Reading group, Phenomenology

Phenomenology. The Phenomenology Reading Group will resume this semester, reading Maurice Merleau-Ponty's Phenomenology of Perception. The group will pick up reading from page 28, "Attention" and "Judgement" to page 65 - the end of the Introductory Chapter (Landes English Translation 2012, 2014 Routledge). The first meeting will take place online, Wednesday October 8th at 5pm. Please get in touch with the convenor Alex Samely (alex.samely@manchester.ac.uk) if you wish to join.

PhD Student Monday Meet Ups

For PhD students. Charlotte Gargett has set up an informal meet-up for R&T PhD students (and friends), as a space for informal peer support and networking. These meetings will be Mondays from 1pm in the new Ellen Wilkinson building commons space, with the idea that everyone then goes along together to the R&T/Ehrhardt Seminars at 3pm afterwards. Do join!

Career Mentoring

Employability. Looking for career support directly from an industry professional? Then check out @uomcareers mentoring scheme – Your mentor will help you plan and prepare for your future career! Apply now: bit.ly/uomcareermentor. Open to second-year and final-year undergraduates, and postgraduate students. Now open for applications.

Going Beyond Belief Highlights

Public resource. Did the Biblical God make women inferior to men? On our Going Beyond Belief page “And God Created Women…” Holly Morse explores the various ways in which religious interpreters have understood the gender dynamics at play in Genesis 1–3, as well as how Adam and Eve have been depicted in popular culture. These pages, aimed at RS A-level students, are based on Holly’s research into feminist interpretations of the Hebrew Bible. They are complementary to Radio 4’s Beyond Belief programmes on Eve and Christianity and Gender Identity.

Religion & Theology Research Seminar

 

Religion & Theology.  We begin this semester's R&T research seminar on the 6th October will Maryanne Saunders (the National Gallery) speaking on "'Whose line is it anyway?' Considering matrilineality in Christian art'. Seminars this year will take place Mondays 3–5pm in Samuel Alexander A116 and online. Email Siobhán Jolley or Holly Morse for the online link. As it's the beginning of term, the seminar will be followed by a social gathering in Kro Bar.

Alumnus Success

Alumni Activity. Congratulations to R&T alumnus Giles Briscoe (class of 2018-19), Graduate Teaching Assistant at Edge Hill University, on becoming a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy and receiving his Postgraduate Certificate in Teaching in Higher Education. He is looking forward to applying this learning at Edge Hill University, where he teaches social science subjects including youth studies, psychology, and sociology.

Synagogue Campus Tour

Welcome Week. This September, students learned about the history of a former Orthodox Jewish synagogue located in a residential building on Oxford Road until the 1960s. The tour was led by Dr Tereza Ward, R&T alumna and curator of the Christian Brethren Archive in the UoM Library, and Dr John Piprani, Lab Technician for Classics, Ancient History and Archaeology.

Summer School Teaching

Jewish studies. George Brooke co-taught a summer school on Heteronomous Texts in Early Judaism at the Friedrich Schiller Universität Jena 2-5 September as part of a long-standing DFG research project on Autonomy and Heteronomy in Texts.

Manson Memorial Lecture

 

Biblical Studies. 16th October 2025, Professor Grant Macaskill (University of Durham) "Transcending Differences: Revisiting the Pseudepigrapha in the Study of Early Jewish and Christian Theology". 4–5.30pm; Room C1.18 Ellen Wilkinson Building.

Buddhist Studies Seminar

Buddhist studies. The Fear Research Network invites you to a seminar with Dr Sara Swenson (Dartmouth College) who will deliver a paper "Harsh Truths and Mistaken Vows: The Ugly Side of Buddhist Charisma". In this talk, Sara will examine "the ugly side" of Buddhist charisma through the case of an iconoclastic monk in Vietnam. Lay and monastic followers respected this monk for his extraordinary capacity to read minds and perceive karmic obstacles in the lives of others. He also defied conventional monastic vows by openly consuming meat and alcohol, wearing lay clothing, and teaching through insults. The paper will analyze the dynamics of this Buddhist community through theories of charisma and moral aesthetics. 16 October, 4–5.30pm, in room Williamson 2.05.

Career Fairs

Employability. This autumn, the University’s Careers Service offers two career fairs that might be of particular interest to students in Religions and Theology. (1) Autumn Careers Fair for those interested in humanities and business roles to meet with recruiters and learn about internships, placements, and graduate opportunities, on 28-29th October. (2) The Law Fair. Open to law and non-law students’ this is your chance to meet with law firms, professional bodies and education providers to chat about opportunities available such as training contracts and vacation schemes and much more, on 11th November.

New Publication

Religion and the Environment. The report from the Religion, Theology and Climate Change project, led by Peter Scott and Finlay Malcolm, was published in September. Their project explores the emerging creative ecotheological trends arising from environmentalist Christian groups and organisations as they respond to the climate crisis. The report outlines and summarises the main findings from the project, offers recommendations for policy and practice for religious groups and organisations, and contains a foreword from Chine McDonald, the Director of religion and society think tank Theos. Read it here.

Visiting Prof Appointment

Academic fellowship. HRF Youssef Choueiri has been invited by the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) to spend the period from 1 September 2025 to 31 August 2026 as a Visiting Professor based in the Department of International Relations.

Publication News

Dead sea scrolls. George Brooke's co-edited T&T Clark Companion to the Dead Sea Scrolls is now out in paperback (August 2025) at £30 instead of £180 in hadback. ALso available as an ebook at £27. Buy it here.

New Position - UKRI Research Associate

Coptic studies. Applications are invited for the post of Research Associate on the UKRI-funded project "Coptic in Manchester: Connecting Manuscripts and Communities". The applicant will be primarily working on Coptic manuscripts in the John Rylands Library and engaging with the local Coptic community. Part of this role will include translating select manuscripts into English and Arabic for a digital exhibition. The duration of the position: 1 Feb 2026–31 Jan 2027. Salary: £37,694. Closing date: 31 October 2025. Further information.

Beyond Belief Event

Public resource. Join our partners for Going Beyond Belief, the BBC Radio 4 programme Beyond Belief, for a new recording at St George’s Hall, Bradford, 10:30am on Sunday the 21st of September. Host Giles Fraser will lead the panel as they discuss ‘Have religions forgotten the working class?’ The recording will also feature some of Bradford’s best spoken word artists – giving their creative response to the discussion. Tickets available here.

Graduate Outcomes Survey.

For graduates. Did you graduate from UoM between 1 May and 31 July 2024? You’ve been sent the #GraduateOutcomes survey via email! It aims to understand your perspectives & your current status. Find out more here & @graduate outcome.

New Publication

Theology. Wren Radford has a chapter titled 'Theology in the making: A glossary of theopoetic practices (for relating to oneself, others, materials, traditions and the Sacred)’ in Theology Through Creative Practice: Engagements with the Work of Heather Walton, edited by Alison Jasper, David Jasper, and Doug Gay. The chapter takes an innovative glossary approach for exploring creative practices as signalling the constructive, ongoing nature of theological work; specifically playing with practices (arranging; attending; breaking; entangling; experimenting; failing; gathering and re-using; grieving; improvising; patterning; playing; remaking; sketching; writing) and using reflective writing and photographs to explore critical questions in practical and liberative theologies. The collection is published by Sacristy Press. Further information.

British New Testament Society at Manchester Success

Biblical studies. New Testament scholars from far and wide descended upon University Place in early September as the University of Manchester R&T department hosted the highly successful British New Testament Society Annual Meeting 2025. With thanks to the in-house organisers, Andy Boakye, Siobhán Jolley, Peter Oakes, and Sarah Parkhouse, and the wonderful team of PhD student volunteers, Dan Skuce, Kate Bowen-Evans, Lynne Potts, Josh Hunt and Josh Crosby.  

Student Activity

Volunteering. Recent R&T graduate Abigail Thomas (Philosophy & Religion, class of 2024-25) found that volunteering with Girls Friendly Society (GFS) Rusholme was one of the highlights of her time in Manchester. She helped create a safe space where girls could express themselves and think critically about the world. In the weekly sessions, she empowered young women by tackling topics such as self-confidence, women’s safety, and gender roles. She is excited to continue with GFS and support girls in her hometown.

Career Spotlight: Policy Officer

For students. Ever thought about working in policy? Policy officers help shape decisions in government, charities, and other organisations by researching issues and recommending solutions. With a RELT degree, you’ve built skills in critical thinking, ethical reasoning, and making sense of complex ideas, exactly what’s needed in this field. Check out the Prospects job profile for more detailed information on this role and book a careers meeting to discuss your career ideas further.

New Publication

Religion and technology. Scott Midson has written a forward for "In Robots We Trust Get" by Samuele Vinanzi, published by Oxford University Press (2025). The book introduces the reader to the issue of trust in relationships between humans and robots. Intelligent machines are becoming an integral part of our society: from self-driving cars to delivery drones, robots are an increasingly common presence in our daily lives. As we witness their rapid advance, our society faces a critical question: can we trust them?

The Conversation - Being funny helps populist politicians

Religion and politics. Recent PhD grad Adam North has published "Being funny helps populist politicians create bonds and get voters on board" in The Conversation. The piece is linked to Adam's previous work on truth-telling and upcoming postdoc project. Read it here.  

Post Graduation Careers Kickstart

Employability. The University’s Careers Service offers a one-hour workshop ‘Careers Kickstart: Getting started on planning your post graduation career’. The workshop focuses on: Identifying career goals; Highlighting upcoming opportunities; and Articulating your skills effectively when applying for roles Note places are limited! Further information and booking here.