D.J. Knibbe (David) MA

My research focuses on medieval Christianity, its role in fifteenth century society and how to teach these subjects. Recently, the limits of religious tolerance in the Netherlands have been debated. People questioned the acceptance of foreign influence in Dutch mosques and the continuation of Christian services during the Covid lockdown. Often the notion of a typically Dutch tolerance is invoked, the origins of which are often placed in the seventeenth century. This study will however demonstrate that it is actually much older, namely from the fifteenth century. At that time authorities were confronted with new forms of religious life that could upset society. The roots of Dutch religious tolerance lie there and studying them will help us to understand the current debates better.