Philosophy and theology have long provided people with ways to investigate their place in the universe and develop a sense of their life’s meaning and purpose.

At the John Templeton Foundation, the Philosophy & Theology Department supports research and catalyzes conversations that promise to build on wisdom contained within the world’s philosophical and theological traditions, in order to enhance our understanding of the world and how to live well within it. The Department is especially interested in research that engages substantively and critically with the sciences, including robust interdisciplinary collaborations in which philosophical or theological understanding informs and is informed by the findings and methods of the sciences. Projects we support may engage with enduring questions such as the following:

Is there a divine reality? If so, how is it related to the cosmos, and how can we know it better? How can we become better thinkers and inquirers? What can we learn from the world’s wisdom traditions about living good and purposeful lives? What virtues might make us better people and how do we cultivate them?

From 2019 to 2023, the Philosophy & Theology Department seeks proposals related to the following priorities: Intellectual Humility, Mathematical & Physical Sciences, Cultural Evolution, Science of Purpose, Science of Virtues, Science-Engaged Theology, and Programs in Latin America.

We will continue to accept innovative proposals that do not fit into these priorities in our Open Funding Track.