In the twenty-fourth episode of the Conversations Series, our host Tornike Metreveli is joined by Professor Oliver Scharbrodt to unpack the ethical, legal, and societal ramifications of Quran burnings in Sweden. As a nation celebrated for its commitment to free speech and multiculturalism, Sweden finds itself at the intersection of a daunting dilemma. The provocative act of Quran burning by far-right activists challenges the country's stance between upholding free speech and maintaining religious tolerance. The episode explores three central themes: the historical antecedents of religious text desecration, the motivations behind such polarizing acts within the larger European context, and the tensions between freedom of expression, religious tolerance, and societal cohesion. The episode seeks to explore how a liberal democracy reconciles its founding principles with the imperative of societal harmony. The conversation aims to illuminate the broader implications for ongoing debates about secularism, multiculturalism, and religious freedom not only in Sweden, but across Europe. ---------------------------------------------- Music for the Conversation Series is generously provided by the Shavnabada Choir. The project author and the host of the Conversation Series is Dr. Tornike Metreveli. ---------------------------------------------- Religion and Theology is produced by Joel Kuhlin for the Center for Theology and Religious Studies. If you have comments or critique of this episode, or any other episodes of R&T, please contact us via the podcast's twitteraccount: @reloteol.

Dagens avsnitt av R&T spelades in inför publik på CTR, kvällen den 21:e september 2023, och är höstterminens första delen av samtalsserien "Religion och Existens." Tillsammans med samtalsledarna forskarna Frida Mannerfelt och Svante Lundgren stod Anita Goldman i centrum som kvällens hedersgäst. Goldman är sedan flera decennier verksam som författare, journalist, debattör och kolumnist, och har genom åren varit en viktig samhällsröst i Sverige. Hennes texter handlar ofta om kvinnors roll i historien och i religionen. Böcker som "Våra bibliska mödrar" (1988) och "Guds älskarinnor". "Om hängivna kvinnor i en livrädd värld" (2005) är exempel på hur Goldman engagerat och sakligt bearbetar kvinnors ställning i religionen. Goldman profilerar i sitt författarskap ett välgrundat engagemang för fred i Mellanöstern och deltar i den offentliga debatten om vikten av historisk kunskap och religiös litteralitet när antisemitiska tendenser smyger sig in, och hon kombinerar sitt engagemang med sitt tydliga ställningstagande för kvinnor, framför allt mödrar, i historien. Med tiden har Goldmans författarskap tagit en allt tydligare inriktning mot andlighet, inte minst i boken "Om stenarna kunde tala i Palma de Mallorca" (2019). Dagens avsnitt kretsade särskilt kring böckerna "Guds älskarinnor" (2006) samt "Ljusbärarna" (2012). ---------------------------------------------- "Religion och Teologi" produceras av Joel Kuhlin, för Centrum för Teologi & Religionsvetenskap. För kritik eller kommentarer till avsnittet, skriv gärna en rad till religionochteologi@outlook.com, eller på Twitter till @reloteol. ---------------------------------------------- Särskilt tack till gruppen Nous för musiken.

In this episode of the Conversations Series, a final discussion takes place with the renowned award-winning sociologist Professor Liah Greenfeld. With a host Tornike Metreveli, Liah Greenfeld discusses key arguments from Greenfeld's book, "The Spirit of Capitalism." Greenfeld delves into a central question once explored by Max Weber: What truly drives sustained economic growth? Tracing the economic consciousness across nations such as England, the Netherlands, France, Germany, Japan, and the United States, Greenfeld presents a compelling case that the force behind growth-centric economies is not mere rational economic action, but the profound influence of nationalism. This insatiable quest for national prestige becomes the catalyst for economic competitiveness. Taking the U.S. as a case in point, Greenfeld illustrates how economic advancement has become almost indistinguishable from national pride. This conflation, while spurring relentless economic achievement, also creates a society of workaholics questioning their relentless pursuits and, at times, misguiding foreign policy objectives. ---------------------------------------------- Music for the Conversation Series is generously provided by the Shavnabada Choir . The project author and the host of the Conversation Series is Dr. Tornike Metreveli. ---------------------------------------------- Religion and Theology is produced by Joel Kuhlin for the Center for Theology and Religious Studies. If you have comments or critique of this episode, or any other episodes of R&T, please contact us via the podcast's twitteraccount: @reloteol.

Dagens avsnitt är ett föredrag och ämnespresentation från konferensen "Att vägleda till studier inom humaniora, teologi och samhällsvetenskap," som hölls på LUX, år 2018. Föredraget finns att se här: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v6KUFe2hoFM&ab_channel=HT-fakulteternavidLundsuniversitet ---------------------------------------------- "Religion och Teologi" produceras av Joel Kuhlin, för Centrum för Teologi & Religionsvetenskap. För kritik eller kommentarer till avsnittet, skriv gärna en rad till religionochteologi@outlook.com, eller på Twitter till @reloteol. ---------------------------------------------- Särskilt tack till gruppen Nous för musiken.

Detta avsnitt av R&T är en återpublicering av Stephan Borgehammars, professor i praktisk teologi vid Centrum för teologi och religionsvetenskap, föredraget "Framtiden förr: medeltida tidshantering och tanken på världens ände." Föredraget, som ursprungligen hölls på de så kallade "Ht-dagarna" vid Lunds universitet 2017, undersöker medeltida tidshantering och tanken på världens ände Föredraget använder bilder och texter förknippade med adventstiden för att ge inblickar i hur medeltidens människor såg på tiden och på sin egen plats i historien. Det visar sig att advent i sin funktion som förberedelsetid för julen gav utrymme åt en vision av hela världshistoriens skepnad och innebörd. I senmedeltida predikningar från adventstiden tas också världens ände upp, med målande skildringar av den yttersta domen jämte ingående analyser av bibeltexter. Kan till exempel Matteusevangeliets tal om att stjärnorna ska falla ner från himlen förenas med astronomisk vetenskap? Se föredraget här: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SWr92ixXUg8&ab_channel=HT-fakulteternavidLundsuniversitet ---------------------------------------------- "Religion och Teologi" produceras av Joel Kuhlin, för Centrum för Teologi & Religionsvetenskap. För kritik eller kommentarer till avsnittet, skriv gärna en rad till religionochteologi@outlook.com, eller på Twitter till @reloteol. ---------------------------------------------- Särskilt tack till gruppen Nous för musiken.

This is the twenty-second episode of the Conversations Series, and in this second episode in the ongoing triology of conversations with the renowned award-winning sociologist Professor Liah Greenfeld, Greenfeld unravels the dark side of the American dream. We dare to question if the very essence of the ambition-driven culture, built on limitless self-fulfillment, could actually be causing a wave of mental distress. Tornike Metreveli’s second episode with the esteemed scholar in modernity and nationalism, Liah Greenfeld, provokes a compelling hypothesis. Professor Greenfeld suggests a link between the egalitarian society we cherish and the escalating rates of mental illness. By interweaving philosophy, psychology, and history, Greenfeld's audacious insights shatter conventional notions of what it means to live in the land of the free. In the conversation, we delve into the principles that modern nationalism is built upon - popular sovereignty, equality, and secularism. This paradigm celebrates the power of individuals to steer their own destinies. But with this empowerment comes the stress of constant self-evaluation, desire management, and social comparison. Taking us further into the abyss, Greenfeld traces a connection between these societal pressures and mental illnesses such as manic depression and schizophrenia. She proposes these are not just medical conditions, but dysfunctions of selfhood inflicted by the overbearing societal demands for self-realization. In this episode, prepare to be taken aback, challenged, and ultimately, enlightened. Greenfeld reveals a nuanced perspective of humanity, enriching our understanding of who we are and what we aspire to be. ---------------------------------------------- Music for the Conversation Series is generously provided by the Shavnabada Choir . The project author and the host of the Conversation Series is Dr. Tornike Metreveli. ---------------------------------------------- Religion and Theology is produced by Joel Kuhlin for the Center for Theology and Religious Studies. If you have comments or critique of this episode, or any other episodes of R&T, please contact us via the podcast's twitteraccount: @reloteol.

This is the twenty-first episode of the Conversations Series, and the inaugural, associate Professorship lecture (aka "docent-lecture") of the host of the Religion in Praxis Conversations Series himself, Dr. Tornike Metreveli, under the title "Timeless Traditions, Changing Times: A Sociological Voyage through Orthodox Christianity." The duality of faith as both sanctuary and storm is a paradox, one that resonates powerfully within the context of Orthodox Christianity. This exploration traverses arenas of power, global health crises, and conflict-laden landscapes. This recording of the inaugural lecture commences by scrutinizing the dynamics between church and state in the post-communist settings of Ukraine, Serbia, and Georgia. The objective is to illuminate the strategies of the Orthodox Church as it shapes and is shaped by the political transitions in these societies. The lecture then pivots towards an unprecedented universal crisis: the COVID-19 pandemic. Orthodox Christianity's response to this challenge is explored in depth, revealing the adaptation and reformation of traditions and practices that have been followed for centuries. The final stage of the lecture focuses on Ukraine, a crossroads where faith, warfare, and national identity collide. The lecture here draw attention to the dual role of Orthodox Christianity, showcasing its potential as a source of resilience and its power to catalyse conflict. ---------------------------------------------- Music for the Conversation Series is generously provided by the Shavnabada Choir . The project author and the host of the Conversation Series is Dr. Tornike Metreveli. ---------------------------------------------- Religion and Theology is produced by Joel Kuhlin for the Center for Theology and Religious Studies. If you have comments or critique of this episode, or any other episodes of R&T, please contact us via the podcast's twitteraccount: @reloteol. ----------------------------------------------

This is the twentieth episode of the Conversations Series, and in this episode a triology of conversations with the renowned award-winning sociologist Professor Liah Greenfeld is introduced, where we apply theories on nationalism and modernity to the Russion invasion of Ukraine. First, we probe Russia's national identity and consciousness, seeking to understand how its historical and cultural roots may shape its ambition to 'reclaim' territories perceived as inherently Russian. This analysis sets the stage for understanding the invasion within the 'Greater Russia' narrative. Next, we explore the influence of modernity on Russia's geopolitical power dynamics, viewing the Ukrainian invasion as a manifestation of Russia's power assertion in the modern world. We then contrast Russia's and Ukraine's unique paths to nationhood. The distinct trajectories, influenced by historical, cultural, and institutional contexts, illuminate the tensions between the two nations. Finally, we delve into the role of elites. We discuss how fluid societal norms and elite strategies in Russia shape national goals, such as the narrative of reclaiming Ukraine. ---------------------------------------------- Music for the Conversation Series is generously provided by the Shavnabada Choir . The project author and the host of the Conversation Series is Dr. Tornike Metreveli. ---------------------------------------------- Religion and Theology is produced by Joel Kuhlin for the Center for Theology and Religious Studies. If you have comments or critique of this episode, or any other episodes of R&T, please contact us via the podcast's twitteraccount: @reloteol.

Valborg Lindgärde tilldelades 2023 års Anders Nygrenpris, ett pris som delas vart tredje år ut av teologiska fakulteten vid Lunds universitet. Lindgärde föreläste i samband med överlämnandet på temat "'Ty skyndar iag mig tijt...' – Om att läsa, lära och närvara i en bibelberättelse." Anders Nygrenpriset är inrättat av Stiftelsen Birgit och Sven Håkan Ohlsson till minne av Anders Nygren, inflytelserik professor i systematiskt teologi vid Teologiska fakulteten i Lund 1924-1949. ---------------------------------------------- "Religion och Teologi" produceras av Joel Kuhlin, för Centrum för Teologi & Religionsvetenskap. För kritik eller kommentarer till avsnittet, skriv gärna en rad till religionochteologi@outlook.com, eller på Twitter till @reloteol. ---------------------------------------------- Särskilt tack till gruppen Nous för musiken.

At the annual doctoral conferment ceremony on 26 May, 2023, Lund University conferred more than 200 doctors. One of them was the Faculty of Theology's honorary doctor, Professor Christine Hayes. This is a recording of her honorary doctoral lecture, held at LUX in Lund on 25 May. The title of the lecture is, "Radical Rabbis and Other Serendipities". Christine Hayes is an American academic and scholar of Jewish studies, currently serving as the Sterling Professor of Religious Studies in Classical Judaica at Yale University. ---------------------------------------------- Music for the R&T is generously provided by the Nous ---------------------------------------------- Religion and Theology is produced by Joel Kuhlin for the Center for Theology and Religious Studies. If you have comments or critique of this episode, or any other episodes of R&T, please contact us via the podcast's twitteraccount: @reloteol.

Den 25:e maj 2023 gav författare Johannes Anyuru en föreläsning vid CTR med rubriken "Den andra tomma graven - Jesus i Islam", med anledning av tilldelning av hedersdoktorat vid Lunds universitet och den teologiska fakulteten. Föreläsningen går även att se här: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8psp-_yCIZo&t=11s&ab_channel=Religion%26Teologi ---------------------------------------------- "Religion och Teologi" produceras av Joel Kuhlin, för Centrum för Teologi & Religionsvetenskap. För kritik eller kommentarer till avsnittet, skriv gärna en rad till religionochteologi@outlook.com, eller på Twitter till @reloteol. ---------------------------------------------- Särskilt tack till gruppen Nous för musiken.

This is the nineteenth episode of the Conversations Series. Ignoring White House warnings, Russia's surprising invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 left the world in shock. The war, initiated by Putin, has seen an unexpected resistance from Ukrainians, the West's unity, and Russia's growing isolation. Harvard historian Professor Serhii Plokhy provides a comprehensive analysis of the conflict's origins and its likely future impacts. Although the full-scale conflict began with the 2014 Russian seizure of the Crimean parliament, its roots lie in post-Soviet tensions and imperial collapse of earlier centuries. Plokhy points out that this new Cold War was predictable, not inevitable. Ukraine has been central to Russia's self-conception, even as Ukrainians chart a different course. Amid nuclear proliferation, a crumbling post-Cold War international order, and rising populist nationalism, Ukraine now marks a critical divide between authoritarianism and democratic Europe. ---------------------------------------------- Music for the Conversation Series is generously provided by the Shavnabada Choir . The project author and the host of the Conversation Series is Dr. Tornike Metreveli. ---------------------------------------------- Religion and Theology is produced by Joel Kuhlin for the Center for Theology and Religious Studies. If you have comments or critique of this episode, or any other episodes of R&T, please contact us via the podcast's twitteraccount: @reloteol.

How could a jar of potato salad ultimately result in 15,345 lives being saved from the Nazi death machine at the very end of the Second World War? On the 25th of April, 2023, the departments of History and CTR organized an event under the rubric "A Jar of Potato Salad Can Save lives: The Legacy of the White Bus Rescue Actions in March-May 1945." Two invited guest-presenters, Richard Ohlsson (President, Better Futures Foundation), Roger A. Ritvo (Distinguished Professor, Auburn University, Montgomery), took a closer look at these so called "White Bus rescue." Organized by Count Folke Bernadotte with the agreement of Heinrich Himmler, the White Bus rescue had little to do with ‘winning the war,” but remains one of the largest humanitarian efforts in history. The Swedish Red Cross applied the principles of human rights in an era when these were trampled by power, delusional dreams of conquest, and inhumanity. Inspired by these events, Richard Ohlsson founded the Better Futures Foundation to carry on this legacy of courage by ordinary people in extraordinary circumstances. Roger Ritvo's recent research highlighted some of those rescued and how they went on to make major contributions to politics, the arts, business, and other humanitarian programs. For a video-recording of this occasion, see https://youtu.be/4-f8z95eMpY ---------------------------------------------- Music for the R&T is generously provided by the Nous ---------------------------------------------- Religion and Theology is produced by Joel Kuhlin for the Center for Theology and Religious Studies. If you have comments or critique of this episode, or any other episodes of R&T, please contact us via the podcast's twitteraccount: @reloteol.

In this episode of R&T, CTR-researcher in Philosophy of Religion, Aaron Goldman, gives a talk entitled "Investigating QAnon as a Quasi-Religious Movement - Donald Trump as a Religious Hero", recorded from the annual "HT-dagarna" or Humanities and Theology days at the Joint Faculties. With reference to classic theories of myth and religion, Goldman investigate QAnon – a decentralized right-wing conspiracy movement which emerged in the United States during Donald Trump’s presidency – as a quasi-religious response to Trump’s irruption into American political discourse. Further, Goldman hypothesize that a confluence of factors pertinent to the American cultural landscape generated conditions for a cult – merging the horizons of the religious and political – to coalesce around Trump as a religious hero figure. ---------------------------------------------- Music for the R&T is generously provided by the Nous ---------------------------------------------- Religion and Theology is produced by Joel Kuhlin for the Center for Theology and Religious Studies. If you have comments or critique of this episode, or any other episodes of R&T, please contact us via the podcast's twitteraccount: @reloteol.

In this episode, Professor Yonatan Adler (Ariel University) summarizes the findings of his latest book, "The Origins of Judaism—An Archaeological-Historical Reappraisal," presentin archaeological discoveries and ancient texts which may revolutionize our understanding of the beginnings of Judaism. ---------------------------------------------- Religion and Theology is produced by Joel Kuhlin for the Center for Theology and Religious Studies. If you have comments or critique of this episode, or any other episodes of R&T, please contact us via the podcast's twitteraccount: @reloteol.

In the eighteenth part of the conversations series, we ask: "How has the relationship between religion, populism, and right-wing identity politics evolved in recent years, and what are the key factors driving this change? How secularization, globalization, individualization, and rapid ethnic change have acted as demand-side developments, leading to the formation of this identity cleavages between cosmopolitans and communitarians?" In this episode, we meet with Dr. Tobias Cremer to discuss his book “The Godless Crusade Religion, Populism and Right-Wing Identity Politics in the West.” Cremer postulates that the rise of right-wing populism in the West and its references to religion are less driven by a resurgence of religious fervor, than by the emergence of a new secular identity politics. Based on exclusive interviews with 116 populist leaders, key policy makers and faith leaders in the USA, Germany, and France, Cremer shows how right-wing populists use Christianity as a cultural identity marker of the 'pure people' against external 'others' while often remaining disconnected from Christian values, beliefs, and institutions. However, right-wing populists' willingness and ability to employ religion in this way critically depends on the actions of mainstream party politicians and faith leaders. They can either legitimize right-wing populists' identitarian use of religion or challenge it, thereby cultivating 'religious immunity' against populist appeals. As the populist wave breaks across the West, a new debate about the role of religion in society has begun. ---------------------------------------------- Music for the Conversation Series is generously provided by the Shavnabada Choir . The project author and the host of the Conversation Series is Dr. Tornike Metreveli. ---------------------------------------------- Religion and Theology is produced by Joel Kuhlin for the Center for Theology and Religious Studies. If you have comments or critique of this episode, or any other episodes of R&T, please contact us via the podcast's twitteraccount: @reloteol.

I detta avsnitt får vi den sista delen i en kort serie av fördrag & samtal, arrangerade fredagen den 31 mars, mellan tidskriften "Signum" och Centrum för teologi och religionsvetenskap vid Lunds universitet. Föredraget "Blaise Pascal – fortfarande aktuell jubilar" framfördes av Svante Nordin, professor i idé- och lärdomshistoria. ---------------------------------------------- "Religion och Teologi" produceras av Joel Kuhlin, för Centrum för Teologi & Religionsvetenskap. För kritik eller kommentarer till avsnittet, skriv gärna en rad till religionochteologi@outlook.com, eller på Twitter till @reloteol. ---------------------------------------------- Särskilt tack till gruppen Nous för musiken.

Efter Ulf Jonssons inledande föredrag, från förra avsnittet, där nyutkomna boken Gud och andra orsaker. Hur en ny teori om orsak och verkan kan förändra vår världsbild (Fri Tanke förlag) presenterades, introducerar detta avsnitt ett panelsamtal, av moderator Stephan Borgehammar, med Jakob Löndahl, universitetslektor i aerosolteknologi Svante Nordin, professor i idé- och lärdomshistoria Johannes Persson, professor i teoretisk filosofi Ulf Jonsson, professor i religionsfilosofi ---------------------------------------------- "Religion och Teologi" produceras av Joel Kuhlin, för Centrum för Teologi & Religionsvetenskap. För kritik eller kommentarer till avsnittet, skriv gärna en rad till religionochteologi@outlook.com, eller på Twitter till @reloteol. ---------------------------------------------- Särskilt tack till gruppen Nous för musiken.

Detta är ett inledande avsnitt i en kort serie avsnitt, med utgångspunkt från Ulf Jonsson, professor i religionsfilosofi vid Newmaninstitutet (Uppsala), som presenterar sin nyutkomna bok (Fri Tanke förlag) Gud och andra orsaker. Hur en ny teori om orsak och verkan kan förändra vår världsbild. I efterföljande avsnitt återfinns även ett panelsamtal samt ett föredrag om Pascal av professor emeritus i idé & lärdomshistoria vid Lunds universitet: Svante Nordin. Innehåll för avsnitt ett & två i denna serie går även att se på vår youtubekanal: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lZAT-5fkXsM&ab_channel=Religion%26Teologi ---------------------------------------------- "Religion och Teologi" produceras av Joel Kuhlin, för Centrum för Teologi & Religionsvetenskap. För kritik eller kommentarer till avsnittet, skriv gärna en rad till religionochteologi@outlook.com, eller på Twitter till @reloteol. ---------------------------------------------- Särskilt tack till gruppen Nous för musiken.

This is the seventeenth episode of the Religion in Praxis Conversations Series, and we here ask: "Have a group of citizens can come together to create change and challenge the status quo?" The 2013-14 Euromaidan protests in Ukraine serve as a powerful example of just that. Through in-depth ethnographic research, Emily Channell-Justice explores the concept of "self-organization" that emerged from these demonstrations and civil unrest. In her book, "Without the State," she reveals how this idea not only came out of leftist practices, but was also adopted by actors from across the political spectrum, including far-right groups. The widespread adoption of self-organization encouraged Ukrainians to rethink their expectations of the relationship between citizens and their state. In our conversation we seek to address how did the concept of "self-organization" emerge in the context of the Euromaidan protests? How did the adoption of self-organization change people's views on the relationship between citizens and their state in Ukraine? How did self-organization practices affect the political spectrum in Ukraine, including leftist, feminist, and student activists, as well as far-right groups? How has the Euromaidan experience impacted the future of self-organization in Ukraine and other countries facing similar challenges? Conversation with Emily Channel-Justice provides a unique perspective on this crucial moment in Ukraine's post-Soviet history and encourages us to think more deeply about the relationship between citizens and their state both in Ukraine and beyond. ---------------------------------------------- Music for the Conversation Series is generously provided by the Shavnabada Choir . The project author and the host of the Conversation Series is Dr. Tornike Metreveli. ---------------------------------------------- Religion and Theology is produced by Joel Kuhlin for the Center for Theology and Religious Studies. If you have comments or critique of this episode, or any other episodes of R&T, please contact us via the podcast's twitteraccount: @reloteol.