God, AIDS, Africa & HOPE

Reflections / Gedanken

8 days to go.. Gott-AIDS-Afrika in English

The book, originally published in the German language translated into English here on the blog. While the blog writer will be attending his duties “on sea” and working on a cruise-liner as the chaplain for 4 weeks, the reader here will have the chance to explore in February and March almost all chapters of the book in an English translation. Thanks to the person who has done the dedicated work of bringing German thoughts into an understandable English world of thoughts. Thoughts about the theology of AIDS, episodes of the life of patients and myself, encounters one cannot forget like the “last birthday” of the little Fareed, or “the silent death” of an employee to embarrassed about being HIV positive – small and big drama comes to life and shows the reality of HIV and AIDS in the context of my work as a priest and activist. I am very happy for every comment and feed back on this book, which changed my life quite dramatically.

Filed under: General, HIV and AIDS, HIV Prevention, HIV Treatment, HOPE Cape Town Association & Trust, HOPE Cape Town Trust, Medical and Research, Networking, Politics and Society, Reflection, Society and living environment, Uncategorized, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Job opening 2012

HOPE Cape Town Trust Office Administrator (2012) HOPE Cape Town Trust, a local non-profit organisation providing together with the HOPE Cape Town Association outreach and education on HIV and AIDS in the Western Cape Province, seeks to appoint an Office administrator to oversee the day-to-day operations of the trust and to assist the Executive Committee and the Chair. The responsibilities of the position are broad, challenging and includes correspondence, research, drafting of proposals, management of financial accounts, organizing and recording meetings, organising travel arrangements, intake and acknowledgement of donations, finalizing visits, collating and disseminating information and program liaison to trustees, advisory board and the HOPE Cape Town Association staff as well the HOPE Kapstadt Stiftung (Germany). The Office Administrator supports and reports to the Chairpersons of HOPE Cape Town Trust. The successful applicant thrives in a creative and committed environment, enjoys and inspires people, has superior judgment, the ability to work independently and transparently, a great sense of humour and a deep interest in social development and health issues.

Office Administrator: Qualifications and Skills
• Education: Post-secondary (or equivalent extensive experience and training) • Bookkeeping and/or accounting training, numeracy skills and attention to detail
• Community Service background and fundraising experience
• Excellent interpersonal skills, diplomatic and discrete; at ease with people of different social and economic backgrounds
• Superior Communication Skills, able to conduct independent research, draft correspondence, prepare funding proposals and reports
• Team player skills and the ability to work independently
• Demonstrated ability to multitask and organize, take initiative and delegate
• Advanced computer skills including software programs (Microsoft Office Suite) and spreadsheets
• Fluency in English (read, write and speak) &Afrikaans is desirable; German would be a plus
• Drivers licence, independent transport, no criminal record
• Work permit (if not SA resident)
• Successful completion of UNISA HIV and AIDS Counselling Course (training provided by HOPE Cape Town)
Applications should include a covering letter speaking to each of the identified qualifications and skills, a current CV and a minimum of two references. Complete applications may be forwarded by email to trust@hopecapetown.com or by mail to HOPE Cape Town Trust Attn. Stefan Hippler P.O. Box 15113, Vlaeberg 8018 South Africa.

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New year…

A new year has begun and  most of the new resolutions will take their usual way of being forgotten within weeks.
I have been asked since a long time whether it would be possible to read the book “Gott-AIDS-Afrika” in the English language.I have read out of the book in many places, among others churches, bibliotheque’s, the German Parliament, the Bavarian Parliament, the representation of Rhineland-Palatinate in Berlin and bookshops in Germany and Austria – and there was a period of time where I was not able to do so…  Two exemplars of the book went to Rome, one was sent to Pope Benedikt XVI ( and yes, we got a receipt) and the other I handed to a Polish Prelate while in Rome with the promise to pass it on…. But as I live in South Africa, there was also quiet an interest into the contents of the book.
I always promised to make an English copy available but never had the time to think of how I want to do it. After being translated into English, the manuscript was laying on my desk for almost a year. There was always something more important to do. But now I have decided to publish most of the book in an English translation here on the blog: “God – AIDS – Africa”  – you can read chapters of the book from the 1.February 2012 – every second days a new chapter will be published. I decided against publishing it as an E-book – there is no need to earn money on it, the purpose of the book was always to stimulate a discussion within the church about the moral teaching of my church and the challenges HIV and AIDS poses to this teaching. The book tells stories I have encountered, questions I have asked myself and those who are in charge of our teaching.
B.Grill, my co-author has added his voice and experience as well. I am looking forward to responses and dialogue – this is what the book intended to stipulate. And once again just for the records: I am happy within my church, which is and remains a community of saints and sinners. But we will only develop our theology and we will only be able to give the right answers to the questions of today when we ask the right questions ourself, when we debate, when we compare the teaching with our daily experience and check on it. For institutions which proclaim they have parts of the truth already within their teaching, it can be hard to allow such questions. But I am sure that God and his reality is so much more than what we know so far and all critical questions are part of learning more of this reality.
Well, with that, one resolution of the old year 2010 will come into practice in 2012. Better late then never. 🙂 And who wants to read it in the original German version – amazon.de or amazon.com should have the hardcover as well as the paperback still on offer.

Filed under: General, HIV and AIDS, HIV Prevention, HIV Treatment, Medical and Research, Networking, Politics and Society, Reflection, , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Seasonal Greetings to all friends and readers

Compliments of the seasons

Ein gesegnetes Weihnachtsfest und ein gutes Neues Jahr
Best wishes for a blessed Christmas and a prosperous New Year
      Ndininqwenelela iintsikelelo namathamsanqa ngexesha
Lekrisimesi nonyaka omtsha ozele ulonwabo
              Beste wense vir’n geseënde Kersfees en ‘n voorspoedige Nuwe Jaar

Stefan Hippler

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HIV and AIDS – more than a disease… publication SVD Verbum 3/2011 Summary

HIV/AIDS is a subject that has been part of our lives for many years now and not merely as one illness among others, because it affects all spheres of life for those afflicted. With 33 million people infected it has become for the universal church one of the signs of the times Vatican II speaks of. It presents a challenge for moral and pastoral theology, but there is also the very practical question of how to deal with priests and religious who have become infected. How is the pastoral and theological response of the Church today to rate the unconditional love of God versus the norms of moral theology? How are we to interpret the statement the Pope made in an interview about the use of condoms, which was greeted as such a sensation at the time? In addition to questions such as these the author describes his own experiences in HIV/AIDS work in South Africa and shows how important it is for understanding the meaning of healing and wholeness in a religious context.

Das Thema HIV und Aids gehört seit Jahren zu unserem Leben, wobei HIV mehr ist als nur eine Krankheit und alle Lebensbereiche der betroffenen Menschen in Mitleidenschaft zieht. Bei 33 Millionen aktuell Infizierten wird es für die Weltkirche zu einem Zeichen der Zeit, von dem das Zweite Vatikanische Konzil spricht. Es bedeutet eine Herausforderung für die Moraltheologie, für die Pastoraltheologie, aber auch für die praktische Frage, wie wir mit Priestern und Ordensleuten umgehen, die sich mit dem HI-Virus infiziert haben. Was bedeutet die bedingungslose Liebe Gottes im Vergleich mit den Regeln der Moraltheologie für die pastorale und theologische Antwort unserer Kirche heute? Wie ist das seinerzeit als so sensationell empfundene Papstinterview zu deuten, wo er von der Verwendung von Kondomen spricht? Neben diesen Fragen schildert der Autor seinen Weg in der Arbeit mit HIV/Aids in Südafrika und macht deutlich, wie wichtig und wegweisend diese für das Verstehen von Heil und Heilung des Menschen im religiösen Kontext ist.

El tema de VIH y SIDA traviesa nuestras vidas desde hace años, aun cuando VIH es más que una enfermedad, ya que afecta a todos los aspectos de la vida de las personas concernidas. Actualmente se cuentan unas 33 millones de personas infectadas que para la iglesia mundial se van tornando un signo de los tiempos, como se expresó el Concilio Vaticano II. Significa un desafío para la teología moral y pastoral, pero también se vuelve una pregunta práctica de cómo relacionarnos con sacerdotes y religiosos o religiosas que se han infectado con el VIH. ¿Qué significa el amor de Dios incondicional en relación con las reglas de la teología moral para la respuesta pastoral y teológica de nuestra iglesia actualmente? ¿Cómo hay que interpretar la entrevista del Papa que en su tiempo se consideró como tan sensacional, cuando se refiere al uso del preservativo? Más allá de estas preguntas, el autor cuenta de su camino en el trabajo con VIH/SIDA en África del Sur y aclara qué importante esto es para entender la salvación y la sanación en un contexto religioso.

 

Le sida est un sujet qui fait partie de nos vies depuis de nombreuses années et pas seulement comme une maladie parmi d’autres, parce qu’il affecte toutes les sphères de la vie de ceux qui en sont atteints. Avec 33 millions de personnes malades, il est devenu pour l’Église universelle l’un des signes des temps dont parle Vatican II. Il représente un défi pour la théologie morale et pastorale, mais il y a aussi la question très pratique de comment traiter des prêtres et religieux qui en sont atteints. Comment l’attitude pastorale et théologique de l’Église doit-elle présenter l’amour inconditionnel de Dieu en regard des normes de la théologie morale ? Comment devons-nous interpréter la déclaration sur l’usage du préservatif faite par le Pape lors d’une interview qui a tellement fait sensation à l’époque ? Outre des questions telles que celles-là, l’auteur décrit sa propre expérience de travail dans le domaine du sida en Afrique du Sud et montre combien c’est important pour comprendre la guérison et la santé dans un contexte religieux.

http://www.missionswissenschaft.eu/missionswissenschaft/publikationen/Zeitschriften/verbum/2011/2011_03/HIV-mehr-als-eine-Krankheit-fuer-den-Menschen-und-seine-Umwelt.php#

 

Filed under: General, HIV and AIDS, HIV Prevention, HIV Treatment, Reflection, , , , , , , , , , , , ,

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