Request for Proposals

The last three decades have seen significant investment in the scientific study of interpersonal forgiveness and—more recently—self-forgiveness. The benefits of and processes involved in such aspects of forgiveness are now reasonably well understood. But while religion as a source of motives for granting forgiveness has received some attention, the processes, beliefs, and experiences involved in perceptions of being forgiven by God or other supernatural beings have, to date, received little attention. With the support of the John Templeton Foundation, the Divine Forgiveness Project seeks to address this neglect by awarding a total of $2.1 million in grants to support empirical and conceptual scientific research on a critical nexus among social cognition, moral psychology, affective science, and cognitive science of religion: the processes and experiences involved in perceptions of being forgiven by God.

Scope

Target constructs

The Divine Forgiveness Project is intended to advance scientific understanding of psychological constructs related to perceptions and experiences of being forgiven by God or the divine. Target constructs include the following: 

  1. belief that God is forgiving (in a general sense or in some particular sense);

  2. experience of having been forgiven by God (in a general sense or in some particular instance);

  3. beliefs about what kinds of things God does or doesn’t forgive;

  4. assumptions about God’s criteria (if any) for granting forgiveness;

  5. beliefs about one’s own agency in obtaining God’s forgiveness;

  6. beliefs about what one needs to do, if anything, to gain such forgiveness;

  7. beliefs about one’s own “forgivability” by God; and

  8. expectancies about the immediate, near-term, and longer-term consequences or outcomes of experiencing God’s forgiveness.

Two recent conceptual papers highlight opportunities for research on the perception and experience of divine forgiveness. One offers a review and critique of existing research in the service of suggesting new avenues for research (Fincham, 2020; doi.org/10.1037/rel0000323); the second offers a theoretical model of the “moving parts” in perceiving divine forgiveness (Fincham & May, 2021; doi.org/10.1037/rel0000426). Applicants may find these papers to be useful resources in developing their applications. In particular, the second paper may provide a fruitful source of testable hypotheses or be a useful starting point for developing new hypotheses that have been overlooked thus far.

Potential research questions

Illustrative research questions that would fall within the scope of this RFP include the following:

  1. What is the nature of lay (or folk) beliefs and experiences pertaining to divine forgiveness? How do lay persons conceptualize divine forgiveness? How is divine forgiveness perceived and experienced?

  2. How are the various psychological constructs related to divine forgiveness best conceptualized and measured for research purposes? 

  3. When and how do people determine that they have been forgiven by God? What processes lead people to believe that they have been forgiven by God? When does confession and repentance—whether privately, relationally, or corporately—lead to an experience of being forgiven by God? 

  4. How do the processes involved in perceiving oneself to have been forgiven by God differ from those involved in perceiving oneself to have been forgiven by someone else?

  5. When and why do people seek divine forgiveness (e.g., circumstances, family processes, group dynamics, cultural factors, individual differences)? What hinders people from seeking such forgiveness? 

  6. How does the desire for, and understanding of, divine forgiveness develop and in what ways does it change over the lifespan?

  7. Is there anything analogous to divine forgiveness in the lives of those who do not believe in God(s)? 

  8. How do people go about seeking divine forgiveness? Do differences in how divine forgiveness is sought make a difference to how divine forgiveness is experienced? What are the implications of such differences for subsequent behavior?

  9. How are perceptions of having been forgiven by God related to cognitive, motivational, emotional, and behavioral processes? What are the proximal consequences of experiencing divine forgiveness? For example, does reappraisal of self and/or reappraisal of one’s relationship to the divine occur and, if so, what form does it take? In a similar vein, what affective and cognitive changes take place in the wake of experiencing divine forgiveness? 

  10. How does seeking and experiencing divine forgiveness interact with interpersonal forgiveness and self-forgiveness? For example, under what conditions might perceiving oneself to have been forgiven by God facilitate self-forgiveness?

  11. How do cultural factors influence beliefs, experiences, and psychological processes related to divine forgiveness? Do perceptions and experiences of being forgiven by God or other supernatural agents differ across cultures, and, if so, why?

This RFP is open to other questions exploring the antecedents, correlates, and behavioral implications of perceptions and experiences of divine forgiveness provided that applicants adequately justify their selection in their proposal materials. Note, however, that proposals to study the consequences of perceiving oneself to have been forgiven by God should have as their primary focus proximal rather than distal effects. Examples of potential proximal effects include reappraisal of self, reappraisal of relationship to the divine, reduction of feelings of guilt or shame and replacement with feelings of acceptance/love by God, or freedom to consider one’s potential for growth rather than focusing on actual-self/ought-self or actual-self/ideal-self discrepancies. This does not rule out exploratory study of more distal effects (e.g., mental health) provided that such outcomes are secondary (i.e., not the primary focus of the proposed work) and are theoretically well-justified.

Research using designs that support inferences regarding direction of effects (e.g., experimental designs, longitudinal designs) are strongly encouraged. Any appropriate research method will be considered, and projects taking conceptual, quantitative, qualitative, or mixed method approaches are all welcome, though conceptual and qualitative analyses should lead to testable hypotheses.

Study populations

Selection of study population(s) must be well-justified in relation to the primary research question for a given proposal. Proposals are welcomed to study adults and/or children, of any faith or none, and within any social or cultural context. 

Theoretical foundations

Applicants are strongly encouraged to contextualize their proposed research within relevant well-established areas of psychological theory. Such literature includes but is not limited to the following:

  1. mind perception (e.g., how people conceptualize the knowledge/mind of supernatural agents such as God);

  2. moral psychology (e.g., when and how people feel that they need to be forgiven; how people think about the moral concerns of supernatural agents);

  3. close relationships (e.g., how the nature of a person’s perceived relationship with God may impact their perception and experience of divine forgiveness);

  4. attachment theory (e.g., how individual differences in attachment to God and others may play out in relation to divine forgiveness);

  5. attribution theory (e.g., how people determine they have been forgiven by a supernatural agent);

  6. cognitive dissonance (e.g., how positive self-concept needs, or other cognitive biases might lead to “cheap” or self-justifying experiences of divine forgiveness);

  7. forgiveness (e.g., how processes involved in perceiving forgiveness from someone else are similar to or different from perceiving forgiveness from a supernatural agent); and

  8. family science (e.g., what is the interplay among family members’ perception and experience of divine forgiveness)

For further examples, please consult the penultimate section of the earlier mentioned paper on the “moving parts” of divine forgiveness (Fincham & May, 2001; doi.org/10.1037/rel0000426).

Eligibility

The RFP is open to researchers worldwide. The Principal Investigator should hold (or anticipate holding) a doctoral-level degree or equivalent by the time the award would begin. Applications are welcome from employees of accredited colleges or universities or from those who would have such employment contingent on receipt of an award (e.g., a post-doctoral researcher). Persons wishing to apply from a non-profit research institution should first seek pre-approval prior to October 26, 2022. 

Project members may already have a track record of research studying forgiveness or psychology of religion or may be those interested in applying their expertise from other areas to this topic. Multi-, inter-, or trans-disciplinary teams comprising a psychologist working with researchers in other disciplines (e.g., anthropology, sociology, economics, computer science, religious studies, philosophy, theology) are welcome but not required. 

Research workshops

To stimulate dialogue among grantees, the Divine Forgiveness Project will include two research workshops, tentatively scheduled for October 9, 2023 in Tallahassee, Florida, and September 5, 2025 in Atlanta, Georgia. The first will allow successful grantees to present their proposed projects, to receive feedback, and to stimulate cross-project collaboration. The second is for grantees to present their findings and to stimulate future collaborative research. Successful awardees must be represented at both workshops, ideally by the PI, and should include travel funds for at least one core project team member to attend each workshop as part of their requested budget.

Budget range and term for grants

The Divine Forgiveness Project will award up to $2,100,000 in grants in this competition. We anticipate making ten awards of varying sizes: 

  • Larger research projects may request up to a maximum of $240,000 in total costs (or $275,000 for multi-site projects) for up to 27 months. Larger research projects that are closer to the maximum in total costs are intended for new empirical data collection projects. Multi-site proposals may apply for up to $275,000. Examples of a multi-site proposal would be projects that entail data collection involving the coordination of research teams at different universities or studies involving multiple geographic sites with specific populations.

  • Smaller research projects with budgets up to $125,000 in total costs will also be funded. These will comprise projects focused on secondary data analyses, conceptual development, or exploratory qualitative work. 

Indirect costs, which must be included within the total cost limits stated above, are limited to 15%. All projects must begin between July 10, 2023, and September 29, 2023, and must end between September 8 and October 10, 2025.

Application process

Proposals will be considered over two stages. To apply for funding, applicants must first submit a Letter of Intent (LOI) by November 1, 2022. First-stage decisions will be communicated to applicants by November 29, 2022, and successful first-stage applicants will be invited to submit a full proposal due by February 7, 2023. Award decisions will be issued by April 1, 2023, for research activities to begin no later than September 29, 2023.

All questions about the application process should be sent to CHHS-DivineForgiveness@fsu.edu

Letter of Intent Stage (deadline November 1, 2022)

Letters of intent (LOIs) should be sent to CHHS-DivineForgiveness@fsu.edu no later than November 1, 2022. Submitted materials should include the following as PDF or Microsoft Word documents:

  1. A document of no more than 1,200 words that includes (a) a description of the primary research question(s), (b) a summary of the proposed methods, (c) the significance of the work in relation to the goals of the RFP, and (d) fund amount requested. 

  2. Names, ORCID iDs, contact details, and CVs of all core team members. 

Submitted LOIs will be acknowledged within three business days of receipt. 

Full Proposal Stage (by invitation—deadline February 7, 2023) 

Applicants invited to submit a full proposal must submit the materials described below no later than February 7, 2023. Full Proposals that do not follow this rubric will not be accepted. 

  1. A cover sheet (single page) listing (a) project title, (b) amount requested, (c) project start and end dates, and (d) names, ORCID iDs, and contact information for the PI and core team members.

  2. A table of contents (single page).

  3. A project abstract (single page) of up to 300 words suitable for inclusion on the project website if ultimately approved for funding.

  4. A Project Description (maximum 10 pages, single-spaced, 1” margins, 12-point font) explaining the central questions of the project, the background and significance of the questions, the way in which the project addresses the goals of the RFP, the methodology, the researchers’ qualifications to conduct the research, and plans for the dissemination of research outputs.

  5. A data management and sharing plan (DMP) that follows the format and guidance of the NSF SBE Directorate, the NIH, or other disciplinary guidelines, as appropriate.

  6. A statement affirming commitment to open research requirements (described below).

  7. A project timeline.

  8. A detailed budget and budget narrative.

  9. A statement of anticipated research products (e.g., article manuscripts, conference presentations, datasets, research materials, code, books).

  10. Written approval of department chair and university signing officials.

  11. Curriculum Vitae, and statements of support from PI(s), Co-PI(s), and any other committed team members.

Proposal evaluation criteria

Submitted full proposals will be competitively judged by a panel of peer reviewers. Each application will be considered in terms of the following evaluation criteria:

  1. Relevance: How does the proposed project speak to issues outlined in the RFP? If successfully executed will the project contribute to a scientific understanding of perceptions and experiences of divine forgiveness?

  2. Theoretical grounding: Proposed empirical projects must test hypotheses that clearly emerge from current theory and that address fundamental questions. Proposed conceptual projects must consolidate and develop existing theory and findings in ways that open new avenues for empirical work.

  3. Significance: Does the project address an important problem or a critical barrier to progress in advancing understanding of the psychology of divine forgiveness? If the aims of the project are achieved, how will scientific knowledge, technical capability, and/or applied work be improved? Will this constitute a significant improvement?

  4. Scientific merit (approach and methods): Are the proposed projects well-designed and technically sound? Capacity for success: What are the qualifications of the investigators? Can they carry out the project in a timely manner? Can they effectively communicate their findings to both academic and nonacademic audiences? Do they display scientific leadership?

Special requirements

PIs for successful awards must commit to the following special requirements for this project:

  1. Workshops. At least one member of the core project team must attend both research workshops described above. (For the first workshop only travel expenses need to be budgeted in the application; meals and lodging will be covered from the Divine Forgiveness Project). Workshop presentations will be videotaped for the Divine Forgiveness Project website.

  2. Open science. All full proposals must meet the following open science requirements:

    1. Study and analysis plan preregistration: Applicants must commit to preregistering all studies, including analysis plans for all confirmatory studies. Preregistrations should be made in a study registry in which registrations are accessible and discoverable, such as the Open Science Framework.

    2. Open materials: Applicants must commit to sharing all research materials (e.g., measures, protocols, stimuli) created during the process of the research and necessary for an independent researcher to reproduce the reported methodology. The materials must be shared as citable objects (i.e., with an assigned DOI or other unique persistent identifier [PID]) in a public, open-access repository, such as the Open Science Framework.

    3. Data sharing: For projects involving the generation of novel data, applicants must commit that all deidentified data relevant to publications will be shared to the maximum extent that is legally and ethically permissible in a public, open-access repository as a citable object (i.e., with an assigned unique persistent identifier [PID]). Shared data should be in a form that meets the FAIR guiding principles for scientific data management and stewardship (Wilkinson et al., 2016; doi.org/10.1038/sdata.2016.18) such that an independent researcher could reproduce the reported results. Data should be licensed such that it may be liberally reused for other purposes (e.g., CC0). Data should be shared at the point of submission for publication or by 12 months after award end date, whichever comes first. Note that committing to this may have implications for IRB and/or consent protocols that should be considered in advance. The OSF or a named discipline-specific repository would be an appropriate venue for data sharing. Applicants may include funds within the Budget to support the preparation of data for sharing.

    4. Open Access Publications: Applicants must commit that all publications will be made freely accessible, without embargo. Any of (i) publishing in an open access journal, (ii) depositing pre-prints in PsyArXiv or a similar discoverable and durable preprint server, or (iii) self-archiving post-prints in a public-facing institutional repository would satisfy this commitment. (Self-archiving on a personal webpage or on a for-profit website such as academia.edu or researchgate.net is not sufficient, because they cannot guarantee durability or discoverability.) Note that this commitment may constrain choice of publication outlets due to some journals’ archiving policies, and that applicants should be diligent to retain sufficient rights to make a version of the article immediately available under an appropriate open license. Applicants may request funds in the Budget to include article processing charges for non-hybrid open access journals.

    3. Reporting. Applicants must commit to following the stipulations of the grant award, including submitting regular progress and financial reports, and notifying the Divine Forgiveness Project coordinator at CHHS-DivineForgiveness@fsu.edu of all research products that arise from the funded research.