God, AIDS, Africa & HOPE

Reflections / Gedanken

Announcement: God AIDS Afrika in English

Just a reminder:

From the 3rd of February 2012 the book “God, AIDS, Afrika” published in German language will be published on this blog chapter by chapter in English language. I was asked to do so many times and finally it will happen. I hope the publication will also trigger a debate about the role of churches in the fight against HIV and AIDS worldwide.

Stefan Hippler

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

3. Hamburger HIV – Strategic Forum

Being part of a purely medical symposium is new to me – but it was an interesting one in Hamburg, which ended this afternoon.  Besides my opening talk about the African way in the jungle of Westernized prevention and treatment strategies there were a range of exciting topics  and so much to learn. G Stich from Wuerzburg shared his impression of the treatment work on the continent Africa while K Ochel reported from his experience in working in the fields of E-learning in China. A real eye opener and a complete change of attitude is happening in this huge country, from prevention work via methadone substitute for IV drug-users to treatment options. I realized that maybe we have to review our predictions and thinking regarding China in the fields of HIV and AIDS.
Church, politics and health systems: Is the pandemic under control was the question of a panel discussion I participated then and again: different views how far we have come, but there was nobody seriously thinking we have already reached the Rubicon.

Exciting news from research in the USA: D Ando reported on exciting studies to block the CCR5 receptor and D Margolis from trials to trigger the HIV reservoirs  through HDAC Inhibition. And we learned in the context that there are some interesting developments regarding the Berlin patient. Is functional healing a vision was the overall question of this part of the forum.

The next chapter looked after side effects: Are they really as serious as they sometimes reported? Is there any difference between aging people living with or without HIV or another chronic disease? It seems not according to what I have heard… But I learned that a study about elderly female in Iowa showed that taking too much vitamin supplements actually triggers higher mortality – specially iron. Calcium seems to decrease the mortality rate. Interesting…

Role play about doctor – patient interactions and treatment strategies formed the final part of the forum and I have to admit that the atmosphere, the discussions, the way of giving information, the variety of topics made this strategic forum worth travelling all the way from Cape Town to Hamburg. Thanks also to MSD and the local organisers for making it possible for me to participate, to share my knowledge and to learn so much more.

And good to know that researchers and medics are interested in seeing the holistic picture and eyeing beyond the their own medical portfolio.

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

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, , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

At the end of the year…

there is only one thing to say: Thank you very much all supporters and sponsors of HOPE Cape Town, but also thank you to the great staff of HOPE Cape Town, dedicated working day-to-day in the townships in and around Cape Town. It is indeed a privilege to be connected to so many dedicated people in Cape Town, South Africa and around the world, who want to change the lives of those affected and effected by HIV and AIDS. Gratefully looking back on 2011 I hope and wish that with your help, 2012 will be anew a year full of blessings for our work.

Stefan Hippler

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

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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