Blog entry, Research Centre update, CBS

CBS in the Time of Corona. As the unprecedented circumstances of the global pandemic become somewhat more precedented, the Centre for Biblical Studies has settled into some new routines... Further information.

Public lecture, Church of England

Religion and race relations. A conversation with Dr Andy Boakye on race, religion and the Church. The online session is entitled 'No Longer Jew or Greek: The Church, The Gospel and the Question of Race' and is open to clergy and laity. The aim is to reflect theologically on the issues raised by the recent resurgence of Black Lives Matter and facilitate dialogue about racial harmony. 19:30 on 30 November 2020, Diocese of Manchester. To register, see further information.

Social responsibility, OxNet

Widening participation. The OxNet programme, which partners the Department of Religions & Theology with Oxford University, is designed to attract A-level students located in the North of the UK, selected by Pembroke College, Oxford. It aims to encourage the study of religions and theology at university, among other areas in the humanities. This year's seminar programme theme, designed by Michael Hoelzl, is on 'How to Change the World with Words' with sessions led by Michael Hoelzl, Katja Stuerzenhofecker, Clare Radford, Stefania Silvestri, Holly Morse and Scott Midson. The live online series will take place fortnightly February to March 2021. It is organised by Felix Slade (Pembroke College, Oxford) and Sonja Bernhard (University of Manchester). Contact: sonja.bernhard@manchester.ac.uk. More information to follow.

Roger Ballard, 1943-2020

The Department was sad to learn that Dr Roger Ballard died on 30 September 2020. Roger was a lively and very visible member of this Department from 1989-2003 as Senior Lecturer in Comparative Religion. Born in York on 20 April 1943, Roger was by training a social scientist (BA in Social Anthropology Cambridge 1966, PhD in Sociology University of Delhi 1970). As two of the (then) few specialists in non-biblical religions at the University of Manchester, he and I found a camaraderie and became firm friends. He enthusiastically set up the joint degree in Comparative Religion and Social Anthropology, the teaching of Urdu, and the Centre for Applied South Asian Studies, of which he was Director. After his retirement, he did valuable work for the civil, criminal and family courts as an expert witness, preparing over 400 reports, and was recognised as one of Britain’s leading experts in the field. Very much of the generation of Prof. Sir Edmund Leach’s teaching at Cambridge, Roger had conducted extensive ethnographic fieldwork in both India and Pakistan, and also with members of the South Asian diaspora in the UK. In 2012 Roger was awarded the Lucy Mair Medal for Applied Anthropology.
     Here at the University of Manchester, as before at the University of Leeds in Race Relations, Roger inspired many students, who got a real kick out of being taught by someone who had actually worked in the field. We knew he was never quite at home in a textual theological setting, and he was certainly a positive influence on the transformation from the former Faculty of Theology into the new Department of Religions and Theology. He was indeed jolly Roger, always good-humoured, laughing, larger-than-life, blunt and ebullient, never shy of a heated debate, with a passionate commitment to issues of ethnicity and gender long before they became fashionable.
     He is survived by his wife Tahirah and their two sons Zafar and Akbar, and Mark and Joe by a previous marriage. He is missed by many and, with colleagues in the field who worked with him, I am currently putting together a collection about his life and work for publication in the journal South Asia Research, and will post a link here when this happens. 

Alan Williams, Professor of Iranian Studies and Comparative Religion

Paper, University of Edinburgh

Biblical Studies. Andy Boakye on 'A Justification of Life: Abraham, the Resurrection and a New(wish) Perspective on Romans 5–8' at the Biblical Studies Seminar, School of Divinity, Edinburgh University, 8 Oct 2020. Watch again.

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 The Didsbury Lectures 'Moving beyond the Empire of Illusion: What do we do about the problem of evil?' with John Swinton (26-29 Oct 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 such as the Ken Leech Memorial Lecture entitled 'The Eye of the Storm' with Paul Bayes, Bishop of Liverpool (3 Nov 2020). Further information.

Reading Group

Hannah Arendt's The Life of the Mind. All meetings will take place on Wednesdays, at 5pm (to 5.30) via zoom. Please contact Professor Alex Samely (alex.samely@manchester.ac.uk) for a zoom invite. Schedule of all Semester 1 meetings: 30 Sept, 14 Oct, 28 Oct, 11 Nov, 25 Nov, 9 Dec, 16 Dec. Further information.

Online course, Women in the Bible

Biblical Studies and Gender. This Women in the Bible online short course is for those who want to gain a deeper insight into the stories of women in the Bible. We'll be looking in depth at some of the female characters from the Old and New Testaments and how their stories can better inform understandings of contemporary life. We'll also be hearing afresh the voices of historical and contemporary women. The course is delivered by Dr Kirsi Cobb (Cliff College) and Dr Holly Morse (Manchester).  Note that there will be a fee.  Further information.

Student Union's buddy scheme

Student well-being. Recognising that this is a difficult time for many of our students, the Students’ Union have recently launched a Buddy Scheme for students who are isolating, based off-campus, or simply want someone to chat to. This scheme is similar to the Check-In and Chat scheme which is part of the University's Student Well-being Support resources, but its distinguishing feature is that it is peer-led rather than offered by University staff. Students will be matched with another student (a ‘peer buddy’) based on hobbies, interests or course for weekly phone or video catchups, providing some social contact and the chance to make a new friend. Students can sign up to the scheme using this online form. For students who are interested in volunteering as a peer buddy, they can apply through the Volunteer Hub. More information can be found about the scheme on the SU website.

Social Responsibility, College Trustee

Social responsibility. Peter Oakes is becoming a trustee of London School of Theology, the college where Oakes studied as a Theology undergraduate. From January 2021 he is due to be chair of the trustees’ Academic Advisory Committee, in succession to Professor Hugh Williamson, FBA.

Religions & Theology Research Seminar

Christian Studies. Dr Charles S. Pemberton (University of Durham) “Food Banks and Theology” 16:00 - 17:30 26 November 2020. Further information.

Ehrhardt Seminar

Biblical Studies. Dr Walter Houston (University of Manchester) ‘One God, One People: Reflections on a Reconciled and Reconciling Pentateuch’ 14:00 - 16:00 26 November 2020. Further information.