Prize-Winning Conference Paper

Religion and sport. Congratulations to recent PhD graduate Adam North who has been awarded best overall paper for "The Ethical Way of the Warrior: Can Traditional Martial Arts Offer an Ethical Template for Modern Athletes?" at the International Sport & Discrimination Conference in Dublin, March 2026.

Seminar Presentation

Christian studies. Peter Scott read a paper titled “Christian Environmentalism: A Sacramental Ministry of Grace?” to the research seminar at Nazarene Theological College in March 2026. The paper discussed some of the findings of the AHRC-funded project, “Religion, Theology and Climate Change” (2022-25).

New Book Publication

Biblical studies. Our friends at our partner institution, Nazarene Theological College, Svetlana Khobnya and Kent Brower, have published a new book The Gospels (Foundry Press, 2026). Further information.

New Publication

Biblical Studies. Siobhán Jolley has published 'Visual Exegesis and Christian Art' in Verkündigung und Forschung 71.1 (2026): 47-54. Further information.

Postdoctoral Fellowship Opportunity

Religions and Theology. We are pleased to advertise a postdoctoral fellowship at the Lincoln Theological Institute, from 01 September 2026 to 31 August 2028. The closing date for applications is 19 April 2026. Informal enquiries are very welcome. Full details in the Further Particulars.

Public Talk - Chester Cathedral

Biblical studies. Siobhán Jolley and Dawn Llewellyn (Chester) will be discussing ''Faith, Art, and Feminism' in response to the wonderful exhibition of Lilian Delevoryas’ work, ‘Mary Magdalene: Apostle to the Apostles’ at Chester Cathedral on Tuesday, March 31st at 2pm. Free to attend. Further information.

New Publication

Biblical studies. Honorary research fellow Helen R Jacobus has published 'The influence of ancient Jewish scribal practices on Codex Panopolitanus (the Akhmim Fragment): Links between the Book of the Watchers in 1 Enoch, the Gospel of Peter and the Apocalypse of Peter', Journal for the Study of the Pseudepigrapha, March 2026. More information.

Conference Paper

Christianity and the Environment. On 13th March 2026, Finlay Malcolm presented at the Connecting Communities Through Integral Ecology Conference held at the University of Manchester. The conference hosted practitioners based in Manchester and across the UK who draw on their Christian faith to tackle our environmental challenges. The event was hosted by Cecelia Skordilis from the Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences and featured talks from a range of speakers including those from the Laudato Si’ Centre in the Catholic Diocese of Salford, the Laudato Si’ Research Institute at the University of Oxford, and members of Ignatian religious orders. Finlay presented on his impact work (social responsibility) delivering formation for clergy and laity people in the local Roman Catholic Church, developed from his research on the AHRC-funded project, Religion, Theology and Climate Change.

New International Network

Biblical studies. Siobhán Jolley and Hannah Strømmen (Lund) have launched a new international network, for those working on Biblical Reception: Interpretation and Method (BRIM). The website launched earlier this month at biblereception.com where you can sign up for occasional news and submit your events to be shared on their calendar. More updates to follow!

National Student Survey: You said... we did.

For students. Every year, our final-year students are invited to complete the National Student Survey (NSS). It’s your chance to share your experience as a Religions and Theology student—and to shape what we do next as a department. We really do take your feedback seriously, and we act on it. 

• You said: feedback sometimes took too long and it wasn’t clear when it would be returned. 
• We did: introduce a clear policy: feedback is returned within 15 working days, and the return date is now published on Canvas alongside assessment deadlines. 
• You said: you would value more structured support during the third-year dissertation, alongside supervision. 
• We did: completely redesign the dissertation Canvas course (thanks to Katja Stuerzenhofecker), making it much easier to track milestones, access guidance, and navigate the ethics approval process. 
• We’re also doing more: from next year, we’ll introduce additional early-year workshops to support students from the outset. 

If you’re a third-year student, this is a real opportunity to have your voice heard. We’d genuinely value your input. We know it’s a busy time, but the survey is short. There’s also the chance to win prizes, and for every response, the NSS donates £2 to charity. You can complete the survey here: https://www.thestudentsurvey.com/

Middle Eastern Studies Seminar

Islamic studies. The department of Arabic and Middle Eastern Studies research seminar invites you to "Debating Issues of War and Peace in the Islamic Tradition" by Professor Asma Afsaruddin, Indiana University (joining us online) and hosted by Dr Tom Woerner-Powell. Tuesday 24th March, 5:00pm, Sam Alex_A112. For a link to join online email Ruth Abou Rached.

Community Cohesion in Action

Social responsibility. Eve Parker recently attended the Manchester United Iftar at Old Trafford, hosted by Manchester United. She was joined by the Leader of Trafford Council, Tom Ross, alongside around 160 Manchester United members including fans, players, staff and Academy players. The gathering brought people together to break the fast and celebrate the spirit of Ramadan in Manchester, highlighting how sport can strengthen unity, community and inclusivity. Eve has also been developing work on theology, sport and social cohesion through the Trafford Faith Action Network. As part of this, she recently organised an event bringing together grassroots community groups and international sports organisations, including the Lancashire Cricket Foundation, to explore inequalities experienced by communities with lower levels of participation in physical activity, and the role sport can play in fostering healthier, more connected neighbourhoods.

Peake Lecture, Nazarene Theological College

Biblical studies.  This year's Peake lecture will take place at the Nazarene Theological College, Didsbury, M20 2GU. The lecture will be given by Dr Siobhán Jolley and Dr Samuel Hildebrandt and is entitled: ‘From Miriam to the Magdalene: Women Witnesses in the Bible and Beyond’. Saturday 21th March, 9.30am - 4.30pm.  In order to secure your place please book your tickets here.