About ISSR

The International Society for Science and Religion (ISSR) was founded in 2002 with the generous funding and support of the John Templeton Foundation, following a four-day conference in Granada, Spain, which, until the late 15th century, had been a center of peaceful discourse among scholars of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. The Society is dedicated to advancing education through interdisciplinary learning and research in the fields of science and religion, in their broadest sense. This mission is pursued within an international and multi-faith framework, drawing inspiration from that foundational conference held in Granada.

ISSR Fellows comprise many of the most prominent and leading scholars in the field of science and religion. Indeed, the first two presidents, George Ellis, a theoretical cosmologist and Professor of Applied Mathematics at the University of Cape Town, and John Polkinghorne, former Professor of mathematical physics and President of Queen’s College, Cambridge, are both recipients of the Templeton Prize for Progress Toward Research or Discoveries about Spiritual Realities – the world’s best-known religion prize, awarded each year to a living person to encourage and honour those who advance spiritual matters. You can find out more about our Past Presidents by clicking here.

Membership in the society is truly universal. The Fellowship of the Society has now grown to over 400 members worldwide. ISSR includes atheists as well as representatives from various faith traditions, including Buddhism, Hinduism, Judaism, Islam, and Christianity. Membership is also geographically diverse, with representatives from countries such as South Korea, India, the UAE, Brazil, and Argentina, as well as from Europe and the United States. You can view an interactive map of where our Fellows are located by clicking here.

ISSR Fellowship is by invitation only. More information can be found here.