Eric Vinson

About Eric Vinson

Graduated from Sciences Po and holder of a DEA in Political Theory, Eric Vinson seeks to understand and explain questions of ethics and meaning (in general) – and religious and secular facts (in particular) – that characterize our era of transformation. Analyzing the civilizational issues that affect it and conveying these to the greatest number, this is his vocation as a teacher-researcher, journalist, trainer, speaker, and consultant.

After leading the office of “the chaplain for politicians” (SPEP, 1998-2001) and other missions (with the Ministry of Defense or MIVILUDES – combating sectarian excesses, Services of the Prime Minister), he coordinated in 2001-03 the operation “religious facts in school” for the weekly La Vie: editorial follow-up, opinion surveys, communication, and event organization. As a journalist, he then joined the editorial teams of the magazines Monde des Religions and Prier (editor-in-chief from 2006 to 2009). At the same time, he created the Hors-Série of Le Point “The Commented Fundamental Texts,” successfully completing “the three monotheisms” (2004), “esotericism” (2005), “Eastern religions” (2006), “Freemasonry” (2009), and partially “Mysticism” (2012). Since 2010, he has been conducting research in political theory at Sciences Po (CEVIPOF) on the relationship between spirituality and democracy in the works of Jaurès, Maritain, and Lanza del Vasto. Co-secretary of the Association for the Development of the European Institute in Religious Sciences (I.E.S.R., E.P.H.E.-Ve section), he is also a member of the Scientific Advisory Board of the Mission “Education & Religions” of Catholic Education and the Board of Directors of the Institute of Buddhist Studies (IEB), where he conducted a seminar in 2012 on “dual Christian-Buddhist belonging.” Eric Vinson also presides over two non-profit organizations – the association Enquête and the endowment fund “Growing Together” – dedicated to the dissemination of religious and secular culture, particularly among young people.

At the same time, he teaches religious and secular facts:

– at Sciences Po, where he created in 2006 with Mireille Estivalèzes the module “Religions and Societies”

– at the Institute for Training in the Study and Teaching of Religions (IFER, Dijon), which he has directed since September 2012.

– at the Catholic Institute of Paris, where he is part of the Research Group on Contemporary Buddhism (G.R.B.C.) and the “Dialogue and Conversion” program (all at the Institute of Science and Theology of Religions, I.S.T.R.). He teaches particularly in the Master’s programs “Education and Training” (training future teachers) and “Political Careers and Governance,” as well as in the D.U. “Religions, secularism, interculturality” aimed at religious leaders (most often Muslims)

Eric Vinson regularly participates in conferences and symposiums (Social Weeks 2008 for example: 4000 participants) as well as in the media: France 2, Arte, RFI, RMC, France Culture, Radio Classique, Direct 8, LCP Public Sénat, RCF.

Having contributed to Des cultures et des dieux: repères pour une transmission du fait religieux (E. Benbassa, J.-C. Attias dir., Fayard, Oct. 2007) and to Les Femmes mystiques: histoire et dictionnaire (Audrey Fella dir., coll. Bouquins Robert Laffon, 2013), Eric Vinson is co-author of:

. Judaism, Christianity, Islam: the commented foundational texts, with J. Delumeau, Régis Debray, Malek Chebel, Armand Abécassis, Taillandier, Nov. 2005.

. With or without God, the philosopher and the theologian, with Régis Debray and Claude Geffré, Bayard, Feb. 2006.

. Hinduism, Buddhism, Taoism: the commented foundational texts, coll., Taillandier, May 2006.

. Esotericism: the commented fundamental texts, Taillandier, 2007.