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This blog text is a result of the thematic course “Interreligious Relations in Istanbul and Beyond: The role of Religion in Society, State and Secularism” at Åbo Akademi University through the Polin Institute because of the jubilee of the council in Nicaea that took place in the year of our Lord 325. It has been […]

May 9-25, Turku, Finland – Ísafjörður, Iceland KNOWLEDGE AT SEA – TRANSDISCIPLINARY COMMUNITY PRACTICES FOR SUSTAINABILITY Study trip for artists, students, researchers and cultural workers What happens when artists, researchers, and cultural workers set sail together to explore sustainability—not just as a concept, but as a lived, shared practice? Dive into transdisciplinary action—share knowledge, build […]

Political Theologies of Constitutions, the Rule of Law, and the Common Good 23-24 April 2026University of Cambridge The constitution functions not only as a legal framework but also as a symbolic and practical foundation for societal life. This brings to the fore the role of constitutional values and principles as shared reference points. Constitutions may […]

Need time to finalize a book manuscript? Apply for a research stint at the Polin Institute for theological research within Åbo Akademi University, Finland. The Polin Institute is an international center for theological research in Finland. We announce two research stints of maximum six months between the beginning of September 2026 and the end of […]

The book Discovering Identity and Faith in Finland. A South African’s Reflection ”Embrace the Differences” is a deeply personal reflection on the author’s experiences in Finland. Noku Katom was a fellow participant of the ”Abraham Goes Global” exchange program between The Polin Institute, Åbo Akademi and Stellenbosch University running in the academic year 2024-2025. The […]

Reflections from Holy Week and a Study Trip to Cape Town and Stellenbosch During Holy Week, my thoughts return to our study trip to South Africa earlier this year. It was a journey filled with learning, beauty, and contrast. South Africa is a country of striking contrasts – visually stunning yet socially complex. Our course […]

I found it very important to learn about Robben Island and its historical significance as a place of oppression, where those deemed “undesirable” were kept away from the rest of the population. But what I really appreciated was hearing a first-hand account that reminded me once again that evils of apartheid are still a part […]

If you have learned how South Africans fought against the atrocities of their oppressors and that apartheid and racial segregation were abolished in South Africa, you might be excited to learn what such connotations mean to South Africans. I spent two weeks in Cape Town observing, learning, getting first-hand information from South Africans, and visiting […]

Despite the common ground, the name of the Valley of Grace, they are continents apart. Despite being continents apart, they belong to the same earth. Despite the common earth, there are differences, different perspectives and understandings. How do we reach out to the other side, how do we encounter something so different and yet so […]