Dynarel - Dynamics of Religion

DynaRel Dynamics of Religion: Ambivalent Neighborhoods between Judaism, Christianity and Islam in Historical and Contemporary Constellations

Judaism, Christianity, and Islam have evolved over centuries in close spatial and religious-cultural proximity; to this day, they remain interconnected – through both dialogue and conflict – within their respective pluralistic self-conceptions and across diverse political and social contexts.

Against the backdrop of current discourses regarding the challenges and opportunities of multi-religious settings and in light of societal tensions and volatile global conflicts that highlight religious-cultural differences – the interdisciplinary and interfaith LOEWE Center "DynaRel" (based at Goethe University Frankfurt, Philipps University Marburg, and Justus Liebig University Giessen) investigates the multifaceted religious, cultural, and socio-political dynamics between these three religious traditions, both historically and in the present.

Using the theoretical concept of "ambivalent neighborhoods", the participating researchers aim to analyze: (1) the specific causes of religiously charged conflicts arising from the interplay between religion and politics; (2) the contexts in which religious difference is politicized or instrumentalized; and (3) the resources available to various currents within Judaism, Christianity, and Islam – in their relationships with one another – to engage constructively with religious diversity and difference. In cooperation with civil society institutions in the multi-religious Rhine-Main region, this work aims to develop effective educational strategies to foster interfaith acceptance and intercultural competence as well as to combat stereotypes and religiously motivated hatred.

LOEWE Research Centre

Partners

Goethe University Frankfurt (project coordination)
Justus Liebig University Giessen
Marburg University

Associate Partners:

Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz
Leibniz Institute of European History (IEG Mainz)
Frankfurt-Tel Aviv Center for the Study of Religious and Interreligious Dynamics (Goethe University Frankfurt and Tel Aviv University)
Academy for Islam in Science and Society (AIWG)
Archaeological Museum Frankfurt
Bibelhaus Frankfurt
Bildungszentrum Anne Frank e.V.
Evangelische Akademie Frankfurt
Institute for Advanced Studies in the Humanities Bad Homburg
Frobenius Institute for Research in Cultural Anthropology
Hessian State Agency for Civic Education
Historical Museum Frankfurt
Institut franco-allemand des sciences historiques et sociales (IFRA-SHS)
Jewish Museum Frankfurt
Jewish Academy Frankfurt
PRIF – Peace Research Institute Frankfurt
Catholic Academy Rabanus Maurus – Haus am Dom
Institute for Religious Education of EKKW and EKHN
Museum of World Cultures

Fields of study

Jewish Studies / Jewish Philosophy of Religion
Islamic Studies
Near Eastern Archaeology / Islamic Archaeology and Art History
Religious Studies / History of Religion
Protestant Theology / Catholic Theology
History
Ethnology / Social and Cultural Anthropology
Sociology / Sociology of Migration
Political Science
Educational Science

Funding period

2026-2029

Project Coordinator

Prof. Dr. Christian Wiese (Spokesperson), Martin Buber Professorship of Jewish Philosophy of Religion, Goethe University Frankfurt
Prof. Dr. Armina Omerika (Co-Speaker), Professorship of History of Ideas in Islam, Goethe University Frankfurt
Prof. Dr. Antje Röder (Co-Speaker), Professorship of Methods of Empirical Social Research, Marburg University

CONTACT:

Prof. Dr. Christian Wiese

Tel +49 (0) 173 1835253

c.wiese@em.uni-frankfurt.de

HEAD OFFICE:

Dr. Madlen Krüger

Tel + 49 069 798 32775

ma.krueger@em.uni-frankfurt.de