Conference Series KCID

As the research centre Key Concepts in Interreligious Discourses (KCID), BaFID’s institutional predecessor, BaFID organized English-language conferences three times a year with internationally renowned academics. Each conference consists of two sessions dedicated to two central, related concepts in Judaism, Christianity and Islam.

Outlook for 2025:

The Concept of Religious Leadership and the Concept of Religious Community in Judaism, Christianity and Islam (19. – 21. February 2025)
  • The Concept of Matter and the Concept of Spirit in Judaism, Christianity and Islam (25. – 27. June 2025)
  • The Concept of Health and the Concept of Illness in Judaism, Christianity and Islam (8. – 10. October 2025)

Review of Past Conferences from 2016:

25. – 27. September 2024: The Concept of Wealth and the Concept of Poverty in Judaism, Christianity and Islam

Program

    • The Concept of Wealth in Judaism: Prof. Dr. Gregg E. Gardner, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
    • The Concept of Wealth in Christianity: Prof. Willem Marie Speelman, Tilburg University, Netherlands
    • The Concept of Wealth in Islam: Prof. Dr. Hussam Timani, Christoper Newport University, VA
    • The Concept of Poverty in Judaism: Prof. Dr. Alyssa M. Gray, Hebrew Union College, New York
    • The Concept of Poverty in Christianity: Prof. Vincent DeMeo, International Theological Institute, Trumau, Austria
    • The Concept of Poverty in Islam: Prof. Dr. Amira Mittermaier, University of Toronto
26. – 28. June 2024: The Concept of Prophecy and the Concept of Spiritual Beings in Judaism, Christianity and Islam

Program     Report     Videos

    • The Concept of Prophecy in Judaism: Prof. Howard Kreisel, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Israel
    • The Concept of Prophecy in Christianity: Prof. Dr. Marco Frenschkowski, University of Leipzig
    • The Concept of Prophecy in Islam: Prof. Zishan Ghaffar, University of Paderborn
    • The Concept of Spiritual Beings in Judaism: Prof. Mika Ahuvia, University of Washington, Seattle
    • The Concept of Spiritual Beings in Christianity: Prof. Friedrich Reiterer, Paris Londron University of Salzburg
    • The Concept of Spiritual Beings in Islam: Prof. Stephan Burge, The Institute of Ismaili Studies, London
21. – 23. February 2024: The Concept of Prayer and the Concept of Religious Learning in Judaism, Christianity and Islam

Program      Videos  

    • The Concept of Prayer in Judaism: Prof. Dr. Judith H. Newman, University of Toronto, Canada
    • The Concept of Prayer in Christianity: Dr. Maria Munkholt Christensen, University Bonn
    • The Concept of Prayer in Islam: Dr. Reza Shah Kazemi, The Institute of Ismaili Studies, London
    • The Concept of Religious Learning in Judaism: Dr. Sandra Anusiewicz-Baer, University of Potsdam
    • The Concept of Religious Learning in Christianity: Prof. Dr. Marcel Saß, University of Marburg
    • The Concept of Religious Learning in Islam: Prof. Dr. Jonathan Berkey, Davidson College, NC

21. – 23. June 2023: The Concept of Authority and the Concept of Modernity  in Judaism, Christianity and Islam

Program     Videos     

    • The Concept of Authority in Judaism: Prof. Dr. Lawrence Kaplan, McGill University/CA
    • The Concept of Authority in Christianity: Dr. Jan Wim Buisman, Leiden University
    • The Concept of Authority in Islam: Prof. Dr. Aiyub Palmer, University of Kentucky/USA
    • The Concept of Modernity in Judaism: Prof. Dr. Allan Arkush, Binghamton University/USA
    • The Concept of Modernity in Christianity: Prof. Dr. Vasilios N. Makrides, University of Erfurt
    • The Concept of Modernity in Islam: Prof. Dr. Armina Omerika,Goethe University Frankfurt/Main
15. – 17. February 2023: The Concept of Religion and the Concept of Rationality in Judaism, Christianity and Islam

Program     Report     Videos     

    • The Concept of Religion in Judaism: Prof. Dr. Oliver Leaman, University of Kentucky/USA
    • The Concept of Religion in Christianity: Univ.-Prof. Mag. Dr. Gregor-Maria Hoff, Paris-Lodron-University Salzburg
    • The Concept of Religion in Islam: Dr. Ahab Bdaiwi, Leiden University
    • The Concept of Rationality in Judaism: Prof. Dr. Daniel Frank, Purdue University/USA
    • The Concept of Rationality in Christianity: Maria Elisabeth Höwer, M.Sc., FAU Erlangen-Nürnberg/TU Dresden
    • The Concept of Rationality in Islam: Prof. Dr. Nader El-Bizri, University of Sharjah/VAE

21. – 23. September 2022: The Concept of Mysticism and the Concept of Divine-Human Communication in Judaism, Christianity and Islam

Program     Report     Videos  

    • The Concept of Mysticism in Judaism: Prof. Dr. Aaron Hughes, University of Rochester/USA
    • The Concept of Mysticism in Christianity: Prof. Dr. Ann Astell, University of Notre Dame/USA
    • The Concept of Mysticism in Islam: Prof. Dr. Erdal Toprakyaran, University of Tübingen
    • The Concept of Divine-Human Communication in Judaism: Prof. Dr. Aaron Hughes,  University of Rochester/USA
    • The Concept of Divine-Human Communication in Christianity: Prof. Dr. Porphyrios Georgi, University of Balamand/LBN
    • The Concept of Divine-Human Communication in Islam: Dr. Ghassan El Masri, Bavarian Center for Interreligious Discourses, FAU Erlangen-Nürnberg
22. – 24. June 2022: The Concept of Emotion and the Concept of Morality in Judaism, Christianity and Islam

Program     Report     Videos     

    • The Concept of Emotion in Judaism: Prof. Dr. Alan Mittleman, Jewish Theological Seminary/USA
    • The Concept of Emotion in Christianity: Prof. Dr. John Corrigan, Florida State University
    • The Concept of Emotion in Islam: Prof. Dr. Paul Heck, Georgetown University
    • The Concept of Morality in Judaism: Prof. Dr. Alan Mittleman, Jewish Theological Seminary/USA
    • The Concept of Morality in Christianity: Prof. Dr. Marianne Heimbach-Steins, University of Münster
    • The Concept of Morality in Islam: Prof. Dr. Mutaz Al-Khatib, Hamad Bin Khalifa University/QA
16. – 17. February 2022: The Concept of Protology/Cosmology and the Concept of Eschatology in Judaism, Christianity and Islam

Program     Report     Videos 

    • The Concept of Protology/Cosmology in Judaism: Prof. em. Dr. Philip Alexander and Prof. Dr. Daniel Langton, University of Manchester
    • The Concept of Protology/Cosmology in Christianity: Prof. Dr. Dirk Ansorge, Philosophisch-Theologische Hochschule Sankt Georgen
    • The Concept of Protology/Cosmology in Islam: Prof. Dr. Mira Sievers, Humboldt University of Berlin
    • The Concept of Eschatology in Judaism: Prof. Dr. Casey Elledge, Gustavus Adolphus College, St. Peter (Minnesota)
    • The Concept of Eschatology in Christianity: Prof. Dr. Judith Wolfe, University of St. Andrews
    • The Concept of Eschatology in Islam: Prof. em. Dr. Todd Lawson, University of Toronto

6. – 7. October 2021: The Concept of Education and the Concept of Family in Judaism, Christianity and Islam

Program    Report     Videos

    • The Concept of Education in Judaism: Prof. Dr. Hanan Alexander, University of Haifa
    • The Concept of Education in Christianity: Prof. Dr. Manfred Pirner, FAU Erlangen-Nürnberg
    • The Concept of Education in Islam: Univ.-Prof. Mag. Dr. Zekirija Sejdini, University of Vienna (now Innsbruck)
    • The Concept of Family in Judaism: Prof. Dr. Michael Berger, Emory College of Arts and Sciences, Atlanta
    • The Concept of Family in Christianity: Prof. Dr. theol. Dr. rer. soc. Joachen Sautermeister, University of Bonn
    • The Concept of Family in Islam: Dr. Pascal Held, FAU Erlangen-Nuremberg
23. – 24. June 2021: The Concept of Sin and the Concept of Redemption in Judaism, Christianity and Islam

Program

    • The Concept of Sin in Judaism:  Rabbi David Bashevkin, Yeshiva University, New York
    • The Concept of Sin in Christianity: Prof. Dr. Christoph Böttigheimer, KU Eichstätt-Ingolstadt
    • The Concept of Sin in Islam: Assoc. Prof. Dr. Ayman Shabana, Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service in Qatar
    • The Concept of Redemption in Judaism: Rabbi Dr. Daniel Goodman, The Jewish Theological Seminary of America, New York
    • The Concept of Redemption in Christianity: Prof. Dr. Tom Greggs, University of Aberdeen
    • The Concept of Redemption in Islam: Dr. Ghassan El Masri, Bavarian Center for Interreligious Discourses, FAU Erlangen-Nürnberg
17. – 18. February 2021: The Concept of Will and the Concept of Predestination in Judaism, Christianity and Islam

Program     Video

    • The Concept of Will in Judaism: Shalom Sadik, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev
    • The Concept of Will in Christianity: Dr. Johannes Grössl, University of Würzburg
    • The Concept of Will in Islam: Prof. Dr. Heidrun Eichner, University of Tübingen
    • The Concept of Predestination in Judaism: Prof. Lenn E. Goodman, Vanderbilt University
    • The Concept of Predestination in Christianity: Prof. Jesse Couenhoven, Villanova University
    • The Concept of Predestination in Islam: Prof. Catarina Belo, The American University of Cairo

23. – 24. September 2020: The Concept of Death and the Concept of Life in Judaism, Christianity and Islam

Program     Videos     

    • The Concept of Death in Judaism: Prof. Dr. David C. Kraemer, The Jewish Theological Seminary, New York
    • The Concept of Death in Christianity: Prof. Dr. Douglas Davies, University of Durham
    • The Concept of Death in Islam: Prof. Dr. Timothy J. Gianotti, American Islamic College, Chicago
    • The Concept of Life in Judaism: Prof. Dr. Gabriel Levy, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim
    • The Concept of Life in Christianity: Prof. Dr. Kerstin Schlögl-Flierl, University of Augsburg
    • The Concept of Life in Islam: Dr. Muhammad U. Faruque, University of Cincinnati
17. – 18. June 2020: The Concept of Environment and the Concept of Economy in Judaism, Christianity and Islam
    • The Concept of Environment in Judaism: Rabbi Yonatan Neril und Rabbi Leo Dee
    • The Concept of Environment in Christianity: Kerstin Schlögl-Flierl
    • The Concept of Environment in Islam: Prof Dr. Yasin Dutton, Oxford Center for Islamic Studies
    • The Concept of Economy in Judaism: Dr. Moses L. Pava, Yeshiva University, New York
    • The Concept of Economy in Christianity: Prof. Dr. André Habisch, Catholic University of Eichstätt-Ingolstadt
    • The Concept of Economy in Islam: Prof. em. Rodney Wilson, Emeritus Professor of Economics at Durham University
12. – 14. February 2020: The Concept of Good and the Concept of Evil in Judaism, Christianity and Islam

Program     Videos

    • The Concept of Good in Judaism: Rabbi Daniel Z. Feldman, Yeshiva University
    • The Concept of Good in Christianity: Prof. Dr. Dr. Andreas Koritensky, University of Paderborn
    • The Concept of Good in Islam: Prof. Dr. Karim Douglas Crow, Council for Research in Values and Philosophy
    • The Concept of Evil in Judaism: Prof. Dr. Lenn E. Goodman, Vanderbilt University
    • The Concept of Evil in Christianity: Prof. Dr. Bruce A. Little, Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary
    • The Concept of Evil in Islam: Dr. Nasrin Rouzati, Manhattan College

18. – 20. September 2019: The Concept of Violence and the Concept of Just War in Judaism, Christianity and Islam

Program      Report     Videos

    • The Concept of Violence in Judaism: Prof. Dr. Reuven Firestone, Jewish Institute of Religion Los Angeles
    • The Concept of Violence in Christianity: Prof. Dr. Rubén Rosario Rodríguez, Saint Louis University
    • The Concept of Violence in Islam: Prof. Dr. Patrice Brodeur, University of Montreal
    • The Concept of Just War in Judaism: Rabbi Daniel Polish, PhD, Spiritual Leader of the Congregation Shir Chadash New York
    • The Concept of Just War in Christianity: Prof. Dr. Heinz-Gerhard Justenhoven, Institut für Theologie und Frieden Hamburg
    • The Concept of Just War in Islam: Prof. Dr. Suleiman Ali Mourad, Smith College Northampton (MA)
26. – 28. June 2019: The Concept of Body and the Concept of Soul in Judaism, Christianity and Islam

Program     Report     Videos     Band “Concept of Soul” 

    • The Concept of Body in Judaism: Prof. Dr. Giuseppe Veltri, Director of the Maimonides Centre for Advanced Studies, University of Hamburg
    • The Concept of Body in Christianity: Prof. Dr. Gregor Etzelmüller, University of Osnabrück
    • The Concept of Body in Islam: PD Dr. Abbas Poya, FAU Erlangen-Nürnberg
    • The Concept of Soul in Judaism: Prof. Dr. Alan Avery-Peck, College of the Holy Cross, Worcester, MA
    • The Concept of Soul in Christianity: Prof. Dr. Eberhard Schockenhoff, University of Freiburg
    • The Concept of Soul in Islam: Prof. Dr. Dr. Bernhard Uhde, Institut für Interreligiöse Studien Freiburg
13. – 15. February 2019: The Concept of Person and the Concept of Sexuality in Judaism, Christianity and Islam

Program     Videos    Band “Concept of Person”  

    • The Concept of Person in Judaism: Prof. Dr. Aryeh Botwinick, Temple University
    • The Concept of Person in Christianity: Prof. Dr. Edward Alam,  Notre Dame University-Louaize, Beirut
    • The Concept of Person in Islam: Prof. Dr. Peter G. Riddell, Melbourne School of Theology/SOAS University of London
    • The Concept of Sexuality in Judaism: Prof. Dr. Sarah Imhoff, Indiana University Bloomington
    • The Concept of Sexuality in Christianity: Prof. Dr. Heike Walz, Augustana Divinity School Neuendettelsau
    • The Concept of Sexuality in Islam: Prof. Dr. Patrick Franke, University of Bamberg

12. – 14. December 2018: The Concept of History and the Concept of Time in Judaism, Christianity and Islam

Program     Report     Videos

    • The Concept of History in Judaism: Prof. Dr. em. Karl E. Grözinger, University of Potsdam
    • The Concept of History in Christianity: Prof. Dr. Christoph Böttigheimer, Universität Eichstätt-Ingolstadt
    • The Concept of History in Islam: Prof. Dr. Mona Hassan, Duke University, Durham
    • The Concept of Time in Judaism: Sylvie Anne Goldberg, CRH-EHESS, Paris
    • The Concept of Time in Christianity: Prof. Dr. Alan G. Padgett, Luther Seminary, St. Paul
    • The Concept of Time in Islam: Prof. Dr. Sajjad Rizvi, University of Exeter
18. – 20. April 2018: The Concept of Scripture and the Concept of Doctrine in Judaism, Christianity and Islam

Program     Report

    • The Concept of Scripture in Judaism: Prof. Dr. Isaac Kalimi, University of Mainz
    • The Concept of Scripture in Christianity: Prof. Dr. Assaad Elias Kattan, University of Münster
    • The Concept of Scripture in Islam: Prof. Dr. Joseph E. B. Lumbard, American University of Sharjah
    • The Concept of Doctrine in Judaism: Prof. Dr. Michah Gottlieb, New York University
    • The Concept of Doctrine in Christianity: Prof. Dr. Roman Siebenrock, University of Innsbruck
    • The Concept of Doctrine in Islam: Prof. Dr. Waleed El-Ansary, Xavier University, Cincinnati

13. – 15. December 2017: The Concept of Tolerance and the Concept of Peace in Judaism, Christianity and Islam

Program     Report

    • The Concept of Tolerance in Judaism: Prof. Dr. Michael Zank, Boston University
    • The Concept of Tolerance in Christianity: Prof. Dr. Christian Polke, Georg-August-University of Göttingen
    • The Concept of Tolerance in Islam: Prof. Dr. Anna Aişe Akasoy, City University New York
    • The Concept of Peace in Judaism: Dr. Alick Isaacs, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem
    • The Concept of Peace in Christianity: LtWissDir Prof. Dr. Volker Stümke, Bundeswehr Command and Staff College in Hamburg
    • The Concept of Peace in Islam: Prof. Dr. Asma Afsaruddin, Indiana University Bloomington
27. – 29. September 2017: The Concept of Faith and the Concept of Truth in Judaism, Christianity and Islam

Program     Report 

    • The Concept of Faith in Judaism: Prof. Dr. Susanne Talabardon, University of Bamberg
    • The Concept of Faith in Christianity: Prof. em. Dr. Walter Sparn, FAU Erlangen-Nürnberg
    • The Concept of Faith in Islam: Prof. Ovamir Anjum, University of Toledo
    • The Concept of Truth in Judaism: Sen.-Prof. Dr. Stefan Schreiner, University of Tübingen
    • The Concept of Truth in Christianity: Prof. Dr. Dr. Thomas Schärtl-Trendel, University of Regensburg
    • The Concept of Truth in Islam: Prof. Dr. Nader el-Bizri, American University of Beirut
10. – 12. May 2017: The Concept of Freedom and the Concept of Justice in Judaism, Christianity and Islam

Program     Report

    • The Concept of Freedom in Judaism: Prof. Dr. Kenneth Seeskin, Northwestern University, Evanston
    • The Concept of Freedom in Christianity: Prof. Dr. Nico Vorster, North-West University, Potchefstroom
    • The Concept of Freedom in Islam: Prof. Dr. Maha El-Kaisy Friemuth, FAU Erlangen-Nürnberg

15. – 16. December 2016: The Concept of Human Rights in Judaism, Christianity and Islam

Program

    • The Concept of Human Rights in Judaism: Prof. Dr. Michael J. Broyde, Emory University, Atlanta
    • The Concept of Human Rights in Christianity: Prof. Dr. Dr. h. c. Heiner Bielefeldt, FAU Erlangen-Nürnberg
    • The Concept of Human Rights in Islam: Prof. Dr. Mashood Baderin, University of London
21. – 22. July 2016: The Concept of Revelation in Judaism, Christianity and Islam

Program     Report     Band “Concept of Revelation”

    • The Concept of Revelation in Judaism: Prof. Dr. Norbert M. Samuelson, Arizona State University
    • The Concept of Revelation in Christianity: Prof. Dr. Christoph Schwöbel, Eberhard Karls University of Tübingen
    • The Concept of Revelation in Islam: Prof. Dr. Asma Afsaruddin, Indiana University Bloomington
19. – 20. May 2016: The Concept of Human Being in Judaism, Christianity and Islam

Program

    • The Concept of Human Being in Judaism: Prof. Dr. Matthias Morgenstern, Eberhard Karls University of Tübingen
    • The Concept of Human Being in Christianity: Dr. Martin O´Malley, Friedrich-Schiller-University of Jena
    • The Concept of Human Being in Islam: Dr. Amanullah De Sondy, University College Cork, Ireland