Life in our multicultural society leads to encounters with cultural and religious diversity both in our private and professional life. The secular setting meets more often people for whom religion is not only a matter of private beliefs but part of their lifestyle. By providing an introduction to the various theories of ecumenical and interreligious dialogue, the course sets foundations for reflection on the encounters with religious diversity. The course provides a panoramic view of human efforts to build bridges between religious traditions through studying developments in the philosophy, theology and practice of dialogue. Analysis of concrete cases will be used to better understand the dynamics of encounters with cultural and religious otherness in everyday situations as well as in political and social conflicts.

The course takes place online and requires active participation on the digital education platform. A dozen lectures and seminars with associated digital aids will be set up during the course, as well as interim assignments and a final written assignment.