Category: Opportunities

Grants & Fellowships, Master Category, Opportunities

Louisville Institute – Doctoral Fellowships Opportunity

(All content below is copy-pasted from the Louisville Institute site – click here. )

The Doctoral Fellowship program invites current Ph.D./Th.D. students to consider theological education as their vocation. Fellows receive US $3,000 each year for two years, and join with a peer cohort of other fellows for three formational gatherings each year as part of the Vocation of the Theological Educator Initiative (VTE).

APPLICATION PORTAL OPENS JUNE 10, 2023 FOR 2024 DOCTORAL FELLOWSHIPS.

Application due date: March 1, 2024 (11:59 p.m. EDT)

Doctoral Fellowship amount: US $3,000 each year for 2 years

Fellowship timeframe: Fall 2024 — Spring 2026

Awards announced: May 15, 2024

Vocation of the Theological Educator Gatherings: October 2024; February, May & October 2025; and February & May 2026

What are Doctoral Fellowships?

The Louisville Institute Doctoral Fellowship program invites current Ph.D. and Th.D. students in their first or second year of doctoral study to consider theological education as a vocation. Applicants are typically scholars studying Christian faith and life, the practice of ministry, religious trends and movements, Christian and other faith-based institutions, and religion and social issues. As part of the Louisville Institute’s Vocation of the Theological Educator Initiative (VTE), Louisville Institute Doctoral Fellows participate in intentional, focused, professional formation as they explore a calling to be a theological educator.

The Louisville Institute understands theological education broadly, encompassing the academic study and teaching of religion and its practices, as well as formation for ministry, leadership, social justice and public service, nonprofit and other agency work, etc. Preference for fellowships is given to doctoral students who demonstrate an interest in theological education as a vocation, who express an understanding of the current challenges and opportunities of theological education, and who articulate connections between their doctoral work and these trends and dynamics.

As Doctoral Fellows, students receive a US$3,000 grant each year for two years, and join with a peer cohort of other fellows for three formational gatherings each year (October, February, and May) as part of the Vocation of the Theological Educator Initiative (VTE). All expenses for participating in the VTE gatherings, held in Louisville, KY, are covered by the Louisville Institute.

What do I need to know to apply?

Who is eligible for a Doctoral Fellowship?

Eligible applicants:

  • are students in their first or second year of a Ph.D. or Th.D. program at the time they apply
  • attend an accredited graduate school in the United States or Canada
  • are U.S. or Canadian citizens or international students with appropriate student visas to study in North America
  • come from diverse fields such as history, systematic and practical theology, pastoral studies, social sciences, ethics, or biblical studies, or bring interdisciplinary approaches to their scholarship

If you have previously received another Louisville Institute grant, you are eligible and encouraged to apply, but all program and financial reports for any earlier grants must be submitted by July 1. Please note other provisions at the bottom of this page.

If you have questions about eligibility or other stipulations of the fellowship, please email fellowships@louisville-institute.org.

What are VTE Gatherings?

Three times a year (October, February, & May), LI Doctoral and Postdoctoral Fellows gather in Louisville, KY, for vocational and professional formation, relationship building, and mutual support as part of the Vocation of the Theological Educator Initiative (VTE). With their cohorts, fellows engage vocational questions about theological education, discernment, leadership, pedagogy, mentoring, research and writing, employment and tenure, public theology, guild participation, and other relevant issues. Through peer learning and in conversation with mentor-facilitators and invited resource persons, fellows together create space for dialogue, imagination, collegiality, and growth within and across the academy and the church. All expenses for participation in the VTE gatherings are covered by the Louisville Institute.

How do I apply?

PREPARING YOUR DOCTORAL FELLOWSHIP APPLICATION

  • Read all the application materials and eligibility requirements on this page thoroughly, and refer to them as you complete your application.
  • Create an online profile on our application portal. You will be asked to provide your name, contact information, and other details about yourself. If you have previously applied for a Louisville Institute program, make sure to update your contact information.
  • Once you have created your profile, click the “Apply” button and select “Doctoral Fellowship” to begin entering the elements of your application. NOTE: Application portal opens June 1, 2023 for 2024 Doctoral Fellowship applications.
  • Applications are due by 11:59 p.m. EST March 1, 2024. We recommend that you put together the application elements in time to share them with friends or colleagues for feedback before submitting them. Please do your best to provide clear, refined, and edited documents, noting which elements should be submitted as PDFs.
  • Recommendation letters are due from your recommenders March 8, 2024. In the application portal you will be asked to provide contact information for your recommenders — name, email address, and phone number — and we will send them a link to upload their letters.

APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS

Doctoral Fellowship applications require the following elements. After you have created your online profile, you will be prompted to provide the following:

  1. General information about your doctoral progress to date, including:
    • The focus or subject of your anticipated dissertation research
    • Your academic discipline/field
    • Your doctoral progress: the dates you anticipate completing your coursework, comprehensive or qualifying exams, and approval of your dissertation proposal or thesis topic.
  1. Application essay: The Louisville Institute Doctoral Fellowship is part of the Vocation of the Theological Educator Initiative, and its intent is to help early career scholars consider theological education as their vocation or calling. In an essay of no more than 1500 words (5–7 pages, double-spaced, 12-point font), describe why theological education has been important to you, why you have chosen to pursue a doctoral degree related to religion, and what you see as your vocational trajectory. From your perspective and social context, reflect on current dynamics and realities of theological education and the church, the possibilities and challenges ahead, and how you see your gifts, skills, and academic goals within this larger context. In this essay, we are more interested in your ideas, analysis, and passion for theological education than a recitation of your resume. Include your name on each page of the essay, number the pages, and upload the document as a PDF. (Note: The Louisville Institute understands theological education broadly, encompassing the academic study and teaching of religion and its practices, as well as formation for ministry, leadership, social justice and public service, nonprofit and other agency work, etc.)
  2. Doctoral transcript: One transcript (unofficial or official) from your doctoral program to date must be sent by email to transcripts@louisville-institute.org OR via transcript service to the same email. Please include your name and name of fellowship program in the subject line of the email. Transcripts are due with the application, so make sure to request them in advance so they are received in time.
  3. Curriculum vitae or resume: Provide a PDF of your CV or resume (no more than four pages) that includes:
    • Institutions of higher education you’ve attended and degrees earned, including dates, starting with the most recent
    • Teaching and/or employment experience, starting with the most recent
    • Major academic honors you’ve received
    • Titles and citations of your publications, starting with the most recent
    • Other relevant experience that will help the selection committee get to know you, such as church leadership, guild membership, volunteer service, etc.
  4. Two letters of recommendation due from the recommenders March 8: In the online application portal, you will be asked to provide contact information (name, email address, and phone number) for your recommenders, who will be sent a link by email through which they can upload letters. As soon as you submit contact information, your recommender will automatically receive the email. Make sure to contact your recommenders in advance to explain the fellowship and to share your application materials.
    • Faculty mentor/advisor letter of recommendation: Your first letter of recommendation should come from your faculty mentor/advisor who will be asked to assess your doctoral work thus far, your vocational interest in theological education, and your promise as a teacher and scholar.
    • Second letter of recommendation: Your second letter of recommendation should come from an academic mentor or colleague who can speak to your scholarly promise and assess the quality of your doctoral work and research. In addition, this recommender will be asked to comment on your personal qualities and commitments, including engagement with faith communities, if applicable.

We will notify you via email when we receive the letters from your recommenders.

COMPLETING THE APPLICATION

All elements of the application, including transcripts, must be submitted by 11:59 p.m. EST on March 1, 2024, except the recommendation letters, which are due from the recommenders March 8, 2024. You can edit all portions of your application until the deadline, after which changes cannot be made. Late applications will not be accepted.

In the week after the application deadline, LI staff will process the applications to prepare for the selection committee. We will follow up with you if your application is incomplete. We will also send you confirmation when we receive your letters of recommendation, and will email you when your application is complete.

If you have questions or encounter problems with the application, email fellowships@louisville-institute.org.

What is the selection process for Doctoral Fellowship?

Every year the Louisville Institute appoints a selection committee to review proposals and award Doctoral Fellowships. All applicants will be notified as soon as possible following the selection process, which usually takes place about 8 weeks after the application due date. Awards will be announced publicly on or before May 15, 2024. Fellowship funds are dispersed in September of the award year.

We are often asked how many applications we receive for our fellowships. For each of the last several years of the Doctoral Fellowship, we have received about 60 eligible applications and have awarded 10 fellowships.

What else do I need to know?

Because the Louisville Institute is housed at Louisville Presbyterian Theological Seminary, members of the seminary’s Board, staff, or student body or their immediate family members (parents, spouse, or children) are not eligible for LI grants or fellowships. Applicants may not submit applications to more than one Louisville Institute grant or fellowship program within the same grant year (June 1–May 31).

Louisville Institute grantees and fellows may not simultaneously hold two individual grants from Lilly Endowment-funded organizations that together total more than US$45,000.

Please do not hesitate to contact us with questions — send us an email at fellowships@louisville-institute.org. 

Grants & Fellowships, Master Category, Opportunities

Call for Applications: Psychology Cross-Training Fellowship Opportunity for Theologians – Mar 27, 2023 Deadline.

Call for applications: Psychology Cross-Training Fellowship Programme for Theologians

The University of Birmingham is running a 16-month fellowship program for theologians to help them engage with psychological science in their research.  These fellowships are designed to provide the opportunity for theologians to break down disciplinary barriers and engage more deeply with psychological research to further theological exploration and practice. The fellowships will offer support for theologians to participate in an intensive 16-month programme in psychological cross-training, equipping them with the skills to draw upon insights from psychology and potentially providing them with funding to undertake psychologically informed theological research. The fellowships will build a community of science-engaged theologians who will be able to work independently or collaboratively to undertake new research, develop teaching materials incorporating psychological science, and raise the profile of this area of enquiry.  Fellows will have the opportunity to take part in 2 residential workshops, work with psychologist mentors, apply for a £20,000 research project (open only to project fellows), and more.  

The deadline for applications is March 27th, 2023.

If this sounds like something you’d be interested in (or if you know someone who would be), you can find more details here: https://www.birmingham.ac.uk/research/ptr/projects/psychology-training-theologians.aspx, or email Dr. Carissa Sharp at c.sharp @ beam.ac.uk  

Submitted by:
Dr Carissa Sharp
Assistant Professor of Psychology of Religion
Co-Principal Investigator: International Research Network for the Study of Science and Belief in Society
Co-Investigator: Science and Religion: Exploring the Spectrum – Global Perspectives
University of Birmingham

Grants & Fellowships

Psychology and Theology of Faith Academic Cross-Training Grants – Jan 23 – Application Deadline.

The Psychology of Faith Academic Cross-Training

With the support of the John Templeton Foundation, the University of St. Thomas (MN) announced The Psychology and Theology of Faith sub-granting competition in fall of 2022. The goal is to fund academic cross-training in the psychological sciences for scholars of Christian theology or philosophy of religion with research interests relating to religious belief or religious commitment. Six successful applicants will each receive a $70,000 award providing the opportunity to take courses in and work with mentors from the psychological sciences, in order to apply and leverage insights from the psychological sciences in their work as theologians and philosophers. This project is being supervised by professors Michael Rota (Univ. of St. Thomas) and Elizabeth Jackson (Toronto Metropolitan Univ.)

Applications are due Jan 23, 2023. For more information, see 

https://cas.stthomas.edu/departments/areas-of-study/philosophy/academic-cross-training-grant/index.html.

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Grants & Fellowships, Opportunities

Two Funded PhD Scholarships in Philosophical Theology – St. Andrews Univ – Apply by 15 Jan. 2022

Two funded PhD scholarships are available for those interested in doing research in philosophical theology.

*Deadline is 15, January 2022*

As part of the international research initiative Widening Horizons in Philosophical Theology, two fully funded PhD studentships are being offered in philosophical theology in the broadly continental tradition.  

Scholarships comprise home or overseas fees, as well as living support of c. £16,000 per year. Students will be part of the School of Divinity and pursue their proposed projects under the supervision of Prof Judith Wolfe and/or Dr King-Ho Leung. 

Projects should participate in the vision of Widening Horizons. 

Questions? 

Informal enquiries may be directed to Prof Wolfe or Dr Leung. 

How do I apply? 

Applications should be submitted through the PhD application portal of the University of St Andrews by 15 January 2022. 

Widening Horizons in Philosophical Theology (WHiPT)

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Grants & Fellowships

Apply Now for (2022) – Summer Fellowship in Science-Engaged Theology

The Summer Fellowship application period is now open for the Summer 2022 cohort.

Apply here

About the Fellowship  

  • The Fellowship is a unique professional opportunity to support the development of scholarship in Science–Engaged Theology.  
  • The Fellowship endeavours to provide a supportive and collaborative environment for Fellows to develop their research in this field through virtual and in-person activities.   

Our vision – New Visions in Theological Anthropology (NViTA) 

  • The NViTA project will focus on three subdisciplinary pairings within the overarching umbrellas of behavioural science and theological anthropology: 
  1.   Moral Theology & Evolutionary Biology 
  2.   Spiritual Formation & Developmental Psychology
  3.   Ecclesiology & Cognitive Science 
  • Our project does not study ‘science and religion’ as such. Instead we are interested in thoroughgoingly theological questions that are explicit about what branch of science they draw upon and what subdisciplines of theology they fall within. Any scientific and theological (biblical, ethics, philosophical, practical, systematic, etc.) subdisciplines are welcome, provided they are clearly stated. 
  • We do not think that all theology need be science-engaged. That is, we do not think that because empirical data is needed for some theological questions that it is thus required for all theological questions; but, when it is required, we want to encourage this to be done well. 
  • We prioritise expressing our research through theological puzzles. 

What is included for Fellows on the 2022 cohort?  

Summer 2022: NViTA Science-Engaged Theology Conference 

  • Fellows will attend a conference as part of the NViTA project between 5th-11th June 2022.    
  • Travel, accommodation and the majority of meals for the duration of the conference will be included in your Fellowship. 
  • You will have the opportunity to collaborate with other Fellows and experts in the fields of science and theology. 

Fellowship Stipend 

  • As a Fellow you will receive a stipend of £3,500 per winning project, awarded to you in early 2022.   

 Ongoing research support  

  • From early 2022 you will have the opportunity to access assistance with developing your theological puzzle, with a view to eventual publication.   
  • You will join a Fellowship group to encourage detailed conversation with other Fellows and leaders in science-engaged theology.  

 Follow-on Funding  

  • In late February / early March 2022 you will have the opportunity to apply for additional funding (Follow-on Funding) of up to £25,000 to support research in areas of your theological puzzle and to encourage engagement with science.  
  • Particularly promising projects will be eligible for this competitive funding to support additional research. These projects may be for amounts of up to £20,000 for research support and up to an additional £5,000 to enable them to engage in activities that draw their work into deeper engagement with contemporary science and practicing scientists.  
  • Science activities could include short-term or long-term visits to a scientific laboratory or research group, attending a scientific conference or meeting a scientist whose work is pertinent to the area of theological inquiry, buying scientific books, paying a scientist honoraria to consult or review drafts of your work, or some similar activity that deepens engagement with an active scientific research field.  
  • You will be encouraged to propose research outputs that are not dependent on traditional travel and which include creative ideas to engage others in your research.  

Key Dates 

2022 cohort 

  • Fellowship Applications Due: 17th January 2022 
  • Announcements Made: Around 16th February 2022 
  • Follow-on Funding Application Period: Late February / Early March 2022 
  • 2022 NViTA Science-Engaged Theology Conference in St Andrews: 5th – 11th June 2022   

 The Fellowship will run from a Fellow’s date of acceptance until 31st July 2022.   

How do I apply for the Summer Fellowship?  

The Summer Fellowship application period is now open.

Apply here

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Events, Grants & Fellowships, Opportunities

SET Foundations is accepting applications for summer 2022!

SET Foundations has a wonderful opportunity for early and mid-career theologians and philosophers of religion. We are excited to announce that we are now accepting applications for our Summer Session 2022 The focus is on Experience to Evidence: Theory Construction and Confirmation

SET Foundations (Building Foundations in Science-Engaged Theology: Insights from Philosophy of Science ) is hosted by Loyola University Maryland. Our goal is to connect scholars working in philosophy of religion and theology with recent insights from philosophy of science on topics such as causation, explanation, modeling practices, scientific confirmation, and natural laws.

Master Category, News, Opportunities

TheoPsych Academy

In our TheoPsych project, we provided training in the psychological sciences for theologians from around the world in 3 small, private learning cohorts. We brought in psychologists, skilled in interdisciplinary dialogue, to inspire conversations around using the psych sciences as a tool for developing theology.

But now, we’re excited to share that the material from the seminars we hosted, is now available to anyone who wants to access it. We’ve adapted material from our 3 events, into a series of courses that you can explore for free in something we’re calling TheoPsych Academy.

These courses include short lectures from psychology experts working in many subfields including: Robert Emmons, Justin Barrett, Pamela Ebstyne King, Mari Clements, Peter Hill, Lindsey Root Luna, Brad Strawn, Joey Fung, William Newsome, and more! In addition to this group of psychologists, there are also conversations with theologians from the project, discussing how they’re using psychology in their work.

JOIN THEOPSYCH ACADEMY NOW

If you decide to work through a course with a group, there are opportunities for great interactions as the courses are highly customizable, including options for discussion questions, quizzes, and “dig deeper” supplemental sections to help you take the material in different directions.

Those who enroll within our launch year will have access to private online events, for live interaction with psychology experts, to get their burning questions answered. It’s our hope that theologians, ministry leaders, and those just curious about how psychological science might interact with our understanding of God and the world will benefit from these courses! Enjoy!

Call For Papers, Master Category, Opportunities

IVP Early Career Philosopher of Religion Contest

Inter-Varsity Press and the Tyndale Fellowship’s Study Group for Philosophy of Religion are pleased to announce this year’s ‘Early-Career Philosopher of Religion’ competition.

This year’s essay question:
What does it mean that God is good?

Prizes: Book prizes are to be awarded to the value of:
1st Prize: £100
2nd Prize: £50
Books must be purchased from IVP books.

The winner is also to be named ‘IVP Early-Career Philosopher of Religion 2021’, and offered a slot to present at the 2022 Tyndale Conference.

Submissions are welcome from those that are either within three years of their first, permanent academic position (on the closing date) or have never held such. Previous winners are requested not to re-enter. Submissions must be between 2,000 & 4,000 words, and will be assessed by a small committee on professional Philosophy benchmarks, including:

  • Display of a questioning intelligence
  • Ability to engage critically with ideas
  • Clarity in making relevant distinctions
  • Ability to construct reasoned arguments
  • Ability to evaluate arguments critically
  • Knowledge of the history of Philosophy and the Philosophy of Religion

There is no requirement that the essay defend any particular theological or philosophical view. Essays must be written in English, and submitted electronically as either a Word Document or a PDF to:

Daniel Hill (djhill1972@gmail.com) by midnight on Friday September 10th 2021.

We hope to announce the winners within one month of the closing date.
Dr Daniel Hill (Chair, Tyndale Fellowship’s Study Group in Philosophy of Religion)
Dr Yang Guo (Co-Chair, Tyndale Fellowship’s Study Group)

Grants & Fellowships, Master Category, Opportunities

The Widening Horizons in Philosophical Theology project announces new funding opportunities.

Interactions between Christian thinkers and continental philosophy often have a critical focus, whether on the intellectual debt continental philosophers owe to the Christian tradition, or on the ways secular philosophers critique classical theological accounts of ultimate reality. The newly-funded Widening Horizons in Philosophical Theology project at the University of St Andrews focuses on the joint potential of theology and continental philosophy for discovery and growth, using the intellectual resources continental philosophy makes available to open new horizons in philosophical theology.

Widening Horizons is offering twelve grants for research projects that advance this constructive aim. Applications may be for

  • small projects of up to £60,000 (including c. £8,000 fixed costs); or
  • large projects of up to £160,000 (including c. £23,000 fixed costs).

Projects should start between 1st October 2021 and 1st March 2022, and end between 30th September 2023 and 28th February 2024. Most activities may be concentrated within a shorter period if desired.

The call for proposals for these projects is now open until 31 May 2021 (17:00 BST). Application details and further information can be found at: https://philosophical-theology.wp.st-andrews.ac.uk/.

Details about the wider multi-year project can be found here.

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Grants & Fellowships

Fellowship Opportunity in Science-Engaged Theology Offered by the New Visions in Theological Anthropology (NViTA) Project.

(UPDATED:  February, 2021)  

As a result of the current Covid-19 travel restrictions, the 2021 Summer Fellowship will now be held as a 3-day virtual workshop.

Successful 2021 Fellowship applicants will still be funded to take part in a conference in Scotland in 2022.

The application deadline has been extended to the 14th of March 2021.

The New Visions in Theological Anthropology project (University of St. Andrews) has announced a new fellowship opportunity.

Our vision – New Visions in Theological Anthropology (NViTA) 

  • The NViTA project will focus on three subdisciplinary pairings within the overarching umbrellas of behavioral science and theological anthropology: 
  1.   Moral Theology & Evolutionary Biology 
  2.   Spiritual Formation & Developmental Psychology
  3.   Ecclesiology & Cognitive Science 
  • Our project does not study ‘science and religion’ as such. Instead we are interested in thoroughgoingly theological questions that are explicit about what branch of science they draw upon and what subdisciplines of theology they fall within. Any scientific and theological (biblical, ethics, philosophical, practical, systematic, etc.) subdisciplines are welcome, provided they are clearly stated. 
  • We do not think that all theology need be science-engaged. That is, we do not think that because empirical data is needed for some theological questions that it is thus required for all theological questions; but, when it is required, we want to encourage this to be done well. 
  • We prioritise expressing our research through theological puzzles. 

About the Fellowship  

  • The Fellowship is a unique professional opportunity to support the development of scholarship in Science–Engaged Theology within the NViTA project.  
  • The Fellowship endeavours to provide a supportive and collaborative environment for Fellows to develop their research in this field.   

What is included?  

NViTA Summer Workshop 

  • Attendance at the NViTA Summer Workshop in June. [UPDATE: June attendance is subject to the public health guidance. A decision about the June residential will be made as the date draws near.  ] This will take place in St Andrews, Scotland.   
  • Travel, accommodation and the majority of meals for the duration of the workshop (within budget guidelines).  
  • Fellowship Stipend of £3,500 per winning project.  
  • The opportunity to collaborate with other Fellows, and experts in the fields of science and theology.  

Ongoing research support 

  • Assistance with development of your theological puzzle with view to eventual publication.  
  • Membership in Fellowship subgroup to encourage detailed conversation with other Fellows and leaders in science-engaged theology. 

NViTA at AAR/SBL Annual Meetings 

  • Travel subsidy of up to £500 and participation in one-day NViTA workshop linked to the AAR/SBL Annual Meetings.    

Follow-on Funding 

  • The opportunity to apply for additional funding (Follow-on Funding) of up to £25,000 to support research in areas of your theological puzzle and to encourage engagement with science. 

More about Follow-on Funding 

Fellows with particularly promising projects will be eligible for competitive follow-on funding to support additional research. These follow-up proposals may be for amounts of up to £20,000 for research support and up to an additional £5,000 to enable them to engage in activities that draw their work into deeper engagement with contemporary science and practicing scientists. 

Science activities could include short-term or long-term visits to a scientific laboratory or research group, attending a scientific conference or meeting a scientist whose work is pertinent to the area of theological inquiry, buying scientific books, paying a scientist honoraria to consult or review drafts of your work, or some similar activity that deepens engagement with an active scientific research field. 

Future Dates 

2021

  • Fellowship Applications Due: 14th February 2021
  • Announcements Made: 15th March 2021
  • Summer Workshop in St. Andrews: Expected to take place 6th – 12th June 2021 (Scotland)
  • Follow-on Funding Application Period: Summer/Autumn 2021
  • Workshop at AAR/SBL: Expected to take place 19th November 2021 (San Antonio, USA) 

2022

  • Fellowship Applications Due: 14th February 2022
  • Announcements Made: 15th March 2022
  • Summer Workshop in St. Andrews: 5th – 11th June 2022 (Scotland)
  • Follow-on Funding Application Period: TBC
  • Workshop at AAR/SBL: Expected to take place 18th  November 2022 (Denver, USA) 

Past Dates

2020

  • Fellowship Applications Due: 20th February 2020 (deadline extended)
  • Announcements Made: 15th March 2020
  • Summer Workshop in St. Andrews: 7th – 13th June 2020 (Scotland) – postponed
  • Follow-on Funding Application Period: Autumn 2020
  • Workshop at AAR/SBL: AAR/SBL 2020 Annual Meeting now virtual event and replaced by virtual sessions 

The Fellowship will run from a Fellow’s date of acceptance until 31st July 2022.  

 How do I apply for the Fellowship?  

Fellows

2020 Cohort

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Grants & Fellowships

Fellowship Opportunity in Science-Engaged Theology Offered by the New Visions in Theological Anthropology (NViTA) Project.

The New Visions in Theological Anthropology project (University of St. Andrews) has announced a new fellowship opportunity.

Our vision – New Visions in Theological Anthropology (NViTA) 

  • The NViTA project will focus on three subdisciplinary pairings within the overarching umbrellas of behavioral science and theological anthropology: 
  1.   Moral Theology & Evolutionary Biology 
  2.   Spiritual Formation & Developmental Psychology
  3.   Ecclesiology & Cognitive Science 
  • Our project does not study ‘science and religion’ as such. Instead we are interested in thoroughgoingly theological questions that are explicit about what branch of science they draw upon and what subdisciplines of theology they fall within. Any scientific and theological (biblical, ethics, philosophical, practical, systematic, etc.) subdisciplines are welcome, provided they are clearly stated. 
  • We do not think that all theology need be science-engaged. That is, we do not think that because empirical data is needed for some theological questions that it is thus required for all theological questions; but, when it is required, we want to encourage this to be done well. 
  • We prioritise expressing our research through theological puzzles. 

About the Fellowship  

  • The Fellowship is a unique professional opportunity to support the development of scholarship in Science–Engaged Theology within the NViTA project.  
  • The Fellowship endeavours to provide a supportive and collaborative environment for Fellows to develop their research in this field.   

What is included?  

NViTA Summer Workshop 

  • Attendance at the NViTA Summer Workshop in June. This will take place in St Andrews, Scotland.   
  • Travel, accommodation and the majority of meals for the duration of the workshop (within budget guidelines).  
  • Fellowship Stipend of £3,500 per winning project.  
  • The opportunity to collaborate with other Fellows, and experts in the fields of science and theology.  

Ongoing research support 

  • Assistance with development of your theological puzzle with view to eventual publication.  
  • Membership in Fellowship subgroup to encourage detailed conversation with other Fellows and leaders in science-engaged theology. 

NViTA at AAR/SBL Annual Meetings 

  • Travel subsidy of up to £500 and participation in one-day NViTA workshop linked to the AAR/SBL Annual Meetings.    

Follow-on Funding 

  • The opportunity to apply for additional funding (Follow-on Funding) of up to £25,000 to support research in areas of your theological puzzle and to encourage engagement with science. 

More about Follow-on Funding 

Fellows with particularly promising projects will be eligible for competitive follow-on funding to support additional research. These follow-up proposals may be for amounts of up to £20,000 for research support and up to an additional £5,000 to enable them to engage in activities that draw their work into deeper engagement with contemporary science and practicing scientists. 

Science activities could include short-term or long-term visits to a scientific laboratory or research group, attending a scientific conference or meeting a scientist whose work is pertinent to the area of theological inquiry, buying scientific books, paying a scientist honoraria to consult or review drafts of your work, or some similar activity that deepens engagement with an active scientific research field. 

Future Dates 

2021

  • Fellowship Applications Due: 14th February 2021
  • Announcements Made: 15th March 2021
  • Summer Workshop in St. Andrews: Expected to take place 6th – 12th June 2021 (Scotland)
  • Follow-on Funding Application Period: Summer/Autumn 2021
  • Workshop at AAR/SBL: Expected to take place 19th November 2021 (San Antonio, USA) 

2022

  • Fellowship Applications Due: 14th February 2022
  • Announcements Made: 15th March 2022
  • Summer Workshop in St. Andrews: 5th – 11th June 2022 (Scotland)
  • Follow-on Funding Application Period: TBC
  • Workshop at AAR/SBL: Expected to take place 18th  November 2022 (Denver, USA) 

Past Dates

2020

  • Fellowship Applications Due: 20th February 2020 (deadline extended)
  • Announcements Made: 15th March 2020
  • Summer Workshop in St. Andrews: 7th – 13th June 2020 (Scotland) – postponed
  • Follow-on Funding Application Period: Autumn 2020
  • Workshop at AAR/SBL: AAR/SBL 2020 Annual Meeting now virtual event and replaced by virtual sessions 

The Fellowship will run from a Fellow’s date of acceptance until 31st July 2022.  

 How do I apply for the Fellowship?  

Fellows

2020 Cohort

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Call For Papers, Grants & Fellowships

Call for Proposals: Course Development Grants in Science and Theology. University of St. Andrews – Upcoming Deadlines 31 Oct. 2020 and 28 Feb. 2021.

The “New Visions in Theological Anthropology” project at the University of St Andrews has announced two new rounds of course development grants in Science and Theology. This posting is a reminder of the upcoming deadline:

Deadline 31 October 2020 and 28 February 2021 

Our project seeks to encourage research and teaching on science and theology/religion. We encourage the development of new courses which use empirical research in some aspect of theology/religion. While we are especially drawn to the pairings of (1) Moral Theology & Evolutionary Biology, (2) Spiritual Formation & Developmental Psychology, and (3) Ecclesiology & Cognitive Science, we welcome proposals for any syllabus that engages theology with empirical science. Since developing any new course will take time away from other research, we have launched this series of Course Development Grants and offer stipends of £2,000.

For full details including how to apply: https://set.wp.st-andrews.ac.uk/course-development-grant/.

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Call For Papers, Journals, Opportunities

Open Theology Issues an Invitation for Edited Volume Proposals; Deadline October 2020.

The Open Theology journal invites groups of researchers, conference organizers and individual scholars to submit their proposals of edited volumes to be considered as topical issues of the journal for 2021.

Proposals will be collected by October 31, 2020.

To submit your proposal please contact Dr Katarzyna Tempczyk at katarzyna.tempczyk@degruyter.com

Prior topical issues have included:

2015:
* Violence of Non-Violence (ed. Michael Jerryson and Margo Kitts)
* Manichaeism – New Historical and Philological Studies (ed. John C. Reeves)
* In Search of a Contemporary World View: Contrasting Thomistic and Whiteheadian Approaches (ed. Joseph Bracken)
* Science and/or Religion: a 21st Century Debate (ed. Shiva Khalili and Fraser Watts)

2016:
* Cognitive Science of Religion (ed. Jason Marsh)
* Is Transreligious Theology Possible? (ed. Jerry L. Martin)
* Psychotherapy and Religious Values (ed. P. Scott Richards)
* Bible Translation (ed. Mark L. Strauss)
* Religious Recognition (ed. Heikki Koskinen, Ritva Palmen and Risto Saarinen)
* Religion and Race (ed. Daniel White Hodge)

2017:
* Multiple Religious Belonging (ed. Manuela Kalsky and Andre van der Braak)
* Phenomenology of Religious Experience (ed. Olga Louchakova-Schwartz and Courtenay Crouch)
* Analytic Perspectives on Method and Authority in Theology (ed. Joshua Farris and James Arcadi)
* Alternative Religiosities in Soviet Union and Communist East-Central Europe (ed. Rasa Pranskeviciute and Eagle Aleknaite)

2018:
* Cognitive Linguistics and Theology (ed. John Sanders)
* Intersubjectivity and Reciprocal Causality within Contemporary Understanding of the God-World Relationship (ed. Joseph A. Bracken)
* Rethinking Reformation (ed. Niels Henrik Gregersen and Bo Kristian Holm)
* Religion in Latin America: Theological and Philosophical Perspectives (ed. Charles Taliaferro, Marciano Adilio Spica, and Agnaldo Cuoco Portugal)
* Phenomenology of Religious Experience II: Perspectives in Theology (ed. Olga Louchakova-Schwartz and Martin Nitsche)
* Recognizing Encounters with Ultimacy Across Religious Boundaries (ed. Jerry L. Martin)

2019:
* Digital Humanities in Biblical Studies and Theology (ed. Claire Clivaz and Garrick Allen)
* Phenomenology of Religious Experience III: Visuality, Imagination, and the Lifeworld (ed. Martin Nitsche and Olga Louchakova-Schwartz)
* Existential and Phenomenological Conceptions of the Relationship Between Philosophy and Theology (ed. Nikolaas Deketelaere, Elizabeth Li, and Steven DeLay)

2020 (in progress):

* Women and Gender in the Bible and the Biblical World (ed. Zanne Domoney-Lyttle and Sarah Nicholson)
* Issues and Approaches in Contemporary Theological Thought about Evil (ed. John Culp)
* Motherhood(s) and Religions (ed. Giulia Pedrucci)
* Phenomenology of Religious Experience IV: Religious Experience and Description (ed. Olga Louchakova-Schwartz, Aaron Preston and James Nelson)

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Call For Papers, Grants & Fellowships, Master Category, Opportunities

Call for Proposals: Course Development Grants in Science and Theology. University of St Andrews – Deadline 30 June, 2020.

The “New Visions in Theological Anthropology” project at the University of St. Andrews has announced a new round of course development grants in Science and Theology.

Deadline 30 June 2020. 

Our project seeks to encourage research and teaching on science and theology/religion. We encourage the development of new courses which use empirical research in some aspect of theology/religion. While we are especially drawn to the pairings of (1) Moral Theology & Evolutionary Biology, (2) Spiritual Formation & Developmental Psychology, and (3) Ecclesiology & Cognitive Science, we welcome proposals for any syllabus that engages theology with empirical science. Since developing any new course will take time away from other research, we have launched this series of Course Development Grants and offer stipends of £2,000.

More information can be found here: https://set.wp.st-andrews.ac.uk/course-development-grant/“.

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Call For Papers, Grants & Fellowships, Master Category

University of St. Andrews – Call for Proposals: Course Development Grants in Science and Theology

The “New Visions in Theological Anthropology” project at the University of St. Andrews has announced a call for course proposals in Science and Theology.

Deadline 29 February. 

The project seeks to encourage research and teaching on science and theology/religion. We encourage the development of new courses which use empirical research in some aspect of theology/religion. While we are especially drawn to the pairings of (1) Moral Theology & Evolutionary Biology, (2) Spiritual Formation & Developmental Psychology, and (3) Ecclesiology & Cognitive Science, we welcome proposals for any syllabus that engages theology with behavioral science. Since developing any new course will take time away from other research, we have launched this series of Course Development Grants.

Full information about the Course Development Grants can be found here: https://set.wp.st-andrews.ac.uk/course-development-grant/.”

Grants & Fellowships, Master Category, Opportunities

John Templeton Foundation Academic Cross-Training Fellowship

ACADEMIC CROSS-TRAINING FELLOWSHIP

Request for Applications

 

PURPOSE:

The John Templeton Foundation invites applications for its Academic Cross-Training (ACT) Fellowship program beginning December 1, 2019, with fellowships to begin Fall 2021. The ACT Fellowship program is intended to equip recently tenured (after September 2009) philosophers and theologians with the skills and knowledge needed to study Big Questions that require substantive and high-level engagement with empirical science.

Each ACT Fellowship will provide up to $220,000 (US dollars) for up to 33 months of contiguous support for a systematic and sustained course of study in an empirical science such as physics, psychology, biology, genetics, cognitive science, neuroscience, or sociology. Acceptable courses of study might include a plan to audit undergraduate and graduate-level courses, a plan to spend time in residence at a research lab, or a plan to earn a degree in an empirical science. This iteration of the program will also permit applicants to request that up to one year of the ACT Fellowship be used to support a small-scale pilot scientific research project that improves or enhances the capacity, skill, and talent of the fellow to investigate the above-described Big Questions. Fellows may undertake their study at their home institution or another institution. All fellows must have a faculty mentor in their cross-training discipline.

Please note that due to IRS limitations on the Foundation’s grantmaking, the maximum term of the ACT Fellowship is now 33 months.

APPLICATION PROCESS:

The application process has two stages: a Letter of Intent (LOI) and for the most promising applications, invitation to submit Full Proposal. The LOI must include the following:

  • Applicant information – contact details, name of academic institution conveying tenure, and CV (10 MB limit);
  • Request information – proposed project dates (project may not begin before the beginning of AY 2021-2022 or exceed 33 months in duration), cross-training discipline, and name of cross-training mentor;
  • 400-word Project Statement describing – a) what topics or questions you believe cross-training will help you investigate, (b) how these topics or questions fit with JTF’s donor intent, and (c) what the proposed course of cross-training might look like.

The LOI will be available as a web form from December 1, 2019-May 1, 2020.

EVALUATION CRITERIA:

LOIs for each applicant will be evaluated according to the following criteria listed in ascending order of importance: (i) the academic credentials of the proposed fellow, (ii) the publication record of the proposed fellow, (iii) the professional standing and professional accomplishment of the proposed fellow, (iv) the potential for the applicant to be an influential figure in their field in the future, (v) the appropriateness of the chosen means for the goal of cross-training, and (vi) the potential of the proposed fellow to undertake substantive, high-quality interdisciplinary research on Big Questions falling within the domain of JTF’s mission to fund “Science and the Big Questions” if the proposed fellow were awarded the fellowship. Applicants will not be evaluated based on the race, religion, or gender of the proposed fellow.

ELIGIBILITY:

  • Ph.D. or equivalent degree from an accredited university.
  • Employment by an accredited U.S. or non-U.S. university or college. The employer agrees to sponsor the applicant, be the ultimate recipient of fellowship funds, administer the distribution of funds, and make reports to JTF on the use of the funds.
  • Received tenure after September 1, 2009, or reasonably anticipates receiving tenure by the beginning of AY 2021, as defined by applicant’s employing institution.
  • Primary faculty appointment within a philosophy, religious studies, religion, or theology department.

Note: Trustees and officers of the John Templeton Foundation and other “disqualified persons” as defined pursuant to Section 4946 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, are not eligible to apply for the ACT Fellowship program.

TIMELINE:

December 1, 2019 LOI submission window opens
May 1, 2020: LOI submission window closes
June 1, 2020: Full proposals invited
July 13, 2020: Full proposals due
Fall 2020: Awards announced
Fall 2021: Fellowships begin

QUESTIONS:

Please email rfp@templeton.org.

https://www.templeton.org/internal-competiton-fund/academic-cross-training-fellowship-2020

 

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Grants & Fellowships, Master Category

Call for Proposals: Summer Workshop in Science-Engaged Theology. 8-14 June 2020 (Scotland).

The New Visions in Theological Anthropology: Science-Engaged Theology project at St. Andrews University has issued a call for proposals in regards to a Summer Workshop in Science-Engaged Theology: June 8-14, 2020 (Scotland).

This one-week collaborative summer workshop offers theologians the exciting opportunity to think carefully about theological anthropology on those questions that involve evolutionary biology, developmental psychology, and cognitive science. They provide full transportation, lodging, and meals; Stipend of £3,500, plus opportunity for significant follow-up funding (£25,000).

Full information about the summer workshop can be found here: http://set.wp.st-andrews.ac.uk/summer-workshops/

Readers may wish to note additional clarification about framing projects as “theological puzzles.” Additionally, as shown here, the summer workshops are scheduled to run for three summers in pursuit of the following subdisciplinary pairings: (1) Moral Theology & Evolutionary Biology; (2) Spiritual Formation & Developmental Psychology; (3) Ecclesiology & Cognitive Science.

Grants & Fellowships, Master Category, Opportunities

Call for Proposals: Course Development Grants – The Center for Hebraic Thought

Topic: Hebraic Thought and the Intellectual World of the Bible

The Center for Hebraic Thought (CHT) is offering two grants up to $4,000 each for the equivalent of a three-credit university course/module offered in your home institution for the 2020-21 academic year. The course may be undergraduate or graduate (US)/post-graduate (UK).

Deadline:

Applications received by March 16, 2020 will be given priority in the review process.

Eligibility:

Full-time professors (equivalent to the US ranks of assistant, associate, or full professor) at a regionally accredited college or university may apply.

Amount:

A development grant of up to $4,000 will be paid to the instructor of record. The grant also requires a post-semester workshop at The King’s College in New York City. The CHT will cover flight, hotel, and meals for traveling to NYC.

Description:

This grant aims to increase the study of biblical literature as an intellectual tradition and put Christian Scripture (both the HB/OT and the NT) in conversation with various philosophies and philosophical traditions. Applications that engage both the Bible as a primary source and works of conceptual analysis within the biblical texts will be considered more seriously (see list below). Additionally, applicants should feel free to include essays and books not listed below, especially if there are any plans to publish as a result of the course development. Successful applicants can expect to receive advice on course planning if needed from CHT personnel or fellows. See our website for other scholarly resources: hebraicthought.org/.

Apply:

A complete application should include:

  1. Name, position, brief biography, and institution of the applicant/s.
  2. Number of students expected and the semester/year of the term and how this course fulfills institutional and program requirements.
  3. Please indicate if this a team-taught course or a compressed schedule course (e.g., 8-week semester).
  4. A proposed syllabus that includes the course level, title, description, outcomes, dates of classroom meetings, possible skype/guest lecturers, assignments, and required/suggested readings.
  5. An endorsement of the application by the department chair, provost, or whomever approves class scheduling.

Applications and inquiries can be sent to djohnson@tkc.edu.

Scholarship on the Conceptual World of the Bible

Many other articles and volumes could be added, but these give the applicant a notion of the kinds of philosophical analyses of Scripture we aim to foster through this grant.

  • Joshua Berman
    • Created Equal (Oxford University Press, 2009).
    • Inconsistencies in the Torah (Oxford University Press, 2018).
  • Michael Carasik, Theologies of the Mind in Biblical Israel (Peter Lang, 2006).
  • James Diamond, Jewish Theology Unbound (Oxford University Press, 2018).
  • Henri Frankfort, et al., The Intellectual Adventure of Ancient Man (University of Chicago)
  • Jaco Gericke,
    • The Hebrew Bible and Philosophy of Religion (SBL Press, 2012).
    • “Is There Philosophy in the Hebrew Bible? Some Recent Affirmative Perspectives,” Journal for Semitics 23/2 (Jan 2014): 583 – 598.
    • A Philosophical Theology of the Old Testament: A Historical, Experimental, Comparative and Analytic Perspective (Routledge, 2020)
  • Lenn Goodman, God of Abraham (Oxford, 1996).
  • Moshe Halbertal and Stephen Holmes, The Beginning of Politics: Power in the Biblical Book of Samuel (Princeton University Press, 2017)
  • Yoram Hazony
    • Philosophy of Hebrew Scripture (Cambridge University Press, 2012).
    • God and the Politics of Esther (Cambridge University Press, 2015).
  • Mary Healey and Robin Parry, eds., The Bible and Epistemology (Paternoster, 2007).
  • Dru Johnson
    • Biblical Knowing (Cascade, 2013).
    • Knowledge by Ritual (Eisenbrauns, Penn State Press, 2016).
    • Epistemology and Biblical Theology (Routledge, 2017).
    • The Question of God’s Perfection, edited with Yoram Hazony (Brill, 2018).
  • Ryan O’Dowd, The Wisdom of Torah (V&R, 2009).
  • Eleonore Stump, Wandering in Darkness (Oxford, 2010).
  • Jeremiah Unterman, Justice for All (JPS/University of Nebraska Press, 2016).
  • Shira Weiss, Ethical Ambiguity in the Hebrew Bible (Cambridge University Press, 2018).

For more information see:Center for Hebraic Thought

Grants & Fellowships, Master Category, Opportunities

Lived Religion in the Digital Age Fellowship Opportunity

Dear colleagues,

We are delighted to announce two new fellowship opportunities with Lived Religion in the Digital Age, a public understanding of religion initiative at Saint Louis University supported by the Henry Luce Foundation.

The application period for LRDA Teaching and Research Fellows is open through January 15, 2020. We encourage applications from instructional faculty and researchers at every rank and status. In order to promote these opportunities, we hope you could please share this email and the attached flyers with your colleagues and graduate students. We also have an annual graduate fellowship for doctoral students at Saint Louis University and would be happy to discuss that opportunity with any students considering applying to our graduate program.

The theme for the current call is “Performing Religion.” Next year’s theme will be “Religion, Migration, and Diaspora.” No prior digital humanities experience is required for either fellowship.

For more information about the project, including forthcoming information on public and academic events and updates on the development of the interactive database, please go to our website, www.religioninplace.org. For questions, please email Dr. Rachel McBride Lindsey, Assistant Professor of American Religion and co-director of Lived Religion in the Digital Age: rachel.lindsey@slu.edu.

Many thanks and best regards,
Rachel McBride Lindsey and Pauline Lee

LOGIA logo
Master Category, Opportunities

Logia “Prepare to Publish” Initiative

Purpose:

Logia “Prepare to Publish” (P2P) aims to help women scholars from all over the world to develop their excellence through a peer-review feedback process on their written work. If you do not have a regular opportunity to receive feedback on your writing, have received a rejection on a piece you have submitted to a journal and are worried about resubmitting, or if your first language isn’t English, P2P is for you.

Women who are either in a Ph.D. divinity programme or within five years of having completed a Ph.D. in a divinity discipline can submit their articles to Logia before submission to a journal (it can also be a “revise and resubmit”). While we cannot guarantee publication, by receiving peer-reviewed feedback before submission to a journal, we hope that women will be able to strengthen their academic writing and their chances for publication.

Process:

The review process involves two potential tiers of feedback. Upon submitting a completed article (up to 8,000 words, excluding footnotes) and a short form through the “submit my article” link below, the scholar’s article will be reviewed and sent to a member of the Logia P2P editorial team, who is also a St Mary’s postgraduate student, for blind review. That reviewer will provide feedback especially pertaining to grammar, clarity, and strength of argument, which will be returned to the scholar. The scholar can then decide whether to integrate that feedback and resubmit the article for further review. This further review will involve the initial reader confirming that the revisions were made and supporting the article moving on to the second tier of feedback. (If you are a St Mary’s postgraduate student and would like to be on the Logia P2P editorial team, email logiatheology@gmail.com for more information).

In the second tier, feedback will be provided by a ‘consulting expert.’ This will be an established scholar in the discipline within which the early-career scholar is writing. The expert will read the article once and provide additional feedback. They may also recommend to the scholar where she might send the revised article. If they recommend it for a journal on which they serve in a leadership capacity, the consulting expert will need to ensure the article does not have an unfair advantage. The only request for the early-career scholar is that she includes a footnote acknowledging the input from the P2P process and the expert consultant in her paper (if it is published). (If you are an established scholar in your discipline and would like to be a consulting expert, email logiatheology@gmail.com for more information).

Articles will need to be written in English and will be accepted for feedback on a quarterly basis that best fits the academic calendar for St Andrews postgraduate students. Thus, the dates for submission are as follows: 1 February; 1 May; 1 August; 1 November. The first tier of feedback would be provided within one month of the quarterly deadline.

For information about how to submit articles, and more information about the program see: http://logos.wp.st-andrews.ac.uk/logia/logia-p2p/?fbclid=IwAR3-r0eElVGhVkUmIch9U3Oej_y2H0nCqXb0Jt_PoPdUWIzk6UMOSBfKSww