The Latin Church of the West facing the Challenge of Islam during the Council of Basel (1431-1449) with special regard to John of Ragusa (d. 1443). Edition and Interpretation of New Sources in the Light of the Interactions on the Council and its Self-Conception

• Applicant: Professor Dr. Ulli Roth
• Subject Area: Roman Catholic Theology ; Protestant Theology ; Islamic Studies, Arabian Studies, Semitic Studies ; Medieval History
• Term: from 2015 to 2019
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 265385860

During the Council of Basel (1431-1449) the leading theologians of the western church met in the middle of Europe. After the fall of Constantinople (1453) and thus only a few years after the end of the council the same scholars intensively debated the role of Islam not only as a political, but also as a theological challenge. This has often been examined. However, the preliminary works and discussions during the Council of Basel, which enabled this immediate reaction, have never been systematically analysed. A thorough study about which sources are still existing is lacking, too. Yet, there exists e. g. rich material in form of letters, manuscripts, marginalia and even a treatise Machumeto et Sarracenis of the vice chairman of the Council of Basel, John of Ragusa (d. 1443). For many of the works written after 1453 it can also be shown that their authors had already been dealing with Islam in the years before. This project will thus publish new sources and systematically examine and describe the discussions about Islam in the time of the Council of Basel, taking the relevant works of John of Ragusa as starting point. Besides the historical problematics the more systematical subject will be the question how the theological concept of the council did influence the discussions about Islam, a question, which is still relevant today, taking into account the Second Vatican Council (1962-1965) and its importance for the dialogue of religions.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants