ABSTRACT
This chapter provides an overview of the concepts discussed in third part of this book. The part shows that symbolic and social boundaries were important components of the different forms of coexistence that emerged in the early modern era. Distinctions were made and articulated on the basis of many different characteristics, ranging from language, skin colour, and religious beliefs to place of birth or residence. There are symbolic boundaries, such as those based on the conceptual distinctions between different religious groups in relation to their orthodoxy and orthopraxy. The process of boundary formation between religious groups and the extent to which they were respected or transgressed continues to be at the forefront of research on the practice of religious toleration because it informs us about the everyday relationships that existed between people divided by faith. Spatial boundaries between religious groups were frequently embodied in physical objects such as walls and gates.
