Dion Forster
@digitaldion.bsky.social
Husband, father, friend, servant - professor of Public Theology at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, extraordinary professor of Systematic Theology and Ethics at Stellenbosch University (opinions my own)
Today I had the privilege of co-teaching my class on Religion, Trauma and Violence with my dear colleague Dr. Razi Quadir. It is such a joy to learn alongside others, and the students at Amsterdam University College where Dr. Srdjan Sremac and I teach this course, are amazing! I am grateful!
November 10, 2025 at 4:42 PM
Today I had the privilege of co-teaching my class on Religion, Trauma and Violence with my dear colleague Dr. Razi Quadir. It is such a joy to learn alongside others, and the students at Amsterdam University College where Dr. Srdjan Sremac and I teach this course, are amazing! I am grateful!
It was such a special day with colleagues from the PThU International Faculty of Theology, Stellenbosch University and The University of the Western Cape at a longstanding collaborative conference (I first attended in 2014, and every year since).
Deep friendships, rich theological reflection!
Deep friendships, rich theological reflection!
November 4, 2025 at 3:53 PM
It was such a special day with colleagues from the PThU International Faculty of Theology, Stellenbosch University and The University of the Western Cape at a longstanding collaborative conference (I first attended in 2014, and every year since).
Deep friendships, rich theological reflection!
Deep friendships, rich theological reflection!
This morning I spoke with Lester Kiewiet on CapeTalk about how Donald #Trump is instrumentalising Nigerian suffering to pander to his populist voter base. This has very little to do with #Nigeria it is a populist tactic that is dangerous and ill-informed.
Read here: doi.org/10.5117/KT20...
Read here: doi.org/10.5117/KT20...
November 4, 2025 at 6:06 AM
This morning I spoke with Lester Kiewiet on CapeTalk about how Donald #Trump is instrumentalising Nigerian suffering to pander to his populist voter base. This has very little to do with #Nigeria it is a populist tactic that is dangerous and ill-informed.
Read here: doi.org/10.5117/KT20...
Read here: doi.org/10.5117/KT20...
Bakfiets. Havermelk. Existentiële vragen. Het complete Amsterdam-pakket.
November 1, 2025 at 5:32 PM
Bakfiets. Havermelk. Existentiële vragen. Het complete Amsterdam-pakket.
A blessed Reformation Day! I give thanks for the Church in its various forms throughout history and the world. I am grateful for this community of imperfect people that nurtures faith, offers care, works for justice and seeks to be faithful. May we be more like Jesus, the one who lives for others.
October 31, 2025 at 11:32 AM
A blessed Reformation Day! I give thanks for the Church in its various forms throughout history and the world. I am grateful for this community of imperfect people that nurtures faith, offers care, works for justice and seeks to be faithful. May we be more like Jesus, the one who lives for others.
Please join me in congratulating (soon to be!) Dr @elijahkeay who defended his PhD this afternoon, @stellenboschuni
After some corrections, Elijah will graduate and the dissertation will be published. It was a joy to supervise alongside my friend and colleague Prof. @robert_vosloo1
After some corrections, Elijah will graduate and the dissertation will be published. It was a joy to supervise alongside my friend and colleague Prof. @robert_vosloo1
October 29, 2025 at 3:14 PM
Please join me in congratulating (soon to be!) Dr @elijahkeay who defended his PhD this afternoon, @stellenboschuni
After some corrections, Elijah will graduate and the dissertation will be published. It was a joy to supervise alongside my friend and colleague Prof. @robert_vosloo1
After some corrections, Elijah will graduate and the dissertation will be published. It was a joy to supervise alongside my friend and colleague Prof. @robert_vosloo1
Blessings to my Dutch friends voting today. May love outshine fear, justice guide your choices, and hope lead the way forward for all.
October 29, 2025 at 6:54 AM
Blessings to my Dutch friends voting today. May love outshine fear, justice guide your choices, and hope lead the way forward for all.
LLMs don’t reflect humanity they reflect a subset, trained on WEIRD (Western, Educated, Industrialised, Rich, Democratic) data. Models like GPT mirror Anglo-American moral and cultural norms.
Cultural dominance in data = cultural dominance in AI.
Study: scholar.harvard.edu/sites/schola...
Cultural dominance in data = cultural dominance in AI.
Study: scholar.harvard.edu/sites/schola...
October 25, 2025 at 10:51 AM
LLMs don’t reflect humanity they reflect a subset, trained on WEIRD (Western, Educated, Industrialised, Rich, Democratic) data. Models like GPT mirror Anglo-American moral and cultural norms.
Cultural dominance in data = cultural dominance in AI.
Study: scholar.harvard.edu/sites/schola...
Cultural dominance in data = cultural dominance in AI.
Study: scholar.harvard.edu/sites/schola...
Yesterday I made the final edits to the new book that @vonsinnerrudolf and I have done on Public Theologies in Brazil and South Africa. I have sent the manuscript to the series editor for final review and approval!
It is an amazing project, the fruit of a long friendship!
It is an amazing project, the fruit of a long friendship!
October 23, 2025 at 5:33 AM
Yesterday I made the final edits to the new book that @vonsinnerrudolf and I have done on Public Theologies in Brazil and South Africa. I have sent the manuscript to the series editor for final review and approval!
It is an amazing project, the fruit of a long friendship!
It is an amazing project, the fruit of a long friendship!
Yesterday was the Master’s Graduation for Peace, Trauma and Religion and Research Master’s at @VUamsterdam.
Congratulations to all, especially to my students Joel Hannas (cum laude), Zuzana van de Weijer, Job van Lobenstein (cum laude).
It’s a privilege to journey with you. 🎓✨ #VUA #theology #peace
Congratulations to all, especially to my students Joel Hannas (cum laude), Zuzana van de Weijer, Job van Lobenstein (cum laude).
It’s a privilege to journey with you. 🎓✨ #VUA #theology #peace
October 17, 2025 at 6:33 AM
Dear friends,
You are invited to a public lecture entitled: ‘The Bread of Angels: A Phenomenological Reading of Evagrius Ponticus’
by Dr Khegan Delport, 27 October 2025, 14.00-15.30 At: VU Amsterdam, Room NU-02A55
Or online, contact Dion Forster for the link.
You are invited to a public lecture entitled: ‘The Bread of Angels: A Phenomenological Reading of Evagrius Ponticus’
by Dr Khegan Delport, 27 October 2025, 14.00-15.30 At: VU Amsterdam, Room NU-02A55
Or online, contact Dion Forster for the link.
October 16, 2025 at 8:46 AM
Dear friends,
You are invited to a public lecture entitled: ‘The Bread of Angels: A Phenomenological Reading of Evagrius Ponticus’
by Dr Khegan Delport, 27 October 2025, 14.00-15.30 At: VU Amsterdam, Room NU-02A55
Or online, contact Dion Forster for the link.
You are invited to a public lecture entitled: ‘The Bread of Angels: A Phenomenological Reading of Evagrius Ponticus’
by Dr Khegan Delport, 27 October 2025, 14.00-15.30 At: VU Amsterdam, Room NU-02A55
Or online, contact Dion Forster for the link.
A hearty congratulations to the students from @vuamsterdam School of Religion and Theology and @pthu_nl students who graduated with the Bachelor of Theology, or Bachelor of Religion and Theology, degree today. It was wonderful to celebrate your hard work with families, friends!
October 14, 2025 at 5:00 PM
A hearty congratulations to the students from @vuamsterdam School of Religion and Theology and @pthu_nl students who graduated with the Bachelor of Theology, or Bachelor of Religion and Theology, degree today. It was wonderful to celebrate your hard work with families, friends!
Today I had the privilege of joining fellow new professors from @vuamsterdam for a luncheon hosted by our Rector, Prof. dr. Jeroen Geurts. A moment to reflect on hope-filled education and to give thanks for the students, colleagues, and opportunities that made this possible.
October 10, 2025 at 5:10 PM
Today I had the privilege of joining fellow new professors from @vuamsterdam for a luncheon hosted by our Rector, Prof. dr. Jeroen Geurts. A moment to reflect on hope-filled education and to give thanks for the students, colleagues, and opportunities that made this possible.
It was a stunning ride to the office this morning! I have a radio interview and then a class, so I came in early. It was worth it! The beautiful mist, and a calm campus! So grateful!
October 9, 2025 at 6:11 AM
It was a stunning ride to the office this morning! I have a radio interview and then a class, so I came in early. It was worth it! The beautiful mist, and a calm campus! So grateful!
We are so grateful! Liam got his Dutch driver’s license today! Well done Lee! May you have many safe and fun years of driving! 🚗🙌🎊❤️
October 8, 2025 at 5:39 PM
We are so grateful! Liam got his Dutch driver’s license today! Well done Lee! May you have many safe and fun years of driving! 🚗🙌🎊❤️
The seasons are changing in Amsterdam. It is beautiful! 🍁
October 7, 2025 at 5:45 AM
The seasons are changing in Amsterdam. It is beautiful! 🍁
A blessed heritage day to all of my South African friends and siblings!
September 24, 2025 at 3:41 PM
A blessed heritage day to all of my South African friends and siblings!
Once in a while…
September 22, 2025 at 5:52 PM
Once in a while…
A wonderful visit with dear friends! And while they were shopping, I enjoyed a pleasure of a different kind!
September 20, 2025 at 12:14 PM
A wonderful visit with dear friends! And while they were shopping, I enjoyed a pleasure of a different kind!
Our beautiful little red car reached a massive milestone yesterday! 222222 km! Two hundred thousand two hundred and twenty two kilometers! Our little Peugeot is 21 years old, simple, practical, and a real blessing to us and our friends! What a joy!
September 17, 2025 at 6:56 AM
Our beautiful little red car reached a massive milestone yesterday! 222222 km! Two hundred thousand two hundred and twenty two kilometers! Our little Peugeot is 21 years old, simple, practical, and a real blessing to us and our friends! What a joy!
Congratulations to Dr Charles Ekwu-Ojo Ajogi! It was a joy to be an ‘opponent’ at this excellent PhD defence on the beautiful campus of my Alma Mater, Radboud University, Nijmegen. Such a joy, an amazing piece of research, bringing back beautiful memories!
September 15, 2025 at 12:43 PM
Congratulations to Dr Charles Ekwu-Ojo Ajogi! It was a joy to be an ‘opponent’ at this excellent PhD defence on the beautiful campus of my Alma Mater, Radboud University, Nijmegen. Such a joy, an amazing piece of research, bringing back beautiful memories!
Honoured to speak at the Foundation Academy Amsterdam graduation 🎓
Inspired by the courage, resilience & hope of the graduates - hope in action!
Congrats to Dr Samuel Lee, staff, students & families. Please here for more info: www.foundation.eu.com
Inspired by the courage, resilience & hope of the graduates - hope in action!
Congrats to Dr Samuel Lee, staff, students & families. Please here for more info: www.foundation.eu.com
September 14, 2025 at 2:41 PM
Honoured to speak at the Foundation Academy Amsterdam graduation 🎓
Inspired by the courage, resilience & hope of the graduates - hope in action!
Congrats to Dr Samuel Lee, staff, students & families. Please here for more info: www.foundation.eu.com
Inspired by the courage, resilience & hope of the graduates - hope in action!
Congrats to Dr Samuel Lee, staff, students & families. Please here for more info: www.foundation.eu.com
The 7th Global Network for Public Theology consultation has started! It was wonderful to be with friends and colleagues again.
The opening and plenaries were great! Rudolf von Sinner, Ana Rosa Cloclet and myself are hosting the Political Theologies working group.
www.gnpublictheology.net
The opening and plenaries were great! Rudolf von Sinner, Ana Rosa Cloclet and myself are hosting the Political Theologies working group.
www.gnpublictheology.net
September 9, 2025 at 5:09 AM
The 7th Global Network for Public Theology consultation has started! It was wonderful to be with friends and colleagues again.
The opening and plenaries were great! Rudolf von Sinner, Ana Rosa Cloclet and myself are hosting the Political Theologies working group.
www.gnpublictheology.net
The opening and plenaries were great! Rudolf von Sinner, Ana Rosa Cloclet and myself are hosting the Political Theologies working group.
www.gnpublictheology.net
Today I was back at Amsterdam University College to teach my first lesson with the Religion, Trauma and Violence class. Today we reflected on Post-traumatic Public Theology, using Shelley Rambo’s book. Later this afternoon we ‘kick off’ with the Global Network for Public Theology conference.
September 8, 2025 at 12:04 PM
Today I was back at Amsterdam University College to teach my first lesson with the Religion, Trauma and Violence class. Today we reflected on Post-traumatic Public Theology, using Shelley Rambo’s book. Later this afternoon we ‘kick off’ with the Global Network for Public Theology conference.