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Alan Cooperman  |  The Pew Charitable Trusts

What’s Really Happening to Religion in America?

Holding steady ….. at least for now. Overall, that’s the status of America’s religious landscape today. After years of decline, the Christian share of the U.S. population has stabilized at slightly more than 60%. The religiously unaffiliated population, after rising rapidly for decades, also shows signs of having leveled off at 29%. And the percentage of Americans who identify with a religio...
Knox Thames  |  Pepperdine University

Charting New Paths to Pluralism

Terrorism in the Middle East. Government-sponsored genocides in China and Burma. Cultural extremism in Pakistan. Tyrannical democracy in Nepal and India. Assaults, destruction, arrests, displacements, and killings in countries throughout the world. The reality is startling. Every day, millions of people around the globe suffer because of their beliefs. Human rights abuses, social instability, and ...
Matius Ho  |  The Leimena Institute

Reclaiming a Culture of Tolerance in Indonesia

More than 1,300 ethnic groups and 652 languages. Adherents of every major world religion plus many local indigenous beliefs. All this in one country of 270 million people. Indonesia is among the most pluralistic nations in the world. It was formed as an independent nation after World War II on a foundation of peaceful multifaith coexistence and collaboration. These values are embedded in its Panca...
Alfonse Borysewicz  |  BBH Literary LLC

Art and Transcendence

Historically, faith traditions have focused on both the written word and images as sources of knowledge and meaning. Some would claim that words have taken undue precedence as theologies have developed, while images seem to have been left behind. Has this shift in focus left us wanting? Art and theology have more in common than is seen at first glance. As the philosopher of religion George Pattiso...
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Taylor Worley  |  Wheaton College

Thinking About How We Think About Art

Two identical clocks hang side by side on a wall, lightly touching each other. A pile of hard candy in colorful wrappers sits in the corner of a room. A string of white lights hangs from the ceiling and gathers in a glowing pile on the floor. The work of conceptual artist Felix Gonzalez-Torres, now in the permanent collections of premier institutions such as New York’s Museum of Modern Art, is e...
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Garrick V. Allen  |  Dublin City University

Words Are Not Enough

It could be said that above all else Sir John Templeton’s aim was “to encourage researches for vastly more spiritual information to supplement the wonderful ancient scriptures.” More concretely, Sir John wanted to encourage researchers to draw on novel sources of data, and to follow progressive methods of intellectual discovery such as we find in the scientific method. ...
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Fiona Ellis  |  University of Roehampton

Desire for God is Human Nature

Across cultures, religions and time, it seems that people have been constantly searching, seeking, and longing for something more. Is this restlessness that we all feel, but cannot quite define, universal? Is it human nature to long for something more, something bigger than ourselves? Why are we drawn by a desire for something we cannot quite grasp? This desire compels us to seek its source – of...
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John Tomasi  |  Heterodox Academy

Not All Great Minds Think Alike

Higher education in the United States is at a crossroads. Will it maintain its legacy of open inquiry as the path to discovering truth and generating knowledge? Or will it become permanently sidetracked by rigid beliefs and a narrow scope of debate? Before it’s too late, action needs to be taken to safeguard the values of academic freedom that have long assured American higher education’s succ...
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Michael Gulker  |  The Colossian Forum

Conflict is Opportunity

The Colossian Forum is building the fourth phase of its program, “The Colossian Way,” which will launch nationally and extend from Christian church communities into Christian schools as well. This program helps people engage in difficult, divisive topics in ways that prompt connectedness and spiritual growth. The Colossian Way offers leadership training, tools and curriculum designed for group...
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Jared Daugherty  |  The Veritas Forum Inc.

For the Soul of the University

Scholars who possess a religious “why?” for their professional vocation have a powerful opportunity to help universities uphold this vision and deliver on their tremendous promise. Jared Daugherty, Vice Pre...
Michael McCullough  |  The Regents of the University of California; University of California San Diego

Using Science’s Tools to Understand Religion’s Impact on Cooperation

Yes, the animal world has its anthills and beehives, and they’re regularly touted as shining examples of cooperation. Yet, no animal effort can compare with the remarkable cohesion, coordination, and collabor...
Kerry Troup  |  Faith Counts, LLC

Faith Counts: Multi-faith platform promotes the pro-social value of faith

America’s religious landscape is full of paradoxes. For instance, the United States is more religious than any other Western democracy, but much less religious than a generation ago. And while affiliation wit...
Josh Yates  |  Belmont University

A New Model for Investing in Planet and People

Jungles. Rainforests. Wetlands and woodlands. Grasslands and coral reefs. Biodiverse habitats are ecological marvels, sustaining a staggering variety of life. They contribute to the oxygen we breathe and absorb...
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Jonathan Berger  |  Stanford University

Sonically Sacred Sites

Imagine hearing a funeral chant inside an ancient Egyptian tomb—every note hanging in the air just as it might have thousands of years ago—without ever leaving California. At Stanford University’s Center ...
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Kori Porter  |  Peacemaker’s Coalition, Inc.

Good Culture: Igniting Peace Among Gen Z

We live in a world of unprecedented social turmoil and division, one desperately in need of peace. While young adults see the suffering and despair and yearn for change, they’re not necessarily turning to...
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Robin Jensen  |  University of Notre Dame

When (and Where) Heaven Meets Earth: Sacred Art in the Modern World

There’s a genre of art specifically meant to draw your thoughts toward spiritual matters. Whether it’s the nativity scene your mother unpacked every December or a certain holy ceiling you arched your neck t...
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Katie Bringman Baxter  |  Interfaith America

Turning Pluralistic Potential into Action

Today’s college students are eager to engage in religious diversity but often lack the opportunities and skill sets to do so effectively. Moreover, higher education has a halo effect, helping to set a broader...
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Austin Tiffany  |  Good Faith Partnership

Shared Virtues: A Catalyst for Societal Transformation

In an age of fragmentation and shifting values, virtues can guide us back to a place of understanding and cooperation. But in the UK’s hyper-diverse society, how do we have meaningful conversations across fai...
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Alfonse Borysewicz  |  BBH Literary LLC

Art and Transcendence

Historically, faith traditions have focused on both the written word and images as sources of knowledge and meaning. Some would claim that words have taken undue precedence as theologies have developed, while images seem to have been left behind. Has this shift in focus left us wanting? Art and theology have more in common than is seen at first glance. As the philosopher of religion George Pattiso...
Bob Roberts  |  Multi-Faith Neighbors Network

Infusing Collaboration: Multi-Faith Retreats in Sudan

Sudan’s post-independence history has been dominated by political and civil strife. Most observers have attributed the country’s recurring civil war either to an age-old racial divide between Arabs and Africans, or to recent colonially constructed inequalities. But in September 2022, Pastor Bob Roberts and Imam Mohamed Magid of Multi-Faith Neighbors Network (MFNN) traveled to Sudan on...
Ben Hurlbut  |  Center for the Study of Religion and Conflict, Arizona State University

Closing the Science, Technology, & Religion Gap

Are we still making progress? Or does a promising future for the next generation seem less likely all the time? These are big questions being asked often these days. From gene editing to generative AI. From medicines to cure aging to the rapid rise of artificial intelligence. From the trauma of Covid to the cinematic retelling of Oppenheimer’s development of the atom bomb. Deeply tangled around ...
C. Stephen Evans  |  Baylor University

Accountability is Relational Responsibility

In Western cultures, we often talk about accountability in terms of demanding that public officials, big corporations, criminals, etc., be “held accountable” for their actions. What we often really mean is that we want them to be punished. But Dr. Evans and his team are asking the question, “What does it mean to be good at living accountably?” To fully explore this question, we must first ...
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Bob Roberts, Jr.  |  GlocalNet

Multi-Faith Relationships Change Everything

MFNN provides a platform for people to connect with God and one another by building empathy. Only then can one begin to relate to others who think differently, and thus find common ground. MFNN is intentionally multi-faith. It respects the fact that different religions have exclusivist beliefs about spiritual realities. It is not interested in anyone giving up their faith convictions. Instead, MFN...
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Wendy Cadge  |  Brandeis University

Chaplains: Leading Amidst Change

American religious life is changing fast. More people than ever describe themselves as unaffiliated with a religion, especially those under 30. Yet those unaffiliated continue to face unavoidable human challenges such as loss, sickness, life transitions, and death. Chaplains (or “spiritual care providers”) have long served people in the midst of life’s challenges in places like hospitals, ho...
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Afe Adogame  |  Calvin University

Advancing a New Theology in Africa

It’s home to 25% of the world’s Christians today, predicted to grow to 40% within the next 25 years. In fact, Africa is where Christianity is growing faster than anywhere else in the world. More and more, it’s being described as Christianity’s new heartland. ...
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Alan Cooperman  |  The Pew Charitable Trusts

What’s Really Happening to Religion in America?

Holding steady ….. at least for now. Overall, that’s the status of America’s religious landscape today. After years of decline, the Christian share of the U.S. population has stabilized at slightly more than 60%. The religiously unaffiliated population, after rising rapidly for decades, also shows signs of having leveled off at 29%. And the percentage of Americans who identify with a religio...
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Jer Clifton  |  The University of Pennsylvania

Discovering People’s Primal World Beliefs

Have you ever noticed this? People can be in the same place at the same time …. and yet have vastly different experiences. Riding a city bus, for example. Some people appear relaxed. They’re taking in the sights, maybe listening to music, pecking away on their devices or exchanging a few words with someone nearby. Others, however, look tense, their eyes furtively darting or focused downwar...
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Areas of Focus
Art Seeking Understanding

Putting Aesthetic 
Cognitivism to the Test

Science & Religion in Context

Valuing Science and Religion as Mutually Enriching Sources of Insight

Covenantal Pluralism

Going Beyond Religious Tolerance

Social Consequences of Religion

Exploring Religion as a Transformative Force for Good in the World

Art Seeking Understanding

Putting Aesthetic 
Cognitivism to the Test

Learn More about ASU
Science & Religion in Context

Valuing Science and Religion as Mutually Enriching Sources of Insight

Learn More about SRC
Covenantal Pluralism

Going Beyond Religious Tolerance

Learn More about CP
Social Consequences of Religion

Exploring Religion as a Transformative Force for Good in the World

Learn More about SCoR
About Templeton Religion Trust

We're seeking to enrich the conversations about Religions

Templeton Religion Trust is a global charitable trust established by Sir John Templeton in 1984 with headquarters in Nassau, The Bahamas, where Sir John lived until his death in 2008. TRT has been active since 2012, and supports projects as well as storytelling related to projects seeking to enrich the conversation about religion.