InitiativesMetanexus hosts and administers a number of initiatives that address different areas in the field of science and religion. |
Amazing Light: Visions for Discovery
Amazing Light: Visions for Discovery was an ambitious, historic, multi-faceted program at the University of California, Berkeley, administered by Metanexus Institute and sponsored by the John Templeton Foundation and a number of additional sponsors. The program conveined some of the greatest minds in physics and cosmology, including 18 Nobel Laureates, for an exploration of some of the awe-inspiring challenges in 21st century science. The symposium is in honor of Charles Townes in his 90th birthday year, the invention of the amazing laser, the 100th anniversary of Einstein’s “miracle year”, and the World Year of Physics. more
Local Societies Initiative
The Local Societies Initiative (LSI) is a three-year grant program designed to provide up to $45,000 in organizational "seed money" for societies of scientists, theologians, philosophers, clergy, lay people, and anyone actively engaged in the science and religion dialogue. This unique program differs from other scholarly grant programs in that it emphasizes building organizations, dynamic associations of people who explore the implications of the science and religion interchange. Members of local religion and science dialogue societies engage in a variety of activities, such as reading and study groups, public lectures, web publishing, journal publication, newsletters, and more. LSI is a multi-disciplinary, multi-faith, and multi-cultural educational project, intended to promote a balanced and exploratory dialogue between the discoveries of the natural and social sciences and the wisdom of the world's faith traditions. more
Science and Ultimate Reality
The Science & Ultimate Reality program honors the vision of theoretical physicist John Archibald Wheeler in his 90th birthday year and take it forward into a new century of increasingly expanding discovery. Wheeler is renowned as both a research leader and as an extraordinary inspirer and teacher of many of the 20th century's most creative physicists. Over a lengthy career, now spanning almost 70 years, he has achieved a highly successful synthesis of disciplined scientific rigor with an unusually bold, innovative, adventurous approach. more
Science for Ministry
The John Templeton Foundation Science for Ministry Initiative invites organizations to develop programs that will help ministers and the congregations they serve to move away from simplistic “solutions” to the tensions between science and faith. At the heart of this program is the conviction that pastors, in the course of their preaching, teaching, writing, and care, are key catalysts in developing a more fruitful integration of science and faith among their parishioners. The programs funded through this initiative intend to resource the motivation, imagination, and capacity that pastors need to undertake this work. more
Spiritual Capital
Spiritual Capital is an interdisciplinary social scientific research initiative on the economic and social consequences of religion and spirituality, made possible with funding from the John Templeton Foundation. The program seeks to integrate the concept of spiritual capital into the human sciences by supporting rigorous and innovative research to build a network of scholars for a new field of study. more
Spiritual Transformation
The Spiritual Transformation Scientific Research Program seeks rigorous investigation on various aspects of the sociocultural, psychological and neurological factors that underlie the processes of spiritual transformations of individuals and groups. The Program has sponsored conferences, awarded 24 research grants, and conducted special activities that will help to create an interdisciplinary field in the human sciences for researching spiritual transformation using cutting edge methodologies and experimental designs that may potentially provide new insights in this area of investigation.more
Templeton Advanced Research Program
The Templeton Advanced Research Program is a request for proposals initiative. The primary goal of this new research program is to foster innovation in research design as well as the scientific scope and impact of religion and spirituality. A second goal is to encourage the development of creative insights into the forces that shape and expand world religions and the human conceptualization of God. The Program offers grant awards in three distinct areas: Religion, Spirituality, Healing and Health Outcomes; Religion, Spirituality, and Human Flourishing; and Competitive Dynamics and Cultural Evolution of Religions and God Concepts. more
Templeton Research Lectures
The primary aim of the Templeton Research Lectures is to promote dialogue and research between the sciences (physical, biological, human) and religion, theology, and philosophy. Science can inspire great reverence, wonder, and awe. It also raises religious questions of meaning, purpose, and values. By probing the nature of reality through experiment and discovery, science changes out world and our world views. This three-year project seeks to create long-term scholarly networks for interdisciplinary research. more |
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