The Global Philosophy of Religion Project is a major initiative that aims to make the philosophy of religion a truly global field.
It is supported by funding totalling £2.15 million from the John Templeton Foundation and the Dynamic Investment Fund (DIF) at the University of Birmingham. It is led by Professor Yujin Nagasawa and hosted by the Birmingham Centre for Philosophy of Religion in the School of Philosophy, Theology and Religion.
The philosophy of religion addresses the most fundamental issues concerning religious concepts, beliefs and practice. Among these are the existence and nature of deities, evil and suffering in the world and death and the possibility of immortality. It is notable that these issues are relevant to a variety of religious traditions and geographical locations. The scale and diversity of the philosophy of religion have however both been limited compared with those of other fields of study.
The project will promote research by scholars from underrepresented regions, with a particular focus on Africa, Asia, Latin America, and the Middle East. It will also promote research addressing underrepresented religious traditions, such as Hinduism, Islam, Judaism and traditional African religions. The project team will organise a number of conferences, seminars and public lectures as well as funding competitions to support scholars worldwide.
Philosophy of Religion at University of Birmingham has been ranked by Wiley Blackwell’s The Philosophical Gourmet Report in Group 4 (no. 6-13) out of all universities in the English-speaking part of the world.
Project website