Evangelical influencing and Christian fundamentalism in Germany
In two recent features in the media, sociologist of religion Maren Freudenberg examines forms of evangelical and fundamentalist Christianity in Germany. In an article on tagesschau.de, she classifies evangelical influencing in German professional soccer and Christian-conservative missionary efforts, especially in local schools and sports clubs. She explains the centrality of conversion in evangelical Christianity and why traditional values regarding gender and family find fertile ground, especially in soccer. Anti-abortion attitudes and criticism of homosexuality and transsexuality bring these influencers close to Pentecostal-charismatic groups in the US, which are one of Freudenberg's main areas of research.
The full article can be found here: https://www.tagesschau.de/faktenfinder/kontext/religioese-fussball-influencer-100.html
She also appears in a documentary film entitled “Wer glaubt, wird selig – Christlicher Fundamentalismus: Glaube und Ausstieg” (Those who believe will be saved – Christian fundamentalism: faith and leaving). In it, Maren Freudenberg analyzes the religious beliefs of Christian fundamentalists and the reports of people who have left the scene from a religious studies perspective. The focus is on the fundamental characteristics of Christian fundamentalism: its central beliefs, the special significance of the Bible — especially its literal interpretation- and specific practices such as exorcisms. Furthermore, attitudes toward the literal interpretation of the Bible, the rejection of homosexuality, the subordination of women, and similar issues are examined in the film from different perspectives — both internal and external — and supplemented by scientific findings.
The documentary was conceived and produced by two journalism students, Leon Müller and Theo Steinbach, from the Technical University of Dortmund and is available on YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=COVsAwmnN4k&t=7s) and in the media library of the regional TV station NRWision (https://www.nrwision.de/mediathek/ wer-glaubt-wird-selig-christlicher-fundamentalismus-glaube-und-ausstieg-250526/).