Religion and Pluralism, Ancient & Modern

Since time immemorial, there has been a tension between 'us' and 'them'. Which role did in- and exclusion play in antiquity? What are the boundaries of tolerance in societies, in past and present?

In Europe, this tension is strongly felt in relations between Judaism, Christianity and Islam. Partly due to present migration from Islamic countries, questions of political identity and 'belonging' are still strongly linked to religious persuasion. This MA-track focuses on the (internal) diversity, existence and coexistence of the three major monotheistic religions, and how these relationships have shaped our contemporary societies. You will explore the impact of religious diversity on social identity formation in the Graeco-Roman and late antique periods, and analyse the role of tolerance and acceptance, of rejection and exclusion in their mutual relationships during the last two millennia.

You will focus on a historical and philological analysis of the textual sources documenting the contacts among these religious traditions, by approaching them from different angles and with diverse methods: archaeology, codicology, paleography, epigraphy, textual analysis and interpretation.

This track is unique due to both the interdisciplinary study of ancient Jewish, Christian and Islamic traditions, and the possibility of combining with a modern specialization (see programme below).