Research

The research of ChID is grounded within the rich discipline of Islamic systematic theology (Kalām). Our research activities include, though are not limited to doctrinal theology, philosophy, mysticism, intellectual history, interfaith dialogue, philology and manuscript studies. Moreover, the ChID’s focus on a dynamic study of religion pairs traditional disciplines with the intellectual demands and concerns of the 21^st century such as debates over the fissure between religion and science, theological responses to climate change, global poverty, inequality, etc. With its research activities, ChID is committed to world class scholarship by engaging with as well as contributing towards enlivening academic (and public) discourses on theology. Our research profile and activities include:

Systematic Theology/Kalam

Kalam involves a discursive approach to understanding God, and has been intrinsically linked to philosophical and mystical developments. In the footsteps of this heritage, the Chair of Islamic Doctrine explores Muslim discourses about God in a broad perspective. While the so-called ‘classical’ period of Kalam continues to enjoy well-researched attention, later scholars and trends (post-Ghazālī) receive comparatively far less analysis. By closely examining later key figures and trends, ChID contributes to a better understanding of Kalam in the Ottoman and early modern periods. Central publications here are the book Early Modern Trends in Islamic Theology (2019) and the Māturīdī Theology Bilingual Reader (August 2022). In addition, a number of PhD projects at ChID engage with Kalam in Ottoman contexts, thereby widening the field of scholars working in this area. ChID also boasts one of the most collaborative working groups on early modern scholar ʿAbd al-Ghanī al-Nābulusī (d. 1143/1731) and is at the forefront of scholarship into this fascinating, summative and important thinker, and the times in which he lived.

Concurrent to the rigorous exploration of Islamic theology in its historical contexts, ChID also prioritizes inquiry into contemporary pressing questions. New challenges such as climate change and timeless questions such as injustice or what it means to be human need to be addressed in a comprehensive manner. Working in a global and pluralistic context, ChID promotes interdisciplinary and interfaith research in this area. An ongoing project is the cooperation with renowned Muslim and Christian theologians, to organise conferences on ‘Theological Anthropology’ (Tübingen 2018) and ‘Green Theology’ (Cambridge 2019) with forthcoming publications and proceedings from these meetings to ensure wide dissemantion of research.

Interfaith

Interfaith research, especially in the area of Muslim-Christian relations, is at the core of Chair of Islamic Doctrine’s research activities. Beginning with her first book, Prof. Dr. Lejla Demiri forged new grounds by editing, translating and analyzing Najm al-Dīn al-Ṭūfī’s (d. 716/1316) commentary on Christian scriptures. This historical perspective, which is also present in the series of Christian-Muslim Relations: A Bibliographical History and other publications, is complemented by research on current developments, such as the ‘A Common Word’ initiative. Furthermore, Professor Demiri is active in various scholarly interfaith activities and projects such as ‘Building Bridges’, St Andrew’s Encyclopedia of Theology (SAET) and an emerging project on ‘Argument from Scripture’. Moreover ChID contributes to interfaith research through its teaching activities at the University of Tübingen and supervision of relevant PhD projects. For more information on ChID’s interfaith research cooperation, please see Cooperation. Scholars hosted at the ChID have opportunities to participate in Scriptural Reasoning events, advanced text reading seminars and Senior Research Seminars.

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