In the case of theology we have three actors: state, church and theology as a science ...

Dr. Gabel starts his interview with a story of Catholic theological education in GDR, and then moves to the current state of theology in German universities. He emphasizes the fact that while the state finances theological departments, they are only subject to academic community. He then shows the mechanism of coordination of the requirements between the Catholic Church and the relevant State agencies. The State recognizes theology as a scientific discipline according to the 2010 decision of the German Council of Science and Humanities. Dr. Gabel draws basic characteristics of theology as a free academic discipline and then discusses the phenomenon of the so called Fakultatentag and the work of AKAST - a special state-church agency managing the accreditation and quality of theological disciplines, which Dr. Gabel heads since 2014.