Personal information

25-02-1948

Born in Elmhurst, Illinois, USA, resident in Denmark since 1970 and married. Danish citizen June 2003.

06-02-2006

Knight of the Dannebrog Order.

21-09-2018

Knight First Class of the Dannebrog Order

Credentials

1969

B.A., University of Wisconsin.

1978

Magister Artium in the History of Religions, Aarhus University.

1992

Postdoctoral Degree in Philosophy at the same university.

Employment history

1979 -1981

Adjunktvikar, Institut for Religionshistorie, Aarhus University.

1982

Ekstern lektor same place.

1983 - 1984

Seniorstipendiat same place.

1984 - 1995

Associate Professor, Institute for Religionshistorie until 1990; new name: Institute for Religionsvidenskab (Dept. of the Study of Religion), Aarhus University.

1995 - 2018

Professor in the History of Religions, Department of the Study of Religion, Aarhus University.

2017 - 2018

Jens Chr. Skou Senior Fellow, Aarhus Institute of Advanced Studies, Aarhus University.

2019ff.

Emeritus Professor, Department of the Study of Religion, Aarhus University

Administrative positions

1980 - 1982

Chair, Curriculum Board of the History of Religions, University of Aarhus.

1981

Observer, Institute Council for Christian Studies, University of Aarhus.

1981

Chair, Student Handbook Sub-Committee under the Curriculum Board of Religious Studies, University of Aarhus.

1982

Chair, New Curriculum Sub-Committee under the Curriculum Board of the History of Religions, University of Aarhus.

1984 - 1985

Chair, Curriculum Board of the History of Religions, University of Aarhus.

1984 - 1985

Member of the Faculty Curriculum Board of the Faculty of Theology, University of Aarhus.

1985

Observer, Institute Council for Christian Studies, University of Aarhus.

1985

Chair, New Curriculum Committee under the Curriculum Board of the History of Religions, University of Aarhus.

1985

Member, Sub-Committee for the establishment of the Center of North Atlantic Studies, Faculty of Humanities, University of Aarhus.

1986 - 1987

Member, Curriculum Board of the History of Religions, University of Aarhus.

1986 - 1987

Head, Department of the History of Religions, University of Aarhus.

1986 - 1987

Member, Coordinating Sub-Committee for Philosophy under the Curriculum Board of the Faculty of Theology, University of Aarhus.

1986 - 1989

Member of the Faculty Council, Faculty of Theology, University of Aarhus.

1986 - 1994

Member, Guest Lectures Sub-Committee, Faculty of Theology, University of Aarhus.

1986

Coordinator, Two Semester Course in the History of Religions, Jutland Open University, University of Aarhus.

1986

Chair, Sub-Committee for Long-Term Planning under the Institute Council for the Department of the History of Religions, University of Aarhus.

1986 - 1991

Member, Series Committee, Aarhus University Press.

1987 - 1990

Chair, External Evaluator Corps for the History of Religions, University of Copenhagen and member, External Evaluator Corps for the Sociology of Religion, University of Copenhagen.

1987 - 1994

Substitute member, Representative Board of Denmarks Computer Center, University of Aarhus.

1987 - 1994

Substitute member, the Central Computer Committee, University of Aarhus.

1987 - 1994

Member, Board of Christian Reventlows Remembrance Fond and Christian Reventlows Book Collection, University of Aarhus.

1987

Co-author Student Handbook for the History of Religions, University of Aarhus.

1987

Member, Working Seminar at the Faculty of Theology, University of Aarhus on Proposals for the "Growth Areas" of the Danish Research Council for the Humanities.

1989 - 1990

Chair, Department of the History of Religions and negotiator of the fusion of the Department of the History of Religions with the Department of Religion, formerly Christian Studies (to the new Department of the Study of Religion), University of Aarhus.

1991

Chair, Curriculum Board of the Study of Religion, University of Aarhus.

1991

Member, Curriculum Board of the Faculty of Theology, University of Aarhus.

1991

Chair, Revision of the Curriculum Sub-Committee for the Study of Religion, University of Aarhus.

1991

Co-author of the Student Handbook for the Study of Religion, University of Aarhus.

1992 - 2002

Chair, Computer Committee, Faculty of Theology, University of Aarhus.

1992 - 1994

Member, Research Education Committee under the Institute Council of the Department of the Study of Religion, University of Aarhus.

1993 - 1994

Member, Board of the Department of the Study of Religion, University of Aarhus.

1993 - 1994

Member, Council of the Faculty of Theology, University of Aarhus.

1993 - 1997

Chair, Research Network on New Religions (RENNER) under the Research Council for the Humanities.

1994 - 2002

Assistant Dean of the Faculty of Theology, University of Aarhus.

1994 - 2002

Chair, Annual Festival Committee, Faculty of Theology, University of Aarhus.

1994 - 2002

Member, Sub-Committee on University Pedagogics under the Council of the University of Aarhus.

1994 - 2000

Member, House and Building Committee, Faculty of Theology, University of Aarhus.

1994 - 2002

Member, the Central Computer Sub-Committee under the Council of the University of Aarhus.

1998 - 1999

Member, Information Committee, Faculty of Theology, University of Aarhus.

1998 - 2017

Chairman of the Advisory Committee on Religious Denominations for the Ministry of Ecclesiastics (1998ff.)

1998 - 1999

Working Group on developing an ICT policy for the University of Aarhus.

1998 - 2002

Co-chair, a globalisation project under the Research Council for the Humanities called RENNER II.

1998 - 2002

Member, Working Group on Development Research, University of Aarhus.

1999 - 2002

Member, Sub-Committee on Information and Communication Technology in Teaching under the Council Body of the University of Aarhus.

1999 - 2002

Chair, Sub-Committee on Audio-Visual Technology, Faculty of Theology, University of Aarhus.

2000 - 2002

Chair, Sub-Committee on ICT, the Faculty of Theology, University of Aarhus.

2002ff.

Member of External Evaluator Corps for the Study of Religion.

2003 - 2004

Co-chair of the Faculty of Theology's special project area: "Religious Narrative, Cognition and Culture".

2004ff.

Member of the Academic Committee of the Faculty of Theology.

2005 - 2008

Chair of the Faculty of Theology's special project area: "Religion, Cognition and Culture".

2005

In connection with an auditing of the Faculty of Theology by the Evaluation Institute, I was a member of the "Self Evaluation Committee" and chair of "Sub-Committee 2: Research".

2005ff.

Representative of the Faculty of Theology on the Board of the Research Foundation of the University of Aarhus.

2005ff.

Member of the Board of the Research Network on European History of Religions (FEUR) under the auspices of the Danish Research Council for the Humanities (2005ff.)

2009 - 2015

Chair of the Religion, Cognition and Culture (RCC) Research Unit at the Department of the Study of Religion.

2006 - 2007

Member of the National Network under the Ministry of Research and Innovation concerning the European Union 7th Research Program (FP7).

2007 - 2016

Member of the Study of Religion and Theology research group concerning bibliometric research indicators.

2009 - 2014

Co-PI, Member of the Board of MINDLab (UNIK), Aarhus University. Head of the Cognition and Culture Stream.

2009

Member of the Sino-Danish Center for Neuroscience and Cognition, Beijing and Aarhus.

2010 - 2018

Member of Interdisciplinary Evolutionary Studies, AU.

2012 - 2016

Chairman of the Board, Interacting Minds Centre, AU.

2012 - 2016

Co-Founder of and responsible for the double PhD-program in Cognitive Science of Religion together with Queen's University, Belfast, Northern Ireland.

2014 - 2016

Member of the Denomination Committee under the Ministry of Ecclesiastics to present a law proposal concerning denominations outside of the Danish Lutheran Church 

2015

Director of the Research Program for the Interdisciplinary Study of Religion, AU

2016

Director of the Research Program for the Study of Religion, AU

International offices

1987 - 1994

Co-founder and Chairman (1987-1988) of Nordiska Samarbetskommittén för Religionshistorisk Forskning.

1987 - 1997

Co-founder and associate editor of European Review of Native American Studies, Vienna.

1987 - 1991

Co-founder and European Director of the Society for the Study of Native American Religious Traditions.

1987 - 2022

Associate Editor of Temenos: Studies in Comparative Religion Presented by Scholars in Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden, Helsinki.

1987 - 1989

Co-founder and co-editor of NORREL-Bulletinen.

1989 - 1991

Co-founder and co-editor of Journal for the Study of Native American Religious Traditions, San Diego & Tacoma.

1990 - 1995

Editorial advisor for the series Studies in Native American Literatures, Washington: Smithsonian Institution.

1990 - 2005

Member, Editorial Board of Numen. International Review for the History of Religions, Leiden: E. J. Brill.

1990 - 1995

Treasurer of the International Association for the History of Religions.

1992 - 1996

National Editor (Denmark) for Temenos. Studies in Comparative Religions, Helsinki: Finnish Academy.

1993 - 2001

Member, North American Board of Religion. An International Journal, Los Angeles & London: Academic Press.

1995 - 2005

General Secretary of the International Association for the History of Religions.

1996 - 2003

Editorial consultant, Nova Religio. The Journal of Alternative and Emergent Religions, New York: Seven Bridges Press.

1996ff.

Member, Advisory Committee of 'Ilu. Revista de Ciencias de las Religiones, Madrid: Universidad Complutense.

2000ff.

Expert advisor for NorFA (Nordisk Forskerutdanningsakademi), Oslo Norge.

2000ff.

Member, Editorial Board of Method & Theory in the Study of Religion, Leiden: E. J. Brill.

2000 - 2001

Referee for Research Support Scheme, Open Society Institute, Budapest, Hungary.

2001

Expert advisor for Central Asia Research Initiative (CARI), Higher Education Support Programme, Budapest, Hungary

2002ff.

Member, Editorial Board, Culture and Religion. An Interdisciplinary Journal, Abingdon, Oxfordshire: Carfax Publishing, Taylor & Francis Ltd.

2002

Expert advisor for National Research Foundation (Cape Town, South Africa)

2003 - 2005

Member, Advisory Board of Numen Book Series, Leiden: E. J. Brill.

2003 - 2005

Member, Advisory Board of Science of Religion Abstracts and Index of Recent Articles, Leiden: E. J. Brill.

2005

Member of the founding ad hoc committee and Founding Member of the International Association for the Cognitive Science of Religion.

2006ff.

Secretary General of the International Association for the Cognitive Science of Religion.

2006 & 2007

Foreign reviewer for the Czech Science Foundation.

2007ff.

Member, Editorial Board, Journal of Anthropological Psychology, Århus: Department of Psychology, University of Aarhus.

2007ff.

Member, Editorial Board, Culture and Research, Thessaloniki: Aristotle University.

2007 - 2010

Project Partner, "Explaining Religion", Specific Targeted Research Project under the Sixth Framework Programme on Research, Technological Development and Demonstration of the European Commission.

2007 - 2010

Member, Congress Organizing Committee, XXth IAHR Quinquennial World Congress, 15-21 August, 2010, Toronto, Canada.

2008

Member, Review Panel for the Joint Division/EPSC Review of the School of Anthropology, Oxford University.

2009

Foreign reviewer for Swedish Social Science Research.

2009

Assessor for EUROCORES Theme Proposals 2009, Strasbourg.

2009ff.

Member, Editorial Board, Moscow eJournal of Religion (MeJR), Moscow Society for the Study of Religions.

2009ff.

Member, Scientific Board, Studi e materiali di storia delle religioni, Dipartimento di Studi storico religiosi, Sapienza Università di Roma, Italia.

2010ff.

Member, Editorial Board, Religion, Brain, and Behavior, London: Taylor & Francis Group.

2010

Foreign reviewer for Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada.

2011

Peer reviewer for Cognitive Science Society's international conference in Boston, July 20-23, 2011

2012

Member of the Institute for the Advanced Study of Religion's Consultation on The Future of the International Association for the History of Religions.

2012 - 2017

Senior Partner and member of Research Committee Advisory Board for Cultural Evolution of Religion Research Consortium financed by Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada.

2012ff.

Partner in New Partnership Program for the Connection to the Top Labs in the World financed by National Science Council (NSC), Taiwan.

2012 - 2014

Præsident of International Association for the Cognitive Science of Religion.

2014 - 2016

Past President of International Association for the Cognitive Science of Religion.

2016ff.

Member of Advisory Board for Simulating Religion Project, Institute for the Biocultural Study of Religion (Boston) and Virginia Modeling, Analysis & Simulation Center.

2016ff.

Member of European Science Foundation - College of Expert Reviewers.

2017

Member of evaluation committee for Fund for National Scientific Research – FNRS, Belgium.

2017 - 2019

Member of Advisory Board for Religion and the Social Brain, Cambridge University.

2017 - 2021

Member of Advisory Board for The Spread of Christianity in Cultural Evolutionary Perspective, Helsinki University.

2019

Member of evaluation committee for Fund for National Scientific Research – FNRS, Belgium.

2020

Chair of the committee to appoint Honorary Life Members of the International Association for the History of Religions (IAHR).

2021ff.

Member of the Editorial Board of the book series LARES – I linguaggi delle religioni, Pàtron Editore.

Grants

1978 - 1979

Fieldwork on the Hopi Indian Reservation, financed by the Danish Research Council for the Humanities.

1979 - 1984

Transcription and translation of taped interviews from fieldwork on the Hopi Indian Reservation supported by the Danish Research Council of the Humanities.

1982

Fieldwork on the Hopi Indian Reservation, financed by the Danish Research Council for the Humanities.

1986 - 1988

Transcription and translation of taped interviews from fieldwork on the Hopi Indian Reservation supported by the Research Foundation of the University of Aarhus.

1988

Fieldwork on the Hopi Indian Reservation, supported by the Research Foundation of the University of Aarhus.

1992

Fieldwork on the Hopi Indian Reservation, financed by the Danish Research Council for the Humanities.

1993 - 1997

Grant establish the Research Network on New Religions under the Danish Research Council for the Humanities.

1993

Fieldwork on the Hopi Indian Reservation suppported by the Danish Research Council for the Humanities.

1994

Fieldwork on the Hopi Indian Reservation suppported by the Danish Research Council for the Humanities.

1994

Fieldwork on the Hopi Indian Reservation suppported by the Danish Research Council for the Humanities.

1995

Fieldwork on the Hopi Indian Reservation suppported by the Danish Research Council for the Humanities.

1997

Fieldwork on the Hopi Indian Reservation suppported by the Danish Research Council for the Humanities.

1998 - 2001

"Globalization and New Religions - Local and Global". Danish Research Council for the Humanities.

2000 - 2001

Fieldwork on different Native American reservations in the U.S. and Canada supported by His Royal Highness Crown Prince Frederik Foundation.

2003 - 2004

The Faculty of Theology's special project area: "Religious Narrative, Cognition and Culture".

2005 - 2008

The Faculty of Theology's special project area: "Religion, Cognition and Culture".

2007 - 2010

"Explaining Religion", Specific Targeted Research Project under the Sixth Framework Programme on Research, Technological Development and Demonstration of the European Commission.

2009 - 2014

MINDLab (UNIK award), Rearch and Innovation Ministry.

2012 - 2016

Interacting Minds Centre, AU.

2012 - 2017

Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada - Cultural Evolution of Religion Research Consortium.

2015 - 2017

Co-investigator of the project "Cognitive Approaches to Ancient Religious Experience" funded by the Arts & Humanities Research Council (United Kingdom) together with Dr. Esther Eidinow, Classics Department, University of Nottingham.

2015 - 2016

"An explorative tekst mining analysis of Teresa af Ávila’s collected works and letters", Aarhus University Research Foundation.

2017 - 2018

Jens Christian Skou Fellowship, Aarhus Institute of Advanced Studies, AU.

2017 - 2019

Religion and the Social Brain, Cambridge University.

Other activities

1982

Co-founder and member of Jysk Selskab for Religionsvidenskab, Århus: University of Aarhus.

1982 - 1987

Co-founder and editor-in-chief, Religionsvidenskabeligt tidsskrift, Århus: Aarhus Universitetsforlag.

1982 - 1994

Co-founder and President of the Danish Association for the History of Religions (DAHR), affiliated to the International Association for the History of Religions (IAHR) since 1985.

1993 - 2000

Editor-in-chief, RENNER News, Aarhus & Copenhagen: RENNER.

1993 - 2005

Editor-in-chief, RENNER Series on New Religions, Aarhus: Aarhus University Press.

1993 - 2005

Editor-in-chief, Gyldendal - Nye religioner, København: Gyldendal.

1997 - 2002

Member, Editorial Board of Studies on Religion, Aarhus: Aarhus University Press.

1997 - 2002

Member, Editorial Board, Religionsvidenskabelig skriftserie, Århus: Aarhus Universitetsforlag.

2002 - 2004

Chair, Editorial Board, Studies on Religion, Aarhus: Aarhus University Press.

2002 - 2004

Editor-in-chief, Religionsvidenskabelig skriftserie, Århus: Aarhus Universitetsforlag.

2007ff. 

Co-editor, Religion, Cognition and Culture, Sheffield: Equinox Publishers, later Routledge.

2012ff.

Co-founder and senior editor of Journal for the Cognitive Science of Religion,Sheffield: Equinox Publishers.

2015ff.

Co-founder and editor-in-chief of Advances in the Cognitive Science of Religion, Sheffield: Equinox Publishers.

Peer Reviews of Book and Article Submissions

2006

Ethnic and Racial Studies, Guildford: University of Surrey.

2008

Cambridge University Press.

2008

Oxford University Press.

2008

American Antiquity, Charlottesville, VA, USA.

2008

Religion, Amsterdam: Elvesier.

2009

Method and Theory in the Study of Religion, Leiden: Brill.

2009

Tidsskrift for Forskning i Sygdom og Samfund, Aarhus: Aarhus University.

2010

AlterNative, Auckland: University of Auckland. 

2010

Social Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience, Oxford: Oxford University Press. 

2010

Religion, Amsterdam: Elvesier. 

2010

History of Religions, Chicago: University of Chicago Press. 

2010

Toronto Journal of Theology, Toronto: University of Toronto. 

2010

Method and Theory in the Study of Religion, Leiden: Brill. 

2011

American Indian Culture and Research Journal, Los Angeles: UCLA American Indian Studies Center 

2012

International Journal for the Psychology of Religion Abingdon: Taylor & Francis.

2012

Advances in Complex Systems, World Scientific Publishing.

2012

Oxford University Press.

2012

Secularism and Nonreligion.

2013

Scientific Studies of Religion.

2014

Psychonomic Bulletin & Review.

2014

Religion.

2014

Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion.

2015

Sophia. International Journal of Philosophy and Traditions.

2015

Numen.

2015

Bloomsbury Academic.

2016

Religion, Brain, & Behavior.

2016

Method and Theory in the Study of Religion.

2016

Avant. The Journal of the Philosophical-Interdisciplinary Vanguard.

2017

Routledge.

2017

Numen.

2018

Aarhus Universitetsforlag.

2018

Routledge.

2018

Evolutionary Studies in Imaginative Culture.

2018

Zygon.

2018

Numen.

2018

Journal of the American Academy of Religion.

2018

Journal of Cognitive Historiography.

2018

Religion, Brain, & Behavior.

2018

Springer Publishers.

2019

Archiv für Religionspsychologie.

2019

Journal for the Study of Religion, Nature and Culture.

2019

Religion.

2019

Religion, Brain, & Behavior.

2019

Archive for the Psychology of Religion.

2020

Palgrave Macmillan.

2021

Religionsvidenskabeligt Tidsskrift