Today, few would disagree that interreligious • How can the experiences and perspectives dialogue is an indispensable tool (or medium) for of the relevant “in-house” minorities (Muslim mi- mutual coexistence, acceptance and peace. In re- norities in Europe, Christian minorities in the Mid- cent times, the importance of such dialogue has dle East), as well as those of Christians and Mus- been highlighted by the revival and the resurgence lims in special social and political circumstances of religion (de-secularisation), relevant in variety (refugees, migrants, displaced persons), inform of contexts – e.g. in the context of democratic pol- contemporary philosophical-theological dialogue itics, the context of political extremism and ter- between Christianity and Islam? rorism, or that of integration or non-integration of • And, how should philosophical and com- immigrants who are often of different faith and/or parative theologies address the contemporary culture than that of the host communities. criticisms of interreligious dialogue, which brand it At the same time, we should also ask critically as a failed tool for better understanding between whether interreligious dialogue has indeed been as cultures, or as a Western invention and tool for beneficial and useful as the dialogue activists claim cultural domination, or as a cover-up for power- International conference it has and as they want it to be. While dialogue be- relations between groups in power, as opposed tween the religions can be understood as a press- to empowering those who are ofen voiceless and ing step in the modern development of intercultur- excluded from interreligious dialogue (“heretical” NEW PHILOSOPHICAL al relations, it can only work when it is founded on sects, secularists, women, sexual and other mi- AND THEOLOGICAL careful investigation of their foundations. norites, migrants)? At this conference, we want to reconceptualize At the conference, we will address these and FOUNDATIONS FOR the question of the importance of an active and related questions in carefully prepared lectures, well informed interreligious dialogue. The focus delivered in pairs during thematically ordered 1,5 CHRISTIAN-MUSLIM will be on in-depth, philosophical-theological con- hour sessions of two speakers, with ample time for DIALOGUE versation between Christians and Muslims. We will responses and discussions. explore new ways in which philosophical theories can foster Christian-Muslim understanding. Examples of the questions to be addressed are: The conference is held under the Honorary • Can Christian and Muslim theologies as Patronage of the President of the Republic equal partners in conversation, and as compara- of Slovenia Borut Pahor. tive theologies, help us foster better intercultural understanding? • What are best philosophical models and theories of dialogue for framing the theological Conference co-organized by: conversation between European Christians on one Science and Research Centre Koper (Slovenia) Hotels Bernardin, hand and Iranian and other Middle Eastern Mus- lims on the other? Iranian Association for Philosophy of Religion (Iran) Portorož, Slovenia, • Is it the Aristotelian, Platonist, one of the Centre for Comparative Theology and Cultural May 27-29, 2019 modern philosophical foundations (Continental, Studies, University of Paderborn (Germany) Analytical, Witgensteinian, Phenomenological, European Academy of Sciences and Arts (EASA) – Deconstructivist, Pragmatist, or other), or a com- World Religions Class (Austria) bination of these? Society for Comparative Religion (Slovenia) CONFERENCE PROGRAMME 16:00–17:30 Panel 1 10:30-11:00 Coffee Break Klaus von Stosch: Comparative Theology and Christian-Muslim Dialogue: A Relationship of 11:00-12:30 Panel 3 Monday, 27 May, 2019 Mutual Foundation Janez Juhant: Religion, Society and Mystics: The Hamidreza Ayatollahy: The Purpose of Interreligious Spiritual Ground(s) of Societal Life Dialogue: Coexistence or Cooperation? 14.00–15.00 Welcome coffee break Rasoul Rasoulipour: Philosophy of Religion: An (Hotel Bernardin, Hall Emerald II) Existential Approach 15:00–15:50 Protocolar Speeches and 17:45–19:15 Discussion Panel / Round table Conference Opening On the Futures of Islam and Muslims in Europe's 12:30-14:30 Lunch Break Democracies (moderators: Gorazd Andrejč and Protocolar speeches: Carool Kersten) 14:30-16:00 Panel 4 Prof Dr Rado Pišot, Director of the Science and Participants: Elmar Kuhn (EASA Dean of Class Research Centre Koper World Religions), Rasoul Rasoulipour (Kharazmi Carool Kersten: Of Double Genealogies and University, Tehran, Iran), Mari Jože Osredkar (Univ. West-East Investigations: Resetting The Prof Dr Nadja Furlan Štante, Science and Research of Ljubljana, Faculty of Theology), Anja Zalta Christian-Muslim Encounter Centre Koper, Leader of Research Project on (Univ. of Ljubljana, Faculty of Arts), Maurits Berger Interreligious Dialogue (Slovenian Research Lenart Škof: A New Temporality of Religion: On (University of Leiden) Agency) Political Theology and its Ethical Core H.E. the Ambassador of the Islamic Republic of Iran to Slovenia Kazem Shafei 19:30 Dinner 16:00-16:30 Coffee Break Msgr Dr Jurij Bizjak, Bishop of Koper Mag. Nevzet Porić, Secretary General of Islamic 16:30-18:00 Panel 5 Tuesday, 28 May, 2019 Comminity in the Republic of Slovenia Maurits Berger: What Do We Mean by ‘Radical Dr Gregor Lesjak, Director of the Office for All panels in Hotel Histrion, Islam’? – A Dutch Case Study Religious Communities, Ministry of Culture of Asteria conference room Andrew Ashdown: An exploration of Christian- Republic of Slovenia Muslim relations in Syria: 2000–2018 9:00-10:30 Panel 2 Conference Opening: Saida Mirsadri: Process Islam: Towards a 19:30 Dinner Prof Dr Lenart Škof, Head of the Institute for Metaphysical Foundation for Interreligious Philosophical Studies, ZRS Koper and the Chair Dialogue 21:00 Christian-Muslim prayer of the Conference Organizing Committee Women's Voices in Nadja Furlan Štante: (St. Bernardine Church) Assoc Prof Dr Gorazd Andrejč, ZRS Koper, Faculty Christian-Muslim Interreligious Dialogue – a Hosted by Elmar Kuhn, with the cooperation of of Arts, University of Maribor and Woolf Institute, Venue for Religious Peace-building Janez Juhant and Reza Akbari Cambridge, Chair of the Conference Programme Committee 9:00-10:30 Parallel panel 2A: Postdoc & Prof Dr Elmar Kuhn, European Academy of Sciences PhD students – Hotel Histrion, and Arts – Dean of Class World Religions Larus conference room Prof Dr Mohsen Javadi, Deputy Minister of Culture Maja Bjelica: The Turkish Alevis and their and Islamic Guidance for Cultural Affairs, Islamic Interreligious Dialogical Inclination Republic of Iran Javad Taheri: Possibility of a Comparative This conference is financially supported by Slovenian Prof Dr Klaus von Stosch, Head of the Centre for Theology According to Allamah Sayyed Research Agency (ARRS projects J6-8265 and J6- Comparative Theology and Cultural Studies of Muhammad Hossein Tabataba’i’s Philosophy 9393) and The Embassy of the Kingdom of the Nether- the University of Paderborn lands. 21.00 Musicking Sound Dialogue with Zvenika Prof Dr Reza Akbari, Professor at Imam Sadiq Wednesday, 29 May, 2019 A Muzofil collaboration University, Tehran, Iran (St. Bernardine Church) Prof Dr Rasoul Rasoulipour, Professor at Kharazmi The sound event will offer a musicking experience, University, Tehran, Iran 9:00-10:30 Panel 6 exploring the dialogue between music and religion. Prof Dr Jafar Morvarid, Assistant Professor of Mohammad Saeedimehr: Islamic Mysticism and The intent of this experience is to dissolve the Philosophy, Faculty of Theology, Ferdowsi Muslim-Christian Dialogue borders that separate the performers and the University of Mashhad, Iran Joshua Ralston: Comparative Political Theology: a audience through a sound dialogue, that will allow Ms. Saida Mirsadri, Ph.D. Candidate in Philosophy of Framework for Christian-Muslim Dialogue the participants to unveil the potential of mutual Religion at Tehran University, Farabi College intertwinement of musical and religious bonds.. Mr. Javad Taheri, Director of Iranian Association 10:30-11:00 Coffee Break for Philosophy of Religion, Ph.D. Candidate in Philosophy of Religion at Faculty of Theology, The List of Speakers University of Ljubljana, Slovenia 11:00-12:30 Panel 7 Gorazd Andrejč: Religious Freedom and the Slovenian group Other speakers Epistemic Limitations of Religious Belief Prof Dr Lenart Škof, Head of the Institute for Prof Dr Klaus von Stosch, Head of the Centre for Jafar Morvarid: Language-Games Philosophy as Philosophical Studies, ZRS Koper, Alma Mater Comparative Theology and Cultural Studies of a Philosophical Foundation for Interreligious Europaea ECM/ISH and EASA the University of Paderborn Dialogue Prof Dr Nadja Furlan Štante, Institute for Philosophical Studies, ZRS Koper Prof Dr Elmar Kuhn, European Academy of Sciences and Arts – Dean of Class World Religions 12:30-14:30 Lunch Break Assoc Prof Dr Gorazd Andrejč, ZRS Koper, Faculty of Arts, University of Maribor and Woolf Institute, Prof Dr Maurits Berger, University of Leiden Cambridge Prof Dr Nedžad Grabus, Faculty of Islamic Sciences, 14:30-16:00 Panel 8 Dr Maja Bjelica, Institute for Philosophical Studies, Sarajevo Elmar Kuhn: Is the Clash of Religions the Future of ZRS Koper Prof Dr Carool Kersten, Department of Theology Our World? Prof Dr Bojan Žalec, EASA and University of and Religious Studies, King’s College London Mohsen Javadi: The Primacy of Justice in Islamic Ljubljana, Faculty of Theology Prof Dr Joshua Ralston, Faculty of Divinity, Social Ethics: a Solution for Religious and University of Ljubljana, Faculty University of Edinburgh Cultural Conflicts Prof Dr Anja Zalta, of Arts

Prof Dr Mari Jože Osredkar, University of Ljubljana, 16:00-16:30 Coffee Break Faculty of Theology Emer Prof Dr Janez Juhant, EASA and University of 16:30-18:00 Panel 9 Ljubljana, Faculty of Theology Bojan Žalec: Religious Exclusivism, Dialogue and Coexistence Iranian group Reza Akbari: The Role of Conceptual Metaphors Prof Dr Hamidreza Ayatollahy, Head of Iranian in the Fruitfulness of Interreligious Dialogues: Association for Philosophy of Religion, Emeritus Interreligious Dialogue as Friendly Co-Travelling professor of Allameh Tabataba'i University, Tehran, Iran 18:15-19:00 Concluding Remarks Prof Dr Mohammad Saeedimehr, Professor at Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran 19:30 Dinner Prof Dr Mohsen Javadi, Professor at University of Qom, Iran