Conferences 2019

This volume in the series “Key Concepts in Interreligious Discourses” examines the roots of the concept of the “body” in Judaism, Christianity, and Islam.

The body and existence as a created being are at the center of all three major monotheistic faiths. It is not only the Christian idea of humans being created in God’s image that suggests that the human body is a central object of religious thought, charged with both cultural and theological significance. Here, the body is caught in the crossfire of concepts such as “pure” and “impure,” “sacred” and “profane,” ‘male’ and “female.” In addition to theological controversies, everyday experiences such as sexuality, gender equality, and control over one’s own body (and that of others) are undoubtedly current and highly controversial topics in the debate about peaceful coexistence between different religions and cultures.

This volume presents the concept of the “body” in its various aspects as anchored in the traditions of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. It explores the similarities and differences between the three monotheistic religions as well as the diverse discourses on peace within these three traditions. The book provides fundamental knowledge about the specific understanding of the body in each of these traditions, their interdependencies, and their relationship to secular worldviews.

Published by Christoph Böttigheimer and Konstantin Kamp.

This volume in the series “Key Concepts in Interreligious Discourses” examines the roots of the concept of the “soul” in Judaism, Christianity, and Islam.

The human soul fascinates not only believers of the three monotheistic religions. The belief in an immortal entity that transcends the body, matter, and their transience, and thus seems to be closer to the Creator than the mere body, has been and continues to be a lively topic of discussion in theological and practical debates. Even our secular, post-religious environment is unable to detach itself from the key concept of the soul. Numerous proverbs, undefined concepts, and hopes attest to this fact. To ask about the soul means to ask fundamental questions such as those about life after death—and thus to ask about one of the most fundamental and unifying hopes of human beings, whether secular or religious.

This volume presents the concept of the “soul” in its various aspects as anchored in the traditions of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. It explores the similarities and differences between the three monotheistic religions as well as the diverse discourses on peace within these three traditions. The book offers fundamental knowledge about the specific understanding of the soul in each of these traditions, their interdependencies, and their relationship to secular worldviews.

Edited by Christoph Böttigheimer and Wenzel Maximilian Widenka.

The sixth volume in the series “Key Concepts in Interreligious Discourses” examines the roots of the concept of “person” in Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, as well as its relevance today.

The concept of the “person” forms the core of central ideas in the modern world, such as the value and development of personal identity, the sanctity of the human person, and the human rights based on it. In societies shaped by a long Christian tradition, these ideas are often linked to the belief that humans were created in the image of God. However, although Judaism shares the same biblical texts on the creation of man with Christianity, and the Koran also recognizes Adam as the first human being created by God and his representative on earth, the focus on the concept of “person” in each of these religions lies in a different place. The crucial question is therefore: How did the concept of “person” in Judaism, Christianity, and Islam develop from the concept of “humanity”? What are the distinctive features of personality in each of these traditions?

This volume presents the concept of the “person” in its various aspects as anchored in Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. It explores the similarities and differences between the three monotheistic religions as well as the diverse discourses on the meaning of the “person” within these three religions.

Edited by Georges Tamer.