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LOEWE Center “Dynamics of the Religious” officially launches its work with major kick-off event
Despite sweltering heat, the new LOEWE Center "Dynamics of the Religious" (DynaRel) was officially launched on June 22 with a well-attended celebration at the Westend Campus of Goethe University Frankfurt. This research consortium, comprising the universities of Frankfurt, Marburg, and Giessen, will investigate the historical and contemporary relationships between Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. The State of Hesse is funding the center with approximately 19 million euros for the period from 2026 to 2029.
Historian Prof. David Nirenberg (Institute for Advanced Study, Princeton) delivered the keynote lecture. His reflections on history and prophecy within the three Abrahamic religions formed the intellectual highlight of the evening. A subsequent panel discussion brought together scholars from Frankfurt, Marburg, and Tel Aviv to discuss current perspectives in the study of religion.
Prof. Christian Wiese, the center’s academic coordinator, emphasized the project's long-term significance: "With DynaRel, a center for innovative religious research with international reach is being established in Hesse. We are delighted that more than 30 doctoral candidates and postdocs from many different countries have already begun their work."
DynaRel is the first LOEWE Center dedicated exclusively to the humanities, social sciences, and educational sciences. More than 30 sub-projects and four new professorships are addressing topics such as religious interconnections, political instrumentalization, and the management of diversity in pluralistic societies.
A special focus is placed on multi-religious coexistence in Hesse as well as on collaborations with civil society partners.