New Approaches in Theological Inquiry: Three Interdisciplinary Research Initiatives at the Center of Theological Inquiry in Princeton

This RFP project promotes new approaches in theological inquiry on 3 sets of Big Questions in evolution and religion, virtue and vice, and religious liberty. It makes strategic use of the Center of Theological Inquiry's residential program in Princeton to convene an international research community in each topic for one academic year, starting in 2012-2013. Through 3 Requests for Proposals for the 36 funded Fellowships, the Center will recruit 30 outstanding scholars and 6 postdoctoral fellows in 3 teams from theology, the natural and social sciences, and the humanities, for the 3 interdisciplinary research initiatives. They will engage with relevant advances in the life sciences, social sciences, and law, through 3 planning consultations, 54 Colloquia, 18 Princeton Seminars, 6 International Symposia and 3 Winter Consultations. They will disseminate their work and findings through 3 summer workshops for 30 young scholars, 6 public lectures and forums in 5 international universities, and 3 webinars for 1,500 religious leaders hosted by Krista Tippett. Their work will benefit from access to world-class research institutions, libraries, and faculty in Princeton and beyond. The 30 fellows and 6 postdoctoral fellows will produce monographs, co-authored volumes, and peer-reviewed journal articles. Work-in-progress and research findings will be disseminated through multiple media and genres for academic and public impact, including the Project's theme-focused website and multimedia reports on the CTI website. The project's focus on new approaches in theological inquiry through interdisciplinary questions, methods, analyses, and concepts will generate new theological insights and research networks on these topics. It will create a new international cohort of interdisciplinary theologians, evaluate the research benefits of residential communities, and invest in CTI's future as the world's leading residential research center for new approaches in theological inquiry.