About
New Visions in Theological Anthropology: Engaging with the Behavioral Sciences is a project designed to get theologians thinking carefully about theological anthropology on those questions that involve evolutionary biology, developmental psychology, and cognitive science. This project is intended as an exercise in science-engaged theology. By this, we see science as an authentic theological source alongside – not in competition with – scripture, tradition, and reason.
We don’t think that all theology needs to be science-engaged, nor do we think that theological anthropology needs science more than any other area. But we must begin somewhere. Therefore, within the overarching umbrellas of behavioral science and theological anthropology, we will focus on three subdisciplinary pairings:
- Moral Theology & Evolutionary Biology
- Spiritual Formation & Developmental Psychology
- Ecclesiology & Cognitive Science
Summer Workshops
Apply now for June 2020
What we provide
- One-week collaborative summer workshop in Scotland, where participants can work on their own research
- Full transportation, lodging and meals during the workshop
- Stipend of £3,500, plus opportunity for significant follow-up funding (£25,000)
- AAR travel subsidy (£500)
Our vision
- For the next three years, our project will focus on three subdisciplinary pairings within the overarching umbrellas of behavioral science and theological anthropology:
- Moral Theology & Evolutionary Biology
- Spiritual Formation & Developmental Psychology
- Ecclesiology & Cognitive Science
- Our project doesn’t 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 don’t 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 prioritize theological puzzles.
Additional funding
Participants 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 applicants should request 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.
Activities of the latter sort 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.
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2020 |
2021 |
2022 |
| Applications Due: |
14 February 2020 |
14 February 2021 |
14 February 2022 |
| Announcements Made: |
15 March 2020 |
15 March 2021 |
15 March 2022 |
| Workshop: |
8-14 June 2020 (Scotland) |
7-13 June 2021 (Scotland) |
6-12 June 2022 (Scotland) |
| Follow-up Meeting at AAR: |
20 November 2020 (Boston) |
19 November 2021 (San Antonio) |
18 November 2022 (Denver) |
one who is better able to help us to make that aspiration a reality. Tom has reshaped the field of New Testament studies, he has defended the historicity of Jesus’ resurrection with a thoroughness and sophistication never before attempted, and his impact reaches far beyond the boundaries of the church by his engagement with the traditional and new forms of media. He will help foster an intellectual fearlessness and a disciplined spirituality in the next generation of church leaders. We look forward to welcoming him and Maggie back to Oxford.