The seminar topic, “Persecution, Toleration, Coexistence: Early Modern Responses to Religious Pluralism” addresses a key issue that challenged early modern Europeans and still resonates today: how should one deal with people in one’s family, community, or state who hold divergent religious beliefs? Catholics, Lutherans, Reformed, Anabaptists, Jews and Muslims all had an impact in early modern Europe, but was there room for people of different confessions or faiths within the same community?

Through the reading and discussion of key primary and secondary sources, this seminar will examine the arguments made by religious and political leaders in favor of persecution or eradication of religious minorities, as well as propositions in favor of some measure of religious toleration. Participants will also consider the very real outcomes of these arguments by examining trial records, edicts of toleration, and other primary sources that will deepen their analysis of the practical strategies adopted by early modern Europeans in response to the challenge of divergent religious beliefs.

The four-week research-focused seminar will also feature two-day visits and guest presentations by Benjamin Kaplan (University College London), Barbara Diefendorf (Boston University), and Dean Bell (Spertus Institute for Jewish Studies, Chicago).

The application deadline is March 4, 2013. The seminar has room for 16 participants (including two graduate students). Successful applicants will receive a stipend of $3,300 to cover travel, housing and food, and research-related expenses.

Please see www.calvin.edu/meeter/NEH2013 for more information and instructions on how to apply. Please feel free to contact Karin Maag (kmaag@calvin.edu) with any questions you may have.