Ian Ramsey Centre
for science and religion in the University of Oxford

The Ian Ramsey Centre, in conjunction with the Centre for Anthropology and Mind (in the new Institute of Cognitive and Evolutionary Anthropology) has just been awarded a major research grant from the John Templeton Foundation. The title of the project is 'Empirical Expansion in Cognitive Science of Religion and Theology'. The grant is for three years from October 1st 2007, and will be under the direction of Dr Justin Barrett and Professor Roger Trigg as principle investigators. Read the Times Online article of 19.2.08 about this here.

The whole area of the cognitive science of religion is of recent development. Apart from empirical questions there are major theological and philosophical questions arising. If religion is seen as 'natural', does this explain religion, or even explain it away?

Postdoctoral researchers:
Emma Cohen
David Leech

1) Details of the Project - summary by Justin Barrett
2) Times Online article of 19.2.08 about this project
3) Recent books by IRC researchers
4) Articles by Justin Barrett on this subject (pdf files):
i) Cognitive Science of Religion: What is it, and Why is it?
ii) Is the Spell really broken? Bio-Psychological Explanations of Religion and Theistic Belief