Religion and social change in medieval societies are the focus of a festive colloquium marking the 60th birthday of historian Prof. Dr. Wolfram Drews, speaker for the Cluster of Excellence “Religion and Politics.” The conference, featuring presentations by scholars of medieval history, Islamic studies, Jewish studies, and Byzantine studies, examines religion in its dynamic context and relates it to broader processes of change in medieval societies. The colloquium „Dynamiken des Religiösen. Zum Verhältnis von Religion und gesellschaftlichem Wandel im Mittelalter“ will take place from April 23 to 24, 2026. Read more

The research project ‘News from China? –  Knowledge-ressources, Knowledge-acquisition and Knowledge-transfer of Missionaries in China in the 19./20. Century’ at the Cluster of Excellence ‘Religion and Politics’ addresses the key question of for what purpose and in what context Christian missionaries acquired so-called ‘knowledge of China’ during the period in question. Sinologist and project leader Kerstin Storm and doctoral candidate Lisa Kerl report on their work with the sources and their findings on how knowledge was transferred to individuals, groups and institutions across nations.
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Egyptologist Angelika Lohwasser from the Cluster of Excellence “Religion and Politics” is studying the relationship between cult and kingship in the ancient kingdom of Kush, Egypt’s southern neighbour. Since Kush was annexed to Pharaonic Egypt as a colony in the 2nd millennium BCE, later periods also show many Egyptian influences there. As a result, researchers have a strongly Egyptian or Egyptological perspective on Kushite culture and religion. In this interview, Lohwasser talks about how she takes a new, non-Egyptian perspective on the kingdom of Kush, and in particular the relationship between the Egyptian god Amun and the Kushite god Apedemak. Read more