Theological Studies Research Review 2010-11
Overall TRS has seen about 60 publications this year across its various research clusters. A highlight of this year has been the new PGT ‘Theology and Religious Studies’ (convener Richard King, with Ward Blanton). The degree commenced in 2011-12 and even without any advertisement was able to recruit 10 students. The Theological seminar group was able to attract a number of leading, international scholars to the weekly seminar group. These included Profs. David Ferguson (Edinburgh University), Keith Ward (Oxford University), Prof. Kajsa Ahlstrand (Uppsala University), Arne Grøn (Copenhagen University) and Nigel Biggar (Oxford University). Werner Jeanrond’s acclaimed book A Theology of Love (2010) was reprinted in 2011 and has been translated into Swedish, Danish, Italian and Mandarin (latter two in press). He has been active in developing constructive relations between a number of faith bodies and has been appointed by the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland to the Commission on the Purposes of Economic Activity (2010-12). During this period Julie Clague gave a number of key-note and other lectures in Europe and Africa, and established the “HIV AIDS and Religion Collaborative” that is currently working with the World Council of Churches and UNAIDS on the theme of human rights, HIV and religion. Julie also co-organised two AHRC/ESRC Religion and Society Programme sponsored events: “Sexual Abuse in the Catholic Church - What can Be Learned?”, and “Religion in Health and Healing: How Significant?” TRS staff were very active internationally, co-organising and presenting papers in several conferences, such as the gathering for “The Question of Theological Truth Hermeneutics and Contemporary Philosophy in a Multi-Religious World” (????) in Leuven. “Law and Love in Islam and Christianity” (Siddiqui /Jeanrond) attracted an international panel of scholars and the attendance was beyond expectations. As a result of a successful application for a Rothschild Post-Doctoral Fellowship (£25K), we are pleased to welcome Alana Vincent to TRS as a specialist in Jewish studies. David Jasper delivered a plenary lecture at the Chinese University of Hong Kong, and completed his last year as Changjiang Chair Professor at Renmin University of China. He served as HeH
Chair of the national Doctrine Committee of the Scottish Episcopal Church, working closely with the Scottish Parliament on proposed legislation to change the law of marriage in Scotland, and the re-introduction of a bill on Assisted Dying. This year we welcomed Wang Hai from the University of Renmin to a post-doctoral position in TRS and look forward to further collaboration with Renmin. Charlotte Methuen was co-organiser of the annual conference of the Society for Reformation Studies, held in Cambridge. She was appointed as editor of Studies in Church History, the annual publication of the Ecclesiastical History Society. She continues to serve on a number of theological and ecumenical advisory bodies at both national (English and Scottish) and international level.