Kim Groop

Kim Groop serves as Senior Lecturer in Church History at Åbo Akademi University's Faculty of Humanities, Psychology and Theology within the Department of Theology and Religious Studies. Holding a Doctor of Theology (Dr. Th.), Groop maintains active research leadership through the Donner Institute for Research in Religion and Culture where they serve as President until 2025, and participates in the EU COST Action 'Slow Memory' network through 2025.

Research focuses on cultural memory dynamics within religious contexts, particularly examining Protestantism, Pietism and Christian missions across Finland, Africa (Tanzania and Namibia), and former East Germany. Current flagship research investigates the reconstruction of Leipzig University Church - destroyed by the GDR regime and rebuilt in 2017 - analyzing this process through memory studies, cultural heritage frameworks, and activist engagement. Earlier work critically examined European colonialism's legacy in African missionary contexts.

Key publication trends reveal growing emphasis on material culture (textile heritage, architectural reconstruction) and transnational memory frameworks, with increasing interdisciplinary engagement across history, anthropology, and cultural studies. Recent outputs demonstrate methodological innovation in analyzing religious heritage through both textual and material evidence.

• President of Donner Institute for Research in Religion and Culture (2022-2025)
• Management Committee Member, COST Action 'Slow Memory' (2021-2025)
• Member of Management Team, Centre for the Study of Christian Cultures (University of Turku, 2017-present)

Supervises doctoral research including Niklas Antonsson's work on Swedish pastoral teachings regarding household and marriage (1686-1770). Leads the long-term research project 'Contested Church Spaces and Shattered Memory Communities' investigating religious heritage sites in transformation. Collaborates extensively through the Nordic Network for Religious Studies and COST Action frameworks, with particular focus on memory activism in post-socialist contexts.

Research connects to UN Sustainable Development Goals through cultural preservation initiatives and intercultural dialogue, particularly supporting SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities) through heritage conservation work and SDG 16 (Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions) via historical reconciliation projects.