This book focuses on iconoclastic controversies and, in particular, their impact on the creation of religious identities. In the history of Jewish, Christian and Muslim culture, religious identity was not only formed through historical claims, but also through the use of certain images: 'images of God', 'images of the others', and 'images of the self.' Moreover, in the struggle for religious identity these 'images' were time and again employed for the purpose of establishing distinct groups, both ortho- dox and deviant. At the same time, they supplied weapons in the theological debate and found explicit expression in certain rituals or liturgical traditions. These conference proceedings include a discussion of the role of images in society, politics, theology and liturgy, in particular addressing the 'iconoclash' of physical, mental and verbal images on the construction of religious identity.

Sanctifying Texts, Transforming Rituals: Encounters in Liturgical Studies explores the dynamics of Christian ritual practices in their relation to a broader cultural framework. The nineteen essays, written in honour of the liturgist Gerard A.M. Rouwhorst (Tilburg University), study liturgical developments in times of transition, in which religious and cultural changes set the development of worship practices in motion. The chapters in the first part (Texts) concentrate on the close connection between narrative texts and liturgical practice. In part two (Rituals), the focus shifts to the significance of liturgy as it expresses itself in rituals, and to the understanding of ritual acting. This section includes a variety of ritual aspects of liturgy, including the performance of the sacraments and the persons involved, as well as the relation between the liturgical ritual and material objects, such as images and relics. Section three (Encounters) crosses the borders of the discipline of liturgical studies. This final section of the book studies (ritual) relations between Christians and non-Christians through history, and includes contributions that study the dialogues between different liturgical languages and media. Contributors are: Elizabeth Boddens Hosang, Paul Bradshaw, Harald Buchinger, Charles Caspers, Paul van Geest, Bert Groen, Martin Kloeckener, Bart Koet, Clemens Leonhard, Ruben van Luijk, Gerard Lukken, Daniela Muller, Willemien Otten, Marcel Poorthuis, Paul Post, Ilia Rodov, Els Rose, Joshua Schwartz, Louis van Tongeren, and Nienke Vos.

What does Keynes have to do with Qohelet? At first sight, economy and theology seem to be disciplines with mutually exclusive objectives. Yet, as the Covid crisis has recently shown, if economic development is to really stand a chance of success, it should go hand in hand with relational values like honesty, reliability and empathy: this will contribute to a society with a culture of reciprocity, respect, love and trust. In this essay, Paul van Geest pleads for a renewal of the old ties between economics and theology as scientific disciplines, so as to arrive at a deeper and richer anthropological fundament for economic research.