Matthias Riedl

Matthias Riedl is Associate Professor in the Department of Historical Studies at Central European University in Vienna, with additional affiliations as a Member of the Center for Religious Studies and Fellow at the Center for Eastern Mediterranean Studies. His academic career spans multiple institutions including the University of Erlangen-Nuremberg, Duke University, Jean Moulin University of Lyon, and Tokyo University of Foreign Studies.

His research focuses on the interrelation between religion and politics, with particular expertise in apocalyptic thought, revolutionary movements, and the history of political theology from antiquity through the Reformation period. Riedl has published extensively on Thomas Müntzer, Joachim of Fiore, and the intersections of religious dissent and political theory.

His scholarly work reveals a consistent engagement with how apocalyptic visions transform into revolutionary action, examining the continuum from ancient apocalyptic literature to modern political movements. His publications demonstrate how concepts of spiritual progress, divine knowledge, and future transformation have shaped political thought across centuries.

Riedl has received significant recognition for his work, with over 68,000 public views on Academia.edu placing him in the top 2% of scholars on the platform. His research has been published in prestigious journals and edited volumes across multiple languages.

• Supervised numerous doctoral and MA students on diverse topics spanning church history, political thought, religious violence, and comparative religious studies
• Directed multiple international summer schools on religion and politics
• Co-organized interdisciplinary Eranos Conferences in Ascona, Switzerland