Karl Rahner Prize 2026 for Jonas Maria Hoff

In his habilitation thesis, Hoff examines paradox as a fundamental concept of Christian faith and relates it to the Eucharist, the central sacrament of Christian life. The focus is on the question of how seemingly contradictory aspects of faith can be reconciled: the finite and the infinite, the visible and the invisible, and the material and the immaterial. Hoff does not, however, understand paradox merely as absurdity. Rather, seemingly contradictory aspects can be understood as interconnected when viewed from a common point of reference. ‘The Eucharist and Paradox’ combines a systematic-theological perspective with a historical examination of the development of sacramental theology. In doing so, Hoff focuses in particular on the theological controversies and differing interpretative approaches. The habilitation thesis thus explores the question of what contribution the concept of paradox can make to a deeper understanding of the Christian faith.

Since October 2025, Jonas Maria Hoff has held the professorship for Systematic Theology at the Institute for Catholic Theology at the University of Duisburg-Essen. The Faculty of Catholic Theology at the University of Erfurt warmly congratulates Dr Jonas Maria Hoff on this prestigious award. The official award ceremony is scheduled to take place in spring 2027.