Beyond Belief, BBC-Manchester project

Religious Studies online resource. The collaboration between members of the Department and the BBC has launched. Beyond Belief is a multi-topic educational resource for teachers and students based on the online archive of Radio 4's Beyond Belief programme and led by Holly Morse. Check it out here.

Samuel Ferguson Lecture 2024

Christian Theology. On 7th March, in partnership with Manchester Cathedral, the Department will present the 2024 Ferguson Lecturer, Niels Henrik Gregersen (Copenhagen University). Ferguson presentation: ‘The role of the cathedral in contemporary culture: Danish experiences’, 12–1pm, St Denys room, Visitors’ Centre, Manchester Cathedral, followed by lunch. The Ferguson lecture will be held at the University (C1.18 in the Ellen Wilkinson building) at 4pm the same day. The title: ‘What does it mean to have a home? From deep incarnation to deep inhabitation’, followed by a reception. Both events are free, and tickets are not required. Further information.

New post: Lecturer in Liberal Arts

Liberal Arts. We are hiring for a lecturer in Liberal Arts. Liberal Arts is based in the School of Arts, Languages, and Culture and is linked to us in R&T, so a research background or profile in interdisciplinary religions and/or theology would be highly desirable. "You will be key to the delivery of the Liberal Arts programme and should be committed to interdisciplinary and socially responsible research and teaching and interested in cross-cutting methodologies, issues and themes across the humanities. You must have a PhD in a relevant field of specialisation, namely interdisciplinary religious studies, and demonstrable teaching experience at university level. Your research may focus on any aspect or period of your specialisation..." Deadline: 22 March 2024. Further information.

Research Award

Biblical Studies. British Academy Postdoctoral Fellow Sarah Parkhouse has been awarded the Manfred Lautenschlaeger Award for Theological Promise 2024 for her book Eschatology and the Saviour: The Gospel of Mary among Early Christian Dialogue Gospels, published with Cambridge University Press. The book was a result of her PhD at the University of Durham. The celebration of the awards will take place at the University of Heidelberg in May 2024. The ten winners receive a prize of €3,000. The applications were ranked by an international, interdisciplinary and multi-religious board of distinguished scholars. Further information.

Ehrhardt Seminar in Biblical Studies

 

Biblical Studies.  Casey Strine (University of Sheffield) will give a paper on "Dim, Narrow, Nonexistent? Ezekiel’s Vision of Israel’s Restoration". 8th February, 4pm. Zoom only. Please contact lev.eakins@postgrad.manchester.ac.uk if you are interested in joining. 

New Publication

Biblical Studies. Centre for Biblical Studies Hon. Research Fellow Dominika Kurek-Chomycz has published “Excluded from the Kingdom or Leading the Revolution? Môroi and the Question of Intellectual Disability in New Testament Writings” (co-authored with Emma Swai) in Christian Laes & Irina Metzler (eds.), ‘Madness’ in the Ancient World: Innate or Acquired? From Theoretical Concepts to Daily Life, Turnhout: Brepols, 2023, 123-157. The volume is advertised on the Brepols website as 'The first ever book volume study on congenital intellectual disability in the ancient world'. Further information.

Webinar Talk

Christian theology. On Wednesday 17th January, Charlotte Bray was invited to be a guest speaker at a webinar on 'Decolonization in the World of Christian NGOs'. The webinar was to highlight the recent publication of the special issue of the Accord Network’s journal, Christian Relief, Development, and Advocacy (CRDA) on this topic. The event was run by the Accord Network, the Accord Research Alliance (ARA) faculty group, and the editors of CRDA. The aim of the webinar was to raise awareness of the importance of decolonising the international development and humanitarian aid sector. Charlotte was asked to respond to the journal articles from a Christian theological and ethical perspective and offer thoughts on the opportunities and challenges ahead for Christian NGOs who are attempting to decolonise their ways of working.

Call for Papers

Biblical Studies. CBS members Kirsi Cobb, Holly Morse, and Siobhán Jolley are involved in a new unit on "Intersectional Feminism(s)" at the international Society of Biblical Literature (iSBL). They invite papers on "The Future of Feminist Criticsm?" and "Intersections of Interdisciplinarity", as well papers for their open call, to be presented at the annual meeting in Amsterdam 28 July–1 August 2024. They seek contributions from a wide range of scholars at every stage of their career. Further information here (scroll down to Feminist Interpretations). Deadline: 13th Feb 2024.

Public Lecture

Interfaith studies. Honorary Research Fellow Dwight D Swanson gave a public lecture for the Islamic College (Willesden Green, London) Interfaith Series on 22 December. 'The Birth of Jesus in the Gospel and Qur'an: An Exercise in Intertextuality'.

New Publication

Biblical Studies. Centre for Biblical Studies Hon. Research Fellow Dominika Kurek-Chomycz has published “(Inc)sensing Revelation: Incense, Senses, and the Agency of Incense Utensils in the Apocalypse of John,” in N. Leach, D.C. Smith, & T. Keddie (eds.), Revelation and Material Religion in the Roman East: Essays in Honor of Steven J. Friesen (Routledge Monographs in Classical Studies), Routledge, 2024, pp. 109-125. Further information.

The Bogdanow Lectures in Holocaust Studies

Jewish Studies. The centre for Jewish Studies hosts online Bogdanow Lectures in Holocaust Studies with Prof. Omer Bartov (Brown University), ‘The Return of the Repressed: Ukraine's Unresolved Pasts’, 6pm GMT, 30 and 31 Jan 2024. Further details and zoom links here.

Religion & Theology Research Seminar

 

Religion & Theology. On 1st February, Charlotte Bray and Samuel O’Connor Perks will offer the next installment of the 'In Conversation' series. Hybrid mode (in person location tbc) 4–5.30pm. For access, please email Wren Radford.

Public Talk

Public theology. Recent PhD awardee Dominic Budhi Thornton will offer the first of a monthly series of innovative theologians speaking on contemporary issues at Manchester Cathedral. Dom will speak on "Theology and Manchester Cathedral" on Thursday 25 January, 7–8.30pm. The series also features upcoming talks by Raj Bharat Patta (22 February) and Eve Parker (11 April). All events are free of charge. Further information.