Vom Bösen nicht schweigen

This article advocates for the necessity of practical theology to engage more intensively with the concept, phenomena, and effects of evil, particularly within the context of todays digital communication culture. Starting point of the discussion is the observation that a significant silence persists in practical-theological debates – such as those within religious education and pastoral care – concerning the topic of evil, despite its pronounced manifestation as both a societal and digital phenomenon. Indeed, the digital sphere exacerbates expressions of evil, including exclusion, racism, antisemitism, and incitements to violence. Arguing for a deeper analysis and interpretation of evil as an expression of life-threatening and life-destroying forces, the importance of addressing religiously motivated digital hate speech and the necessity of formulating responsible theological responses are highlighted. As a life science, the challenge facing public practical theology is to critically engage with evil and its articulation in order to foster positive narratives and enable productive discourses within digital culture. To this end, inter- and intradisciplinary perspectives from digital ethics and theological-ethical interpretations need to be integrated, the goal being to counteract the destructive potential of digital communication about and within religion by offering life-affirming alternatives in the fields of religious education, pastoral care, preaching, and liturgy within a church that is sensitive to vulnerability.