Thea Sumalvico

Dr. Thea Sumalvico is a researcher at the Institute for Biblical Studies and Church History within the Faculty of Theology at Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg. Her work bridges theology and politics, focusing on debates about war and peace, 18th-century theology, baptismal theology, and Christian antijudaism. She holds a PhD (magna cum laude, 2021) for her dissertation on 18th-century baptism debates and was shortlisted for a tenure-track professorship at the University of Vienna (2024).

Education and Early Career

• Studied Protestant Theology in Leipzig, Copenhagen, and Halle (2011-2017)
• Ecclesiastical examination (2017) with final grade 0.9 (Evangelical Lutheran Church in Northern Germany)
• PhD scholarship from the German Academic Scholarship Foundation (2017-2020)

Research Focus examines theological intersections with political identity, including 20th-century church history (e.g., Cold War dynamics, nationalism), Enlightenment-era theological disputes, and historical constructions of Christian citizenship. Her 2022 monograph Umstrittene Taufe analyzes baptismal controversies in 18th-century theology, philosophy, and politics.

Teaching and Leadership encompasses courses on church-state relations, 20th-century theology, and Enlightenment debates. She coordinates modules in Church History, Eastern Church Studies, and Christian Archaeology, emphasizing critical analysis of historical and theological frameworks.

Scientific Awards and Recognition

• German Academic Scholarship Foundation recipient (2017-2020)
• Shortlisted for Tenure-Track Professorship in Church History at University of Vienna (2024)