The Global Philosophy of Religion Project is a major initiative that aims to make the philosophy of religion a truly global field. It is supported by funding totalling $2.42 million from the John Templeton Foundation and the Dynamic Investment Fund (DIF) at the University of Birmingham and €220,000 from the European Commission.  It is led by Professor Yujin Nagasawa and hosted by the Birmingham Centre for Philosophy of Religion in the School of Philosophy, Theology and Religion at the University of Birmingham.

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The philosophy of religion addresses the most fundamental issues concerning religious concepts, beliefs and practice. Among these are the existence and nature of deities, evil and suffering in the world, religious and mystical experiences, and death and the possibility of immortality. It is notable that these issues are relevant to a variety of religious traditions and geographical locations. The scale and diversity of the philosophy of religion have however both been limited compared with those of other fields of study.

Our strategy for diversifying the philosophy of religion has two dimensions. First, we will promote research by scholars from underrepresented regions, with a particular focus on Africa, Asia, Latin America, and the Middle East. Second, we will promote research addressing underrepresented religious traditions, with special attention to traditions that are broadly construed as theistic, such as African traditional religions, Hinduism, Islam, Jainism, Judaism, Shinto, Sikhism, and Zoroastrianism, as well as Christianity. Our ultimate goal is to advance the philosophy of religion by engaging the best scholars from all regions and traditions.

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