Building Resilience: ETF Leuven Part of EDUC8 Consortium

Since January 2020, Evangelische Theologische Faculteit (ETF) in Leuven is participating in the research project EDUC8. Ten European organizations are working together on the project, including KU Leuven (BE), University of Ljubljana (SI), Volos Academy for Theological Studies (GR), Aristotle University of Thessaloniki (GR) and CIRRA (BE). With a budget of 1.2 million EURO, the project is funded by the European Union and will last two years.

Within the project, an educational package for religious education is being developed. The purpose of this package is to build resilience among young people against radicalization and polarization. The project adopts and interphilosophical and religious perspective, focusing on Protestantism, Roman Catholicism, Eastern Orthodoxy, Islam, Judaism and non-confessional ethics. Ultimately a package will be delivered that can be used in various educational contexts, such as schools and youth detention centers.

Prof. Dr. Jos de Kock, rector of ETF Leuven: “This project fits very well with ETF Leuven as an international institution that from its evangelical-protestant identity wants to contribute to the dialogue between Christians and those from other religions and life perspectives in society.” Dr. Jelle Creemers, head of the department of Religious Studies and Missiology adds: “This project highlights growing attention to religious freedom at ETF and the enduring presence of religion within Western society.” Creemers works together with Samuel Velinga at ETF on this project.