The Iberian Peninsula of the Middle Ages is quite often described as an ideal place of religious encounters. Terms like "golden century" are sometimes employed to describe that time. Although descriptions like that are in more than one respect difficult they point to an important aspect. Time and place in focus made it possible that members of three major religions – Christians, Muslims, and Jews – met and exchanged knowledge and religious ideas. Translations of Arabic-written scientific and religious works into Hebrew or Latin were numerous, but also translations of Latin works into Hebrew or even into Arabic took place. These translations as well as personal encounters enabled religious thinkers to their own religious beliefs and to develop new religious insights.
Thus, the Iberian Peninsula forms the ideal place to show how the contact between members of the three monotheistic religions had an impact on their respective religious language.
