The following "Researcher Reflection" from Dr. Fabien Muller is part of an ongoing series where we spotlight CSWR scholars and their research.

In the twentieth century, certain Christian theologians argued that religion cannot be true, for that would imply that it is coherent with other forms of truth, such as scientific or historical truth. Ancient and medieval Christian thinkers believed that the truth of religion and the truth of science were not only compatible but ultimately identical. The God of the Bible was also the primordial cosmic cause, and nature confirmed the supernatural. One overarching Christian truth encompassed all singular truths.... Read more about Is Religion True? Christians, Buddhists, and the Difficult Quest for Truth

Professor Charles Stang, CSWR Director, delivered a lecture entitled, “The Call of the Ancient: Psychedelic Pasts and Futures” at the "Archives of the Impossible" Conference at Rice University on May 13, 2023. 

... Read more about Video: "The Call of the Ancient: Psychedelic Pasts and Futures", Professor Charles Stang

On April 27, 2023, The Center for the Study of World Religions co-hosted this discussion with panelists Sam S. B. Shonkoff, Taube Family Assistant Professor of Jewish Studies at the Graduate Theological Union. Melila Hellner-Eshed, professor of Jewish mysticism in the Department of Jewish Studies at Hebrew University in Jerusalem, and senior research fellow at the Shalom Hartman Institute in Jerusalem and Rabbi Dr. Jay Michaelson, author and affiliated assistant professor at Chicago Theological Seminary.

... Read more about Video: Are Psychedelics Theologically Significant for Judaism?

It has been another rich year of programming at the CSWR, much of it centering around the Transcendence and Transformation initiative – about to enter its third year. We were pleased to host a fascinating cohort of T&T affiliates, including visiting scholars, post-doctoral fellows, and research associates.  

David Abram joined...

Article by Professor Charles Stang, CSWR Director, Published in TANK Magazine, Issue 94, The Education Issue, Spring 2023.... Read more about The Dream of the Sphere: A dispatch from the flatland

“I am spiritual but not religious.” We have all heard this phrase. But, where did this expression come from? What does it mean today? And what may it mean tomorrow? This panel explores these questions, clarify surrounding scholarship, and forwards the conversation. Panelists include Charles M. Stang, Robert C. Fuller, Linda A. Mercadante, and Jeffrey Kripal.... Read more about Video: The Future of "Spiritual, But Not Religious"

On Friday, April 13, at 4:00 PM, the CSWR will host a public panel featuring Linda Mercadante, Robert Fuller, Jeffrey Kripal, and Charles M. Stang, entitled "The Future of 'Spiritual, but Not Religious'".  This public panel is part of a collaboration between the CSWR and the Esalen Institute on a conference called "Spiritual, but Not Religious: Past, Present, Future(s)."  Dr. William B. Parsons, Professor of Religious Studies at Rice University and one of the main organizers of this conference, spoke about the Spiritual but Not Religious movement, its history, and the role...