Theology and Religious Studies: Peace, Trauma and Religion

The specialization Peace, Trauma en Religion within the master program Theology and Religious Studies answers to the growing interest in the political and public arena to explore and develop skills for peace-making and peace-keeping – locally, regionally, and internationally – as well as for conflict prevention and post conflict care, like trauma healing.

The program academically prepares professionals for this growing field. It focuses on the role of religion in the rise of national and regional conflicts – so-called “new wars”, – which are often linked to religious and ethnic diversity or enmity, usually triggered by unjust living conditions.

It explores how religion is both misused to incite violent conflicts, as well as how it can function as one of the strongest ethical and spiritual resources for conflict resolution and transitional justice – on the inter-personal level, inter-groups level, as well as in reconciliation processes within whole societies. Students learn to study these from the perspective of different faith traditions.