The primary research aims of the Newman Centre include:
1. Advancing scholarship on John Henry Newman by promoting and supporting research into his life, work, and intellectual legacy.
2. Encouraging interdisciplinary study of religion and faith across University College Dublin and the wider Irish and international academic communities.
3. Organising public lectures, seminars, and conferences that highlight contemporary research and foster dialogue on religion and faith in modern society.
4. Supporting applications for major research grants from funding bodies such as the European Research Council, the Templeton Foundation, and the Irish Research Council.
5. Attracting funding for postdoctoral and postgraduate research in Newman Studies and in wider areas related to religion and faith at UCD.
6. Preserving, developing, and promoting access to the Newman Research Library, ensuring its continued role as a resource for scholars and students.
7. Collaborating with international research centres and networks dedicated to the academic study of religion and faith.
The Centre's research is organised around four themes, each with associated research projects:
Newman Studies
This theme is dedicated to advancing scholarship on the thought, writings, and intellectual legacy of St. John Henry Newman, one of the most influential figures in modern religious and philosophical reflection. It supports and promotes research into Newman’s contributions to theology, philosophy, education, and culture, while also ensuring the ongoing preservation and development of the Newman Library housed in Newman House, Dublin—a unique resource for scholars of religion, philosophy, and nineteenth-century intellectual history.
Newman Studies serves as a focal point for collaboration between the University College Dublin academic community and external researchers and institutions interested in Newman’s work and its continuing relevance.
The theme currently support two projects: Newman's Philosophy of Education and Wittgenstein, Newman, and Hinge Epistemology.
Religion and Society
This theme brings together researchers with an interest in religions and faith from many different social sciences disciplines including Archaeology, Law, Sociology, Social Policy, Social Work and Social Justice, Philosophy, Politics and International Affairs, History, Education, and Classics. The aim of the theme is to foster and support interdisciplinary research on religion and faith in Ireland, and in particular, research that addresses Ireland's future in relation to its cultural and religious past and present.
An important project supported by Religion and Society is Islam and Ireland, a joint-project of the UCD Newman Centre; the Notre Dame Clingen Family Centre for the Study of Modern Ireland; and the Notre Dame Ansari Institute for Global Engagement with Religion.
Religion and Science
This theme is intended to support research which explores the complex and evolving relationship between religious belief and scientific understanding, and to examine foundational questions about how faith and reason interact; how religious worldviews engage with contemporary scientific theories; and how each domain shapes our broader conception of knowledge and truth. The theme is also intended to address key issues in epistemology—the philosophical study of knowledge—focusing on the justification, rationality, and evidential basis of both religious and scientific belief. Through seminars, collaborative workshops, and publications, Religion and Science will foster dialogue between philosophers, theologians, and scientists, contributing to a deeper understanding of the epistemic and cultural significance of both religious and scientific perspectives.
For a list of activities under this theme, see here.
Religion and Philosophy
This theme aims to bring together researchers with a philosophical interest in religion and faith, and an interest in the philosophies of different religious faiths. It aims to support research which uses philosophical methodology to examine questions arising within religious belief and practice, while also supporting scholarship on the rich philosophical traditions that have developed within major world religions, including Judaism, Islam, Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, and others.
The theme currently support two projects: Jewish Thought and Contemporary Philosophy, and Medieval Philosophy.