24 May 2025
The Annual REFORC Conference made clear, that new historiographical approaches can shed new light on Early Modern Christianity research.
Pavel Soukup focused on the Hussites, who have been regarded by some historians as the last heretical movement of the Middle Ages. However, a new historiographical approach can help readjusting images in academic research in the sense that Hussites can be considered more than heretical. Also the plenary papers of Philippe Buc (Leiden) and Lyndal Roper (Oxford) demonstrated how new historiographical approaches can produce new and fruitful insights.
Violet Soen connected the theme of rebellion and revolt with what comes next: pacification and religious peace:
The Q&A after the plenaries showed that such new steps towards ‘old’ and wellknown material is thought provoking and demands some time to digest. Questions were limited, but the opposite counts for curiosity and appreciation.
The shortpaper sessions – impressively well organised by the team of Central European University! – were also scene of new approaches and their results. Even more the mainly younger scholars shared insights in new topics, so far ignored persons, events and themes.
Not just interdisciplinarity yields academic fruits but just as much internationality in the sense of national background and even more researching from a non-European perspective can shed new light on Early Modern Christianity research.
REFORC brings scholars together and its exciting to see where that leads to.
