Anne Runehov, Doctor of Theology

For the time being, I am a post-doctoral research fellow at the department of Systematic Theology at the Copenhagen University. I earned a master degree in analytical philosophy, major philosophy of mind from the Uppsala/Stockholm Universities and a doctoral degree in theology, philosophy of religion from the Uppsala University.  

One of my duties is to be co-editor in chief (with Dr. Nina Azari) for the forthcoming four volumed Encyclopedia of sciences and Religions, Springer. Also, to be editor in chief for the CUNSR-volumes, and field editor of the European Journal of Science and Theology.

Another important duty is to be director of the Copenhagen University Network of Science and Religion (CUNSR), of which the Forum of Existence and Science is part. The network is sponsered by Metanexus together with the department of Systematic Theology and the Centre of Naturalism and Christian Semantics, one of the star projects sponsored by the Copenhagen University.

Yet another important duty is to teaching the bachelor and master course called Modern Neurobiology and Religious Faith, at the faculty of theology, Copenhagen University. Not only is this an interdisciplinary course (students having their background in neurobiology, psychology, psychiatry, medicine, religious studies, just to name some), it also is an international course with students coming from both the USA, Australia, Finland, Scotland and Denmark.

Last but certainly not least, my duty is to do my utmost to provide good research. 2007 my first book (except for my doctoral thesis on which the book was based) Sacred or Neural? The potential of Neuroscience to Explain Religious Experience, came out by Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht. A research work that received the ESSSAT research prize 2006.

Furthermore, from the 1st September 2008, I have the privileged to be part of the star project Naturalism and Christian Semantics. My personal project within it is called: Empathy in the Age of Neuroscience? Theories, Explanations and Understandings.

However, neuroscience is not my ONLY research interest. Other interests comprise the cognitive sciences, quantum mechanics, nanotechnology, which all are studied from the perspective of analytical philosophy of religion, philosophy of mind and/or philosophy of science; but also phenomenology and virtue-ethics have taken my interest.  

There are many persons to whom I feel deeply in depth. Within the scope of this very brief biography I want to name Lluis Oviedo, Mikael Stenmark, Wentzel van Huyssteen, Niels Henrik Gregersen, Eberhard Herrmann and needless to say, Hans Runehov.