Professor, Department of Systematic Theology, Faculty of Theology, University of Aarhus..  

Project: "When Faiths Collide".

“The collisions of faiths, or the collisions of peoples of faith, are among the most threatening conflicts around the world” (Martin E. Marty, 2005). It is the intention with this research project to develop a theological position mature enough to – critically and contructively – dealing with the reigning religious pluralism.

When Christianity is analysed as a translation and contextualisation movement, new tensions arise. How is the relationship between the civil religion – so important for the cohesion of a given society – and a confessionally defined Christianity – so important for the identity of the church? The question of the validity of religion and the conflicting truth claims in a multireligious setting is analysed within the discipline theology of religions, with a focus on the problem of how to ensure conditions for a peaceful religious encounter.