As a result of RESILIENCE's latest call, ten applicants from various countries in Europe have been accepted for a TNA fellowship.
The RESILIENCE TNA Programme offers physical and virtual across national borders to tools and sources related to the study of religion. TNA hosts across Europe grant access to their collections of manuscripts, rare books, documents and materials to scholars. Because 16 research institutions in Europe participate in the programme as a TNA hosts, a wide range of offerings is guaranteed
Ten applicants were notified that their application for study elsewhere in Europe was accepted. Their research focuses on several areas and disciplines, including historical and philosophical research, in which religion plays a major role.
We congratulate following scholars:
Monastic Economy in Late Ottoman Macedonia: The Case of the Holy Monastery of Timios Prodromos of Serres Through Unpublished Archival Material
This research focuses on the monastic/religious economy of the late Ottoman period by examining the Codex of Annual Accounts (1885–1916) from the Holy Monastery of Timios Prodromos on Mount Menoikeion, Serres, Greece. The study aims to reconstruct the monastery’s economic framework, analyze its financial sustainability, and evaluate its role within the broader economic and social dynamics of late Ottoman Macedonia.
Research stay at: Sofia University
Comenius and the Unity of Brethren
The research will examine Comenius, the Unity of Brethren, and their roles in the political climate of the early 17 century, a time marked by uprisings and the lead-up to the 30-Years’ War. While previous studies have focused on Comenius’ theology and pedagogy to infer his political views, little attention has been given to his direct activities, especially within the Unity and their impact on the conflicts. This project aims to fill this gap through source analysis and exhibit-based findings.
Research stay at: J.A. Comenius Museum
Actors and Networks of Progressive Catholicism: Transnational Relations in Spanish Catholicism During the Transition Years. The Case of Insituto Fe y Secularidad
This project explores the Instituto Fe y Secularidad (IFS), a key institution within progressive Catholicism in Spain during the democratic transition, using Actor-Network Theory (ANT), particularly Bruno Latour’s concepts of “modes of existence” and “reassembling the social”. The goal is to demonstrate how ANT provides a unique methodology for understanding contemporary religious history by viewing religious institutions not as static entities but as dynamic networks.
Research stay at: KU Leuven
The Character and Nature of Spiritual Search
The interdisciplinary monograph project, “Religious Epistemology: The Character and Nature of Spiritual Search”, is a philosophically oriented theoretical inquiry that aims to explore the nature of religious reason, along with the factors that contribute to the emergence and formation of diverse religious ideas, conceptions, and dogmas. Rooted in the Western tradition of the philosophy of religion, the study seeks to address fundamental philosophical questions regarding the origins, nature, meaning, and epistemic validity of religious belief. However, in contrast to the reductionist approaches prevalent in various philosophical works, the present project will take an interdisciplinary direction and approach these problems through an interpretive analysis of the sacred texts of six distinct religious traditions: Hinduism, Buddhism, Daoism, Judaism, Christianity, and Islam.
Research stay at: Theological University of Apeldoorn
Comenius’ Vision of Overcoming Linguistic Barriers for Global Citizenship
This project explores Comenius’ vision of overcoming linguistic barriers for global citizenship, focusing on his advocacy for multilingualism and a universal language. The study uses a historical-philosophical methodology to analyze Comenius’ works, aiming to deepen understanding of his contributions to linguistic theory and their relevance to modern debates on global communication and cultural unity.
Research stay at: J.A. Comenius Museum
X-from-x statements in the early IV century: the case of Eustathius of Antioch [tentative title]
Prompted by Eustathius of Antioch’s fragment D68, this project explores the use of x-from-x formulas in 4th-century patristic thought and aims to develop a Transformer-based sentence and semantic retrieval tool. Utilizing computational (Ancient-Greek-BERT for semantic retrieval) and historical methods, the research examines these expressions’ significance in doctrinal debates, especially during the “Arian controversy.”
Research stay at: KU Leuven
Echoes from the Cloister: Two Manuscripts of Boccaccio’s “De montibus” preserved in Naples
This project explores the religious reception of Boccaccio’s De montibus through two 15th-century manuscripts, focusing on their devotional use and conventual origins. Addressing a key gap, it examines how this work bridged humanism and devotion. Using codicological analysis (including provenance studies and material features) and historical reconstruction, it will culminate in a peer-reviewed article and lay the groundwork for future research into the religious dimensions of this text.
Research stay at: University L’Orientale (ITSERR)
Jacobus Janssonius (1547-1625), his students and the women of Louvain. Gender, soteriology, and intra-confessional debates in early modern Louvain
My project studies the gendered dynamics in producing, transmitting and appropriating controversial theological knowledge in the early modern controversies on grace. To do so, I will compare student notes and vernacular sermons – using computational text analysis. This will be combined with archival research to critically reassess the controversy and broaden the scope beyond ‘professional’ scholars. In short, my research will lead to a renewed and more inclusive understanding of these polemics.
Research stay at: University of Turin (ITSERR)
The Role of Religion in the Securitization of Migration (SoM) in South Asia
The study investigates the role of religion in the securitization of migration in South Asia, focusing on the Rohingya crisis. It compares India’s exclusionary Hindu nationalist policies with Bangladesh’s Islamic solidarity approach, exploring how religion shapes state narratives and refugee treatment. Using qualitative analysis of archival and textual sources, the research findings will propose how to integrate religious narratives into policies and humanitarian help for sustainable migration.
Research stay at: University of Turin (ITSERR)
Research on Eastern and Western Traditions of Church Slavonic in the Digital Age
My research explores Old Church Slavonic through linguistic and multidisciplinary lenses, incorporating Digital Humanities. The current research aims are stylometric and quantitative analyses of Church Slavonic texts and the study of Eastern canon law and penitential practice. The Bulgarian hosting entities offer vital resources and expertise to advance this work. I aim to publish two papers in impacted journals on the stylometry of homiletic texts, and a study on Eastern church law parallels.
Research stay at: Sofia University
We wish all the scholars a fruitful stay at the host of their choice!