2024

In this commentary, Krech’s article “Religious Contacts in Past and Present Times: Aspects of a Research Program”, originally published in 2012, is placed in the context of several pioneering works that have provided important impulses for a global history of religion. As the article was published as a provisional step, it is of particular value for a reflection on the ongoing challenges of a global history of religion. It is emphasized how the central questions formulated at that time also persist in current discussions, which, however, are predominantly characterized by global and entanglement perspectives and often genealogical approaches. This emphasizes how the methodological repertoire brought into play by Krech can be useful for thinking about global religious history.

Religious traditions form, establish and develop in mutual dependency. This, at least, is the main assumption of the Dynamics in the History of Religions international research consortium at Bochum University, Germany. Thus, religious contacts and transfers are its main topic. The special issue of Religion covers selected case studies of the consortium’s work. In the following, I will give a short introduction into some aspects of its research programme. The original text in English is available as Krech 2012a.