The Byblos research project brings together two elements that until recently have been seen as mutually incompatible, viz “religion and politics”. Indeed, for a long time, these two elements could not be brought together in any serious academic, theoretical discourse or policy discussion, and was even considered to be inappropriate in theological discourse. The fact that this is now the topic under discussion is a major transformation, one that for me is a sign of epistemic honesty that has been needed in our fields for quite some time.