In what way did or does the past lend credence to religion and how did or does the formation of and departure from tradition affect claims to religious truth? How does historical reasoning contribute towards the unravelling of religious conflicts and what role does history play in concrete peace building processes? The contributions to this volume tackle these questions. Collectively, they take a decidedly multidisciplinary and diachronic perspective, throwing light upon an important subject with significant contemporary reverberations.

Adrian Brändli is Head of Research, Science and Innovation at the Istituto Svizzero in Rome. Holding a DPhil in Ancient History from the University of Oxford, he conducted research into the history of late antiquity and early Christianity with a particular emphasis on the social dynamics of religious conflicts. Katharina Heyden is Full Professor of Ancient History of Christianity and Interreligious Encounters at the University of Bern and Director of the Interfaculty Research Cooperation “Religious Conflicts and Coping Strategies”. Her research focuses on past interreligious conflicts and their potentials, both constructive and destructive, for the present.

History and historical reasoning in religious conflicts