Research projects:

• 'Future-proof Living Environment: Transition to Emission-free, Circular and Climate-proof Buildings and Infrastructure': innovative research  on (design) theology of good life based on hope lies at the centre of this project on urban climate adaptation. The line of research is derived from the work of Jonathan Sacks and Desmond Tutu, and in accordance with Miroslav Wolf's plea for a renewal of Western theology. 
• 'Joining forces in developing a program of hope as response to climate change'. ACRSD works together with University of Twente on a interdisciplinary project that focuses on hope in times of climate change. 
• Cape Town: as a follow up of the 2019 water symposium, ACRSD is a partner in a research project with the City of Cape Town, Dutch water authorities and University of Cape Town about inclusive capacity building through peer-to-peer knowledge exchange between public officials and religious communities. 
• Hope in climate change for youth: a project conducted in the fall of 2020 at a VMBO school in Almere, which investigated how young people look at their future in the context of climate change. The results have been collected in a student's Bachelor thesis.

Chair Religion and Sustainable Development 

As of January 1st 2019, the School of Religion and Theology of VU Amsterdam has established, in collaboration with development organization ACT Alliance, the Religion and Sustainable Development Chair. Prof. Dr Azza Karam, who is the current Secretary-General at for Religions for Peace, will hold the chair for the next five years.

PhD-candidates

• Eva van Urk
  From October 2018 onwards, Eva works as a PhD candidate in the field of Christian ecotheology and investigates the potential of the religious concept of imago Dei for addressing human-caused extinction and stirring ecological responsibility. Her research is funded by the Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research (NWO).
• Sofia van Winden
  From 2019 onwards, Sofia addresses in her research matters of motivation and inspiration in the context of SDG realizations, not only by exploring values that guide development aspirations but also perspectives and ideas that provide these values frameworks with a sense of meaning derived from spiritual traditions. A case study on climate action (SDG 13) is done.

Fellowship Ethics of the Anthropocene

The Fellowship for Ethics of the Anthropocene is a joint initiative by the School of Religion and Theology and the Institute for Environmental Studies (Faculty of Earth and Life Sciences). Each year this project alternately appoints a Senior, or one or more junior Fellows. 

• The Senior Fellowship is a grant that allows internationally prominent scientists to work at VU Amsterdam for a period of three to six months.
• The VU Amsterdam Junior Fellowship consists of a scholarship granted to one or more excellent PhD-students, which allows them to pursue part of their project up to six months at the vibrant academic community of VU Amsterdam.

In order to allow for the engagement with different religious traditions and different schools of thought, fellowships will only be granted for one period and cannot be extended or renewed.