CFP: Notre Dame Summer Seminars in Philosophy of Religion

Recent PhDs (no more than 3 years post PhD as of June 30, 2027) and current graduate students in philosophy, with interest in the philosophy of religion, are invited to apply to the 2027 Notre Dame Summer Seminar in Philosophy of Religion. The seminar will be held at the University of Notre Dame from June 28 - July 9, 2027. Participants will receive a stipend of $2000 as well as room and board, with some additional family support available as well. The theme of this year’s seminar is "Disagreement, Humility, and Polarization." More information on the summer seminars and the application process can be found below. 

Summer Seminar Series Overview: 

Analytic philosophy of religion has flourished and matured in recent decades, fostering original research drawing on metaphysics, epistemology, ethics, mind, and language, while also cultivating the new discipline of "analytic theology." Philosophers of religion have contributed to a flowering of scholarship in these areas, founding new peer-reviewed journals, publishing numerous academic books, impacting the academy, ministry, and lay readers, and building deep connections with work in theology and the sciences as well as philosophy. Yet most PhD students in philosophy have little opportunity to study recent work in philosophy of religion in their graduate programs, and early career faculty often find little support for pursuing scholarly research in these areas. The Notre Dame Summer Seminars in Philosophy of Religion aim to fill this gap by (1) bringing together graduate students and early career scholars for intensive study of contemporary topics in philosophy of religion taught by leading figures in philosophy and related disciplines, and (2) creating an extended mentorship program for all participants to be able to work with senior philosophers of religion to advance their writing and receive guidance in their early years in the profession. The seminars run for 2 weeks over three summers (2027, 2028, and 2029) on the campus of the University of Notre Dame.

Summer 2027 Theme: "Disagreement, Humility, and Polarization"

Religion is often political and divisive. Should this matter, for how we think about God or, indeed, the propriety of religious belief? How could we know God or have faith in a world where religious traditions disagree sharply about what God is like - and where those divisions themselves contribute to unrest and hatred? Further questions connected with this theme include: how do particular theological traditions encode prescriptions for engaging with disagreement? How do these recommendations fare when evaluated for epistemic and practical rationality, or their compatibility with just political systems? Is something like humility sufficient to save us from fueling religious division, and if so, what is humility like and how could we cultivate it at scale? Would a humbler approach to religion favor certain spiritual or theological traditions over others - for example, is there a relationship between humility and agnosticism or apophaticism? How shall we understand the character traits of humility, empathy, and love for others given polarizing issues of politics or doctrine? What insights are there from sociology and psychology on religious communities, belonging, and changing values in a polarized era?

Application Process:

Applications are due by January 15, 2027 and must consist of the following: 1. A statement of interest in the Seminar of no more than 500 words; 2. A complete CV; 3. A writing sample (which need not engage the Seminar theme) which can serve as a default project to discuss with an assigned faculty mentor. 

Application materials must be submitted electronically to [email protected]. Application materials 1-3 above must be submitted as a single PDF in the order listed. The PDF must be titled in the following manner: Last Name, First Name. Application materials must be received by January 15, 2027 to assure full consideration. We anticipate notifying selected applicants by April 1, 2027.