New publication

Islamic Studies. Youssef M. Choueiri, 'The Politics of Identity in the Middle East', in Routledge Handbook of Middle East Politics, ed. Larbi Sadiki, (2020), 494-506. Prof Choueiri is an honorary research fellow in Religions and Theology. Further information.

New publication

Islamic Studies. Tom Woerner-Powell (AMES) & R. Edmondson, 'Practical Wisdom and Islam: Reimagining Islamic law, From the Local to the Global' in Applying Wisdom to Contemporary World Problems, Sternberg, R. J., Nusbaum, H. & Glück, J. eds. (Cham: Palgrave Macmillan, 2019), 201-236. Further information.

Scriptural encounters

Reading challenging sacred texts. Scriptural Encounters bring together different faiths to debate and discuss controversial topics. This is a new series on the position of women in the Abrahamic faiths. The final session, with presenters Rabba Dina Brawer and Rabbi Robyn Ashworth-Steen, will be via Zoom at 4pm-5:30 on Thu 16 July 2020. Further information.

Religion in... BBC News

Ms Marvel: Trailblazing Muslim superhero goes gaming. "Marvel's Avengers are assembling once again, not on the big screen, but for a blockbuster video game. It features many of the superheroes you might expect, including Iron Man, Hulk and Captain America. But they are joined by a new addition: Kamala Khan. The Muslim-American teenager of Pakistani heritage, who has shape-shifting abilities, is the latest character to adopt the Ms Marvel moniker..." 2 July 2020. Further information.

Event programme, Nazarene Theological College

Christian theology. The Nazarene Theological College is one of our partner institutions and is located in nearby Didsbury. Associated with the Church of the Nazarene, which emerged in the nineteenth-century, NTC belongs to the World Methodist Council. See their programme of activities, including 'Community Engagement: Building Communities of Shalom' (10 July 2020). Further information.

Event programme, Luther King House

Christian theology. Luther King House is one of our partner institutions and is located in nearby Fallowfield. It represents Baptist, Methodist, United Reformed and Unitarian traditions. See their programme of activities, including public events on 'Lay Preachers’ and Worship Leaders’ in Challenging Times 2020' (11-12 July, 16-17 July 2020). Further information.

Religion in... The New York Times

For Sale: The Hair of the Virgin Mary. "What does a supposedly secular world want with the creepy (and probably fake) remains of medieval saints? For a little more than $2,000, you can buy a small silver-plated case containing some hair of the Virgin Mary, a relic venerated by Catholic believers..." 15 June 2020. Further information.

Religion in... The Times

A spiritual release by the Dalai Lama. "The Dalai Lama could provide the surprise smash hit of the summer as he makes his first foray into the music business, releasing an album of teachings and mantras set to music..." 10 June 2020. Further information.

Religion in... Time Magazine

How Mormon Missionaries Are Proselytizing in the Wake of a Pandemic. "Wearing dress shirts, ties and name tags, three missionaries with The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints sit around the kitchen table inside a Utah apartment planning how they’ll spread their gospel that day. Seth Rather, a 19-year-old from Wichita, Kansas, reads aloud as he types on a smartphone: “During this time, we must put our faith in God to deliver us through these unprecedented times. How has putting your faith in God helped you in your life?..." 5 June 2020. Further information.

Religion in... The Telegraph

Saudi Arabia closes Hajj to foreign travellers for the first time in modern history. "Saudi Arabia has closed the annual hajj pilgrimage to foreign travellers for the first time in modern history, to try to halt the spread of Covid-19. More than a million Muslims hoping to perform the once-in-a-lifetime trip will now have to wait until next year after the kingdom said 2020's event would be 'very limited'..." 23 June 2020. Further information.

Religion in... The Guardian

C of E should rethink portrayal of Jesus as white, Welby says. "The Anglican church should reconsider the way statues and other representations of Jesus portray him as white in the light of the Black Lives Matter protests, the archbishop of Canterbury has said. Further information..." 26 June 2020. Further information.

Religion in... The Independent

London more religious and socially conservative than rest of UK, study finds. "London is the most religious and socially conservative place in the whole of the UK, new research has found. People in the capital were much more likely to attend religious services and pray regularly than in the rest of the country, according to the latest report by Christian think tank Theos..." 24 June 2020. Further information.

Religion in... The Religion News Service

How millennials make meaning from shopping, decorating and self-pampering. "Today’s millennials are in many ways caught between a rock and a hard place, at least when it comes to traditional religious observance. On the one hand, they’re disillusioned with their parents’ religious traditions, which have failed to provide them with a coherent account of meaning and purpose in the world..." 23 June 2020. Further information.