirchen and Markus Mrass, standing on the left, are also recognisable.

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