We usually talk about innovation in the language of labs, markets, and technology. But can religions innovate? And can they contribute to innovation? What is the relationship between religion and innovation?
My latest guest has spent many years tackling these questions. Dr. Marco Ventura is Professor of Law and Religion at the University of Siena, advisor to the European Parliament and OSCE, and chair of the G20 Interfaith Working Group on Religion, Innovation, Technology, and Infrastructures
Marco directed Center for Religious Studies at Fondazione Bruno Kessler (FBK), a research institute with deep roots in ICT and early AI. There, he and his colleagues made a deliberate choice to focus on inquiry into “religion and innovation.” Why? Because innovation points to technology, but also extends beyond it, including social innovation and the broader ways the word travels into theology, law, and spirituality.
Their framework uses a triangle: (1) innovation in religion, (2) religion in innovation, (3) religion as innovation.
He also speaks candidly about the challenge of building a field with limited “state of the art.”
To learn more about Marco’s work, you can find him at:
Links Mentioned:
Religion, Innovation, Position paper, FBK 2019 - https://isr.fbk.eu/en/about-us/position-paper/
Fondazione Bruno Kessler – https://www.fbk.eu/
G20 Interfaith Forum – https://www.g20interfaith.org/
Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) –
https://www.osce.org/
This season of the podcast is sponsored by Templeton Religion Trust.
