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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...
Fern Elsdon-Baker  |  University of Birmingham

Globally Deconstructing “the Conflict Theory” About Science & Religion

“Follow the science.” Some say it’s a watchword for modern times. Others warn that the phrase positions science like an ideology akin to a religion that can solve all human dilemmas if only we’d listen. Are notions that only science can explain reality or that it’s systematically replacing religious knowledge and beliefs mostly exaggerated, media-stoked hype? Thanks to what we hear on TV...
Patty Van Cappellen  |  Duke University

Measuring Compassion: Respond or not?

Technology brings it instantly into nearly every room of our homes. Almost every day we see victims of distant disasters up close. We hear the distress in their voices even when we can’t understand their words. What’s more, wherever we live or travel, we’re apt to be confronted by people with handwritten cardboard signs: “Homeless. Please Help.” “Hungry. Please Help.” More exposure t...
SCORE  |  Templeton Religion Trust

Good or Bad? Investigating the Social Consequences of Religion

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David Lundie  |  The University Court of the University of Glasgow

Who can lead moral renewal?

One of the challenges of finding the answer to this question is how to get behind language, how to get on the inside of people’s moral reasons. So, to get the answer to a difficult question, we are using something smart: a smartphone-enabled daily survey method, that asks young people simple questions about their actions and emotions, twice daily over four weeks.  It’s sometimes hard ...
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Brandon Vaidyanathan  |  The Catholic University of America

Beauty in Science and Beyond

Dr. Brandon Vaidyanathan and his team of researchers at The Catholic University of America first explored how beauty motivates scientists, before expanding the conversation to consider how beauty is integral to all forms of work. ...
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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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Kendall Bronk  |  Claremont Graduate University

How Young Adults Perceive the Role of Patience in the Search for Purpose

Figuring out one’s purpose in life is not often an easy task. Research suggests it can be anxiety-provoking and stressful. However, uncovering one’s purpose in life is a critical prerequisite to leading a life of meaning that ultimately contributes to individual and societal well-being. The search for purpose is particularly prevalent among college-age young adults, which is also a pivotal tim...
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Brian Nosek  |  Center for Open Science, Inc.

Advancing Research Transparency

Among human endeavors, scientific research ranks high as a noble pursuit. Most of us trust science to make discoveries that add to the world’s storehouse of knowledge, solve problems, and make our lives better. True, public trust wavered some during the COVID-19 pandemic. But people still have more confidence in scientists to act in the public’s best interest than they have in the military, po...
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Matthew Niermann  |  California Baptist University

Finding Proof for the Miracle of Sacred Spaces

When Notre-Dame Cathedral caught on fire in April of 2019, social media erupted. A major news source described the extraordinary response: “It really was as if the world had stopped…. What started as a fire...
Professor Simon Conway Morris

2026 Templeton Prize Winner

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Tyler VanderWeele  |  President and Fellows of Harvard College

A Pathway Out of Substance Misuse

The numbers are staggering. According to government data, 48.5 million people in the United States alone have a substance use disorder. Nearly 180,000 die each year from excessive alcohol use. And during just o...
Caroline Tee  |  The University Court of the University of Glasgow

Muslims, the Secular, and Existential Risk

The methodology is called theologically-informed anthropology. Anthropologists are embedded in Muslim communities, living alongside them as participant observers. Because secular conditions differ significantly...
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Katherine Marshall  |  World Faiths Development Dialogue

Reimagined Partnership: Why Religion Matters in Development

Global organizations like UNICEF and the World Bank have acknowledged religion’s relevance in development work—after all, 84% of the world’s population identifies with a religious group. In many developin...
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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...
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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...
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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...
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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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Kelly James Clark  |  Ibn Haldun University

Art as a Window into Empathy & Justice

Empathy is in short supply these days. And that’s cause for concern. Empathetic people are sensitive to the emotions and suffering of others. They’re more likely to show understanding and compassion than vilification and judgment. They foster positive relationships and build healthy communities. They’re motivated to make the world a better place – and not just for themselves.  A strong ca...
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...
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 ...
Lobsang Tenzin Negi  |  Emory University

Ancient Wisdom For A Modern World

The ultimate goal of ETSI is to build a bridge between two complementary systems of knowledge by educating future scientific collaborators who can contribute to new discoveries in the science of mind and body. ...
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Jonathan Greenaway  |  University of Chester

Investigating Horror as Religious Experience

Love it …. or loathe it. That seems to describe the complicated relationship to horror that exists in so many cultures today. On the one hand, huge numbers of fans are drawn to horror in all its forms — books, movies, TV, art, gaming, Goth and more. On the other hand, horror has long been regarded as “low art” or “low culture” – mere entertainment at best, worthless or deviant at...
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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 ...
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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...
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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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Robin M. Jensen  |  The University of Notre Dame

Sacred Art in Context

Asked to recall a deeply moving spiritual experience, many people will describe it sensuously. They’ll cite things such as the light, the sounds or the absolute silence, the colors, textures and images that provoked contemplation, the intense emotions and feelings that swelled in response. Within the storehouse of our brains, the stimuli of art are often entangled in the effect. Little wonder th...
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Areas of Focus
woman
man

Covenantal
Pluralism

Covenantal Pluralism

Moving from Tolerance to Pluralism
design
mountain and triangle

Program in
the Study

of Mysticism

Program in the Study
of Mysticism

Studying Mysticism as Theory, Practice, and Experience
woman
religious statue

Social Consequences
of Religion

Social Consequences
of Religion

Understanding the Impact of Religion in Societies
microscope
bust wearing vr headset

Additional Areas

of Focus

Additional Areas

of Focus

Art, Science, and Futures of Religion
woman
man

Covenantal Pluralism

Moving from Tolerance to Pluralism
design
mountain and triangle

Program in the Study
of Mysticism

Studying Mysticism as Theory, Practice, and Experience
woman
religious statue

Social Consequences
of Religion

Understanding the Impact of Religion in Societies
microscope
bust wearing vr headset

Additional Areas

of Focus

Art, Science, and Futures of Religion
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.