Cluster Group Grants
While professional theologians are often exposed to various philosophical figures during their training, they are rarely exposed to the tools of philosophical inquiry in systematic ways. Likewise, whereas analytic philosophers of religion typically acquire at least passing acquaintance with well known historical figures in theology, it is relatively uncommon for them to have any real facility with contemporary literature and methods in that field.
The cluster initiative is intended to address this problem by supporting the formation of interdisciplinary discussion groups that will (a) bring philosophers and theologians together for regular conversation on a topic of mutual interest in or related to analytic theology, and (b) host outside speakers to meet with the discussion group. Funding under this initiative becomes available in 2012.
Each Anaytic Theology Cluster will have two “leaders” (one from philosophy and one from theology) and up to eight additional “participants.”
The leaders will be faculty members; the participants may be faculty or graduate students. Leaders will receive $2,000 for developing the syllabus, making meeting arrangements, and purchasing relevant texts. They will also be given $7,000 (total, not per leader) to pay for guest speakers (at least two), texts for each participant, and other expenses (room costs, refreshments) associated with holding the meetings. Participants will receive $500 and seminar texts. Seminars will be required to meet for a combined total of 13 hours over the course of one semester.
In addition, all leaders and participants will have the opportunity to receive an additional $1,000 if, within 12 months of the end of the seminar they are able to submit either (a) a paper on the seminar’s topic that has been accepted for publication at a peer-reviewed journal or incorporated into a dissertation in analytic theology, or (b) the syllabus for a course in analytic theology that deals with the seminar’s topic and will be offered sometime within the next academic year.
Application Instructions
Leaders: Applicants for a leadership position should send a letter of intent not exceeding 500 words, along with a brief budget to analytictheology.project@gmail.com. The letter of intent must be received no later than February 15th, 2012. Full proposals will then be invited on a competitive basis.
Participants: Prospective participants will apply directly to the seminar leaders.
Questions about the application process can also be sent to analytictheology.project@gmail.com.
Sample Topics
Insofar as "analytic theology" comprises a way of doing theology rather than a particular subject area within theology, we are open to funding work on any of a variety of topics in systematic theology, the metaphysics of theism, the epistemology of religious belief, and so on. Eligible topics include, but are not at all limited to, the following: realism in theology, divine action and providence, divine incarnation and human embodiment, the nature and possibility of immortality, the doctrine of the incarnation, revelation and divine inspiration, and the nature of atonement. We also hope to fund work exploring the relationship between biblical studies and contemporary analytic philosophy—a topic which has recently been explored in various conferences through the Center for Philosophy of Religion at the University of Notre Dame and also at the Shalem Center, Jerusalem.
