With the fragmentation of Latin Christianity after the Reformation, the fundamental tension between toleration and persecution gained renewed urgency in early modern Europe. While we tend to think of toleration as a positive value, it was synonymous with shameful weakness or catastrophic political negligence before the Enlightenment. No secular or spiritual ruler would think of describing themselves as ‘tolerant’. At the same time, however, ‘tolerant’ modes of coexistence developed in many settings across Europe, in which members of different faiths found ways to get along and negotiate (or ignore) their differences in their daily interactions. In this module, we are going to study the varied history of toleration in early modern Europe and examine the parameters and dynamics that allowed people to get along – or not. The reading for this module and seminar discussions will be in English.
- Lehrende/r: Nikolas Maximilian Funke