Religious Tolerance and Religious Violence

Dear Colleagues,

This Special Issue concerns closely related, multifaceted phenomena, with a complex and contextually marked relationship and interactions. Research should take into account specific characteristics and factors of particular cases, and their comprehensive and integral understanding requires a multi- and interdisciplinary approach.

The aim of this Special Issue is to shed light on the origins and genesis, conditions and factors, “character” and function, as well as normative (ethical and moral) aspects of religious violence and tolerance. We are interested in relevant research on the fundamental anthropological and psychological/cognitive structures, philosophical and theological accounts, historical research works, religious studies, sociology and other humanities and social sciences, as well as educational aspects, for instance religious education for peace, tolerance and renouncement of violence.

We seek to provide explanation and understanding that is appropriate for the post-secular context of late modernity, which is characterized by globalization intertwined with digitalization and sophisticated technological transformations, increasing pluralism, the return of religion and, in relation to the mentioned phenomena, religious violence, (new) religious intolerance and new wars of religion. There are serious problems and crises at various levels: ecological concerns expressed as anxiety and different apocalyptic, catastrophic, dystopian visions of the future; migration problems (e.g., identity issues); divisions at the societal and political level, accompanied by protests of people against politics, populist movements threatening liberal democracy, and phenomena “heralding” the decline of the democratic era. We can also mention the rise of depression, mental illness and burnout in the developed world of material welfare. Various ideas are emerging about how to solve these problems and about the "salvation" of humanity, and they are increasingly associated with reliance on the development of science and technology (transhumanism, posthumanism, etc.). These phenomena and their potentials are closely related to religion, violence and intolerance, both in their understanding and in actual practice. New contexts provide new challenges and require research, reflection and answers on religious violence and tolerance that are appropriate to the altered situation. Issues surrounding the relationship between individual rights, the common good and competences of the state and other institutions, theological and political exclusivism/inclusivism, complex ethical issues of religious liberty, and the criteria for distinguishing between justified and unjustified violence must be addressed.

This Special Issue welcomes contributions from across the globe and hopes to promote a range of views on different cultures, civilizations, religions and parts of the world. We seek a diverse set of perspectives, with contributions that concern both the present and the past, as the former cannot be understood without the latter.

Prof. Dr. Bojan Zalec
Guest Editor

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• religious tolerance
• religious violence
• post-secular age
• late modernity
• religious liberty
• theological and political exclusivism and inclusivism