Andre van der Braak

Prof. Andre van der Braak is a Full Professor of Comparative Philosophy of Religion at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, holding a position within the Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities and the Department of Lived Religion and Society. Since 2023, he serves as MA Programs Director at the Faculty of Religion and Theology. His research focuses on non-Western spirituality's encounter with Western modernity, comparative theology, and multiple religious belonging. He leads the Transformations of Religiosity research group and has directed significant projects such as the NWO-funded study on multiple religious belonging (2013–2018).

**Research Interests**:
- Comparative philosophy of religion
- Buddhist philosophy and Zen modernity
- Ayahuasca spirituality and psychedelic religiosity
- Nietzsche and Dōgen's philosophical contributions
- Secularization and religious pluralism

**Teaching**: Courses include History of World Philosophies, Spirituality Today, Buddhist-Christian Mysticism, and Mindfulness. His work bridges academic scholarship and practical spirituality, reflected in his dual role as a Zen teacher at Zen in Baarn.

**Grants & Projects**:
- NWO-funded research on multiple religious belonging (2013–2018)
- Co-editor of Transforming Buddhism (2021)
- Co-led Reimagining Zen in a Secular Age (2020) and Ayahuasca as Liquid Divinity (2023)

**Labs/Teams**: Directs the Transformations of Religiosity research group at VU Amsterdam, focusing on contemporary religious dynamics.