Dialogues on Peace 2017

Series of the city of Münster about the Anabaptists and the causes of religiously motivated violence

The city of Münster has now presented the programme of this year's “Dialogues on Peace” (Dialoge zum Frieden). In the Reformation Year 2017, the series of events draws on a historical episode that shaped Münster fundamentally and still gives rise to controversial discussions today: the work of the Anabaptists, an emancipatory, religious reformatory movement which changed into a reign of terror and disappeared in the besieged city in 1535. Two discussions in the town hall’s ceremonial hall will be in the spotlight: ethnologist and Hans Blumenberg Visiting Professor at the Cluster of Excellence “Religion and Politics”, Prof. Dr. Thomas Hauschild, will participate in “Identität. Fundamentalismus. Gewalt – Radikalisierung religiöser Bewegungen” (Identity. Fundamentalism. Violence – the radicalisation of religious movements) on Thursday, October 5 at 8.00 p.m. On Wednesday, 11 October at 8.00 p.m., attention will focus on “Siegeszeichen. Mahnmal. Kunstwerk. Touristische Attraktion - Die Käfige am Lambertikirchturm” (Sign of victory. Memorial. Artwork. Tourist attraction – the cages at Lambertikirchturm). Registration is required for both events at dialoge-zum-frieden@stadt-muenster.de.

With this series, in the tradition of the Peace of Westphalia negotiations, Münster emphasises its historically established responsibility and competence for resolving conflicts through dialogue. The series is being devised and organised by Münster Marketing and the working group “1648 – Dialoge zum Frieden” (1648 – Dialogues on Peace), in which the Cluster of Excellence “Religion and Politics” is involved within the scope of the “Alliance for science”.

On 5 October, based on the Anabaptists’ impact history, experts will ask, “How and why can a religious movement become so radicalised?” Starting from different perspectives, they will examine the causes of radicalisation and religiously founded violence. Prof. Hauschild will discuss the subject together with Christoph Reuter, who has been reporting from the region as the Middle East correspondent of “Der Spiegel” for almost 30 years, and with Seyran Ates. The Muslim woman, author and lawyer is one of the most important voices in the fight against religious and traditional violence. She recently appeared in the headlines with the opening of the liberal Ibn Rushd Goethe Mosque in Berlin.