Newsletter – July 2024

Newsletter: July 2024

Please note that announcements regarding CRPL events and news are now posted on the University’s CRPL site, which you can access here. The site includes announcements about the BASR (British Association for the Study of Religion) conference, to be hosted in Leeds from 2–4 September (see here), as well as about the first of a special seminar series on singles studies, 'Solo Spirituality: Navigating Singleness in Indonesia' (18 September 2024) (see here).

Updates and announcements on the CRPL seminar series, which will resume on Thursday 3 October at the usual time (11.30-13.00) in the usual place (Botany House Seminar Room 1.03) will also be published on the CRPL site, not this blog.

Recent Updates on the Religion in Public blog

Read up on our regular series ‘Researcher of the Month’ to find out more about CRPL research and researchers. Since the last newsletter, we have featured Stefan Skrimshire (April), Doha Abdelgawad (May), and Ilaria Vecchi (June).

Adriaan van Klinken has reported on the Leeds delegation that attended the AASR (African Association for the Study of Religions) conference in Abuja, Nigeria. Alongside Adriaan, there was CRPL representation from Bonaventure Chia, Nduka Udeagha, and Abel Ugba (see here).

Johanna Stiebert reported on the publication (May 2024) of a volume she has edited, Activism, Bible, and Research-Based Teaching: Practical Approaches for the Global Biblical Studies Classroom. The book includes among its fourteen chapters, contributions by two CRPL PGRs, Robyn Ashworth-Steen and Yannis Ng (see here).

Adriaan van Klinken reported on the African Ecologies special section in the Journal of the British Academy (see here).

There have been two new publications in the series ‘Decolonisation, Development and Faith’, by Nobuyuki Asai (‘Decolonisation, Development and Faith: A Buddhist Japanese Perspective’, here) and by Themrise Khan (‘We Need Faith in Humanity Rather than Religious Beliefs’, here).

Announcements:

Our congratulations go to no fewer than three CRPL PGRs who have all successfully defended their PhD theses and passed their vivas: Jodie Salter, Katherine Gwyther, and Marcello Newall. All three have been co-supervised by Stefan Skrimshire! Other co-supervisors are Emma Tomalin, Johanna Stiebert and Al McFadyen. Fabulous achievement, everyone!

Chrissie Thwaites recently presented at the Bible in Contemporary Britain conference (at King's College London) on 'Use of the Bible in British evangelical purity culture'. Please also see Chrissie’s recent post on The Shiloh Project blog, on sexual abuse in British evangelical purity culture, here.

Visiting Research Fellow Gillian Chu has been accepted by the ‘Psychology Cross-training Fellowship Programme for Theologians,’ organised by the University of Birmingham and funded by the John Templeton Foundation (see more here).

 

Publications:

CRPL Visiting Research Fellow Simon Robinson’s book Exploring Integrity in the Christian Church (Palgrave NY, 2024) has just been published!

Adriaan van Klinken has a contribution in The Palgrave Handbook of African Men and Masculinities (2024), "The Problem of ‘Redemptive Masculinity’ in Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s Purple Hibiscus".

We are now taking a break over the summer, and we hope you are, too!

It would be great to see you at the BASR conference and singles studies seminar in September (see above and the CRPL website).

We resume in-person CRPL seminars on Thursday 3 October 2024 at 11.30-13:00 (look out for details on the CRPL website).

Two research days are in the planning stages and we look forward to another vibrant year ahead for 2024/25. Please send me your ideas and announcements. There is still time to propose a seminar speaker for the upcoming year and seminar series!

Wishing you a wonderful summer (if you are in the northern hemisphere) and break (wherever you are).