The Resident Scholars Program is designed for scholars who plan to conduct their research over the course of one semester or a full academic year.
- Read more about the work and commitments of our scholars
- Explore the housing and facilities
- Peruse available scholarships and fellowships
- Check out practical information (housing, fees, directions, etc.)
- Read more about the application process or apply online
Due to a renovation project, the Collegeville Institute is now accepting Resident Scholar applications for fall semester only (September 1 through December 18, 2020).
About the Program
“Ecumenism is an experience of life together. It must be tasted and seen as well as thought and known.”
—Fr. Kilian McDonnell, OSB
Over forty years ago, Kilian McDonnell, OSB, the Collegeville Institute’s founder, envisioned a center of scholarly research that would nurture the best Protestant, Catholic, and Orthodox theology. At this center, scholars engaged in pressing issues of faith and society would gather together for study, dialogue, and prayer. The center would be grounded in and nurtured by the Benedictine rhythm of worship, work, and community of Saint John’s Abbey.
Today, the Resident Scholars Program is the continuation of that vision. Well-trained, creative, articulate women and men gather for one or two semesters for careful thought in a place of inquiry and prayer, engaging in independent study within a community setting.
The first scholars arrived in 1968. To date, the Collegeville Institute has brought together over 450 scholars, including such notable theologians and thinkers as Henri J. M. Nouwen, Don E. Saliers, Joan D. Chittister OSB, Parker J. Palmer, and Kathleen Norris.
Each resident scholar engages in his or her own rhythm of study, reflection and writing, while also gathering weekly for seminars, prayer, and shared lunch with other scholars, Collegeville Institute staff, and monastic liaisons from Saint John’s Abbey. The balance of independent research and writing, within a community of prayer and dialogue, creates an atmosphere in which diverse traditions, cultures, disciplines, and projects intersect and bring forth fresh and sometimes surprising insights.