I propose this as a blueprint for a solution:

    {%
    name = request.get('name','world')
    list = ['this','language','rocks']
    %}
    <h1>Hello {{ name.upper }}</h1>
    <ul>
    {% for item in list %}
        <li>{{ item }}</li>
    {% endfor %}
    </ul>

Save it as 'index.nxt' and run it in any future language you are going to design.

Create a mod_next and try it on any web server like apache, nginx, etc. It should work without any extra fiddling with config files or installing frameworks or template engines.

It should just work!

That's the kind of platform that would leave php behind once and for all.