Analytic philosophy of religion has flourished in recent decades, fostering original research drawing on metaphysics, epistemology, ethics, mind, and language, while also cultivating the new discipline of "analytic theology." The field now has the skills and capacity to address some of the most interesting challenges facing our world.
But three factors limit the field’s impact. First, “traditional” questions still dominate discussion. We value these topics, but we see a missed opportunity. In particular, issues concerning meaning-making amid globalization, polarization, extrareligious spirituality, and artificial intelligence remain underexplored by analytic philosophers of religion. This is partly explained by a second factor: structural obstacles to serious engagement with disciplines that can enhance our understanding of these topics – especially psychology, neuroscience, theology, and sociology. Philosophers of religion lack systematic routes for building competence or connections in these fields. Finally, there is a distinctive lack of support for early career scholars within the field of philosophy of religion.
This project aims to cultivate a new generation of philosophy of religion scholars who embody bold curiosity around epistemological, religious, and societal issues, and who are able to integrate the most current research across relevant academic disciplines. The Notre Dame Summer Seminars in Philosophy of Religion will (1) gather graduate students and early career scholars for intensive study of underexplored contemporary topics in philosophy of religion taught by leading figures in philosophy and related disciplines, and (2) create an extended mentorship program for all participants to help advance their writing/research outputs and receive guidance in their early years in the profession.
