Save the Date: 19–23 October 2026, GNPT Interim meeting Amsterdam

We would like to begin by expressing our deep gratitude to Prof. Sebastian Kim and the organising committee at Fuller Theological Seminary for hosting an exceptional GNPT Consultation in 2025. Their commitment ensured that our community could still gather, reflect, and learn, even when an in-person meeting proved impossible.

We also wish to thank Prof. Kim for his service as President of the GNPT Executive Committee. In keeping with GNPT practice, he has kindly agreed to remain on the Executive in an advisory capacity as we prepare for our next formal meeting. Prof Dion Forster now takes up the responsibility of serving as hosting Chair/President in the period leading up to our next regular GNPT meeting, which will be hosted in Hong Kong.

It is therefore our pleasure to invite you to save the dates of 19–23 October 2026, when we will gather for an interim in-person meeting of the Global Network for Public Theology at the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam. The event will be hosted by the Chair for Public Theology and Ethics at the VU Amsterdam, in partnership with colleagues from Chairs and Centres for theology and religion across the Netherlands and the wider European region.

Our proposed theme for this interim consultation is:

Public Theology in a Fractured World: Voices, Visions, and Vulnerabilities

A fuller description of the theme will be circulated in early January.

The Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam was founded 145 years ago by the Dutch Public Theologian and statesman Abraham Kuyper. It has long been a home for robust and socially engaged theological scholarship. Its history includes honouring several figures of global significance with honorary doctorates, among them Martin Luther King Jr (1965), Beyers Naudé (1972), Dom Hélder Câmara (1974), and Marilynne Robinson (2016). 

We look forward to welcoming the GNPT community to a university with a rich and enduring commitment to the intersections of faith, scholarship, and public life. And to hosting you in the historic, diverse, and beautiful city of Amsterdam!

Please note the following key dates for your planning:

• 19–21 October 2026: Interim meeting at the VU Amsterdam, including plenaries, working groups, networking, and the GNPT business session.

• 22 October 2026: Optional excursion day exploring the historical city of Amsterdam (details will follow).

• 23 October 2026: Optional attendance at the Inaugural Professorial Lecture for the Chair of Public Theology and Ethics, Dion Forster, at the VU Amsterdam (15:45). All GNPT participants are warmly invited to attend.

More detailed information about our meeting will follow in the first week of January 2026, including the formal Call for Working Groups and Papers, which will also be posted on the GNPT website. We anticipate capping participation at approximately 100 attendees, and registration will open in March 2026.

For now, we kindly ask you to save these dates in your calendars.

We will soon set up a new GNPT mailing list.

Should you have any questions, you are warmly invited to contact Dion Forster at: d.a.forster@vu.nl

With peace, courage, and hope for the work that lies ahead,

On behalf of the Executive Committee of the Global Network for Public Theology

Dion Forster appointed as University Research Chair and Professor of Public Theology and Ethics

Dear friends and colleagues, here is some wonderful news from the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam with regards to a very gracious research recognition appointment, and my promotion to full professor:

As of 1 September, theologian Dion Forster will be appointed Professor of Public Theology and Ethics at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam. He will take on this role within the framework of a University Research Chair (URC), an appointment that provides space for innovative and socially relevant research.

Building bridges in a divided world

Dion Forster's chair focuses on the intersection of theology, ethics, and societal transformation. In a time marked by global crises and increasing polarization, he aims to contribute to social cohesion, justice, and meaningful dialogue through his work. “Public Theology is, by nature, a bridge-building discipline,” says Forster. “It works in complex and contested spaces – engaging both religious and secular worldviews with honesty, hope, and the courage to imagine transformative alternatives. It challenges injustice, amplifies voices from the margins, and invites us to act for the common good.”

Research with societal impact

Forster's research explores how deeply held beliefs – both religious and secular – shape and sometimes distort individuals and societies. The chair critically investigates the intersections of power, belief, identity, and justice – from political discourse and gender justice, to ecological care, peace, and racial reconciliation. In doing so, Forster makes a direct contribution to the mission of the Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities, and the School of Religion and Theology: to produce rigorous, responsible, and socially impactful academic work that addresses urgent contemporary challenges.

A deeply contextual and committed perspective

Forster brings with him a profoundly lived perspective, shaped by his work in challenging and repairing the legacy of apartheid in South Africa, and now his experience as a migrant scholar in the Netherlands. This background fuels his dedication to inclusive education and research focused on social justice, gender justice, ecological care, and human dignity—both locally and globally.

Science rooted in wonder and values

Forster’s appointment reinforces a key tradition at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam: conducting science with both wonder and responsibility. “I see Public Theology as a translational discipline that helps people and institutions make meaning, imagine alternatives, and act with purpose in a rapidly changing world,” Forster says. His goal is not only to build sustainable partnerships inside and outside the university, but also to serve a new generation of scholars who are equipped to confront complexity, rooted in values, and prepared to make a tangible difference in the world.

Anchored in the identity of VU Amsterdam

The chair is rooted in the distinctive identity of VU Amsterdam, shaped by figures such as Abraham Kuyper, Martin Luther King Jr., Beyers Naudé, and Marilynne Robinson – individuals who embodied moral conviction, intellectual depth, and a commitment to social renewal. Drawing upon this legacy, and situated within the rich socio-cultural diversity of Amsterdam, Forster’s work carries forward the task of weaving faith and justice together – pursuing peace, equity, and a more compassionate and just public life.

“Forster embodies what VU Amsterdam stands for,” says the Executive Board. “His work brings values and action together – right at the heart of our mission to contribute to a better world through excellent, value-driven, and socially relevant academic research and education.”

University Research Chair

The University Research Chair is a distinguished professorship that includes additional support and resources. With this appointment, VU Amsterdam recognizes exceptional scholars considered to be emerging leaders in their field. [Please find the original article here]

How you respond matters! What's happened a year after arriving in Amsterdam?

It has been a while!

In this video I give a bit of an update on the first anniversary of my move to the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, and my family's move to Amsterdam. A lot has happened with the recent re-election of Donald Trump, the ongoing war in Gaza and the Ukraine. I talk about some new projects in Public Theology in late-secular / early post-secular democracies, peace ethics, and point out that it matters how you respond to injustice, violence, and untruth. Justice, by just means.

• Witness to the truth
• Bind up the broken
• Live the alternative
• Replace evil with good

You can read a bit more about this approach here.

Forster, Dion A. “Engaging ‘Die Gif in Vergifnis’ [the Poison in Forgiveness]? Considering Peter Storey’s Four Ecclesiological Tasks for the Coming Generations.” In Faith, Race and Inequality among Young Adults in South Africa, edited by Nadine F Bowers Du Toit, 41–61. Beyers Naudé Centre Series on Public Theology. Stellenbosch: African Sun Media, 2022.

Finding my feet at home and at work in Amsterdam

I arrived in beautiful Amsterdam on the 1st of November to begin my new job at the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam. I am living in a beautiful intentional community called Oud Rustenberg in Baambrugge (about 15km from the University). It is a very beautiful place, and I am incredibly grateful to be living among wonderful people. I am also finding my new colleagues, and the work at the VU, so great. I am truly grateful! Megan and Liam will only join me in the Netherlands in June 2024, and Courtney may only join us after she has completed her Masters Degree in late 2024.

Here is a short video update on the journey so far. Thanks for stopping by! I would love to hear from you in the comments section below!

Some big changes coming! Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam

There are some big changes coming! Please see the short video below for more details. We would appreciate your prayers.