Bulletin

Number 119 November 2011

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CONTENTS

Editorial……………………………………………………………..5

BASR Business ………………………………………..…… ….6

Reports and News……...………… ……………….…………… 15 . Teaching matters………………………….…………... ………...20

Tributes ………………………………………………….……… 27

Book reviews………………………………………….…… … …32

Members recent publications……………………………… ……34

Guidelines for contributors……………………………….………37

Occasional papers…………………………………… …………. 38

BASR President Professor Douglas Davies addresses delegates at the BASR conference dinner, September 2012

Photo: George Chryssides

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ABOUT THE BASR

The British Association for the Study of Religions, formerly the British Association for the History of Religions (founded in 1954), is affiliated to the European Associa- tion for the Study of Religions (EASR) and to the International Association for the History of Religions (IAHR) Its object is the promotion of the academic study of relig- ions through international interdisciplinary collaboration. The BASR pursues these aims within the United Kingdom through the arrangement of conferences and sym- posia, the publication of a Bulletin and an Annual General Meeting. Membership of the BASR is open to scholars whose work has a bearing on the academic study of religions. Membership of the BASR confers membership of the IAHR and the EASR.

The BASR Committee

President and Chair Professor Douglas Davies [email protected]

Secretary Dr Bettina Schmidt [email protected]

Treasurer Dr Stephen Gregg [email protected]

Coordinating Editor for Diskus, webmaster and Dr Graham Harvey President Elect [email protected] Bulletin Co-editors Dr Dominic Corrywright & Dr Helen Waterhouse [email protected] [email protected]

Membership enquiries and general correspondence should be sent to:

Dr Bettina Schmidt University of Wales Trinity Saint David Lampeter Campus Ceredigion SA48 7ED

BASR website address: www.basr.ac.uk

All rights reserved. Edition, selection, arrangement and original material © BASR 2011. The rights of individual authors are reserved by those individuals and are not affected by the above copyright. Printed at Oxford Brookes University.

The deadline for contributions to the May 2012 edition is 15 April 2012

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EDITORIAL

Welcome to the 119 th edition of the BASR Bulletin.

As usual this edition is full of interesting viewed journal. If you would like to dis- news and comment pertinent to our cuss this possibility please contact Gra- work with the wide disciplinary field that ham who will be pleased to talk to you constitutes the academic study of relig- about the job. We are also looking for ion and religions. You will find inside someone to take over from Helen as the formal records of the AGM held as editor of the Bulletin. Dominic will con- part of the successful conference in tinue in the role so there will be plenty Durham in September. If you missed of help on offer. If you are interested the conference this year do make a please contact one of us. A third va- note of the dates for 2012, September cancy in the association is to run a 3 - 5 when we will meet in another Eng- BASR Facebook site. We are espe- lish cathedral city, Winchester. The cially keen to hear from energetic, early theme is yet to be confirmed but you career colleagues and postgraduates can find details as they emerge on our who would like to get some experience website. Please note the message of running a professional associa- about the fees on page 10. You can tion. Please think about what you find standing order and gift aid forms might offer, and gain. and much more besides on the web- site. We report in this Bulletin the sad news of the death of two long term members, The website is about to undergo updat- Terry Thomas and Peter Clark. Close ing and revamping partly as a result of colleagues of both these valued schol- transition funding awarded by the HE ars have written tributes for them. Also Academy. You’ll find more detail about inside are our usual, conference re- this inside, in our newly established ports and book reviews. section, Teaching Matters. Other changes planned for 2012 include a We hope you will enjoy reading issue new President of the Association. Gra- number 119 and encourage you to con- ham Harvey became the President tribute yourself to future editions. Elect at the AGM and he will take over formally from Douglas Davies in Win- Helen Waterhouse chester. Graham’s change of role Dominic Corrywright means that we are now looking for someone, or a small team, to take on the editorship of Diskus, our peer re-

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BASR BUSINESS

Minutes of the BASR AGM

Minutes of the Annual General Meeting letin will include from now on a section on held at 1.30 p.m. onwards on Tuesday 6 T&L and the task group will organise a September 2011 at St Chad’s College, panel at the next conference, sponsored Durham University by the HEA. There is also the idea to have a special edition of DISKUS about T&L. 1. Welcome . Douglas Davies opened the Ron Geaves reported that AUDTRS has meeting by welcoming members and received similar funding that will lead to a visitors (23 members and 1 visitor at- replication of data, however this was the tending). intention of the HEA. It will also help devel- oping collaboration in order to maximise 2. Apologies received from Eileen Barker, resources. In response to a question Ron Marion Bowman, Hugh Goddard, Ursula Geaves confirmed that AUDTRS will con- King, Dermot Tredget, Seth Kunin and tinue with the production of the AUDTRS Kim Knott Handbook. The President then spoke about the con- 3. Minutes of the AGM, 6 September ference and discussed possible reasons 2010 (published in the BASR Bulletin why fewer members attended the confer- 117, November 2010: 5-8). Accepted ence than usual. He thanked the Secretary and signed. for her work in support of the conference.

4. Presidential address (Douglas Da- 5. Secretary’s Report (Bettina Schmidt) vies) : He started with the news about the 1. The current membership list death of Terry Thomas, one of the BASR (including Honorary Life Members) Life Members, and asked for a moment of lists two hundred and eighteen (218) silence. He then commented on the politi- members, eighteen members joined cal developments in the last 12 months since the last General Meeting and and the role of the BASR as responsive five have left. The slight increase body to social and political developments. however is not reflected in BASR fi- The increased importance of the BASR nance as some members have not can be seen in the composition of the REF paid despite to an email and written sub-panel Theology and Religious Studies reminder (distributed to some mem- and he thanked the successful BASR bers via the Bulletin). The members nominees for their willingness to take over who have not paid yet will be deleted extra work for the BASR. He hoped that from the list of members in two the universities will honour the extra work weeks. Otherwise the subscriptions for the REF panel members in 2014. to the EASR and to the IAHR have to Another evidence of the changed role of be paid on the base of the number of the BASR as responsive body can be seen members. In response to a question in the success of the BASR to secure fund- the secretary confirmed that all out- ing to develop a Teaching & Learning Task standing members have been con- Group. At this point he referred to Stephen tacted in writing (in May). Gregg and Graham Harvey who led the bid 2. The committee has met four times for the grant of the HEA. SG reported that since the last AGM: Directly after the the HEA has granted the BASR £4614. last conference on 6 September The money will be used for a website to 2010 at Birmingham in order to dis- incorporate information of the HEA PRS cuss the REF panel nominations, on website (e.g. the issue of Discourse) and 4 February 2011 at Oxford Brookes meetings over the next two years. The Bul- to discuss the EASR conference and

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other items, on 7 April 2011 (via tele- and the secretary responded for the phone) to discuss the bursary appli- BASR with a critique of the proposed cations (5 bursaries were given out), changes. and on 5 September 2011 at Durham - No action (so far) has been taken University to discuss the work for the about the Big Society agenda of the next months. AHRC though members have been 3. The main work in September and Oc- informed about it via email. tober 2010 was the nomination of - The BASR was also asked to re- REF sub-panel members. Nine col- spond to the new Index of journals leagues were nominated by the (ERIH) by the EU. However, it was BASR and six were selected: Jeremy decided to wait until the list of Reli- Carrette, Liz Harris, Kim Knott, Bet- gious Studies journals has been an- tina Schmidt, Steve Sutcliffe, and nounced (probably in some weeks). John Wolffe. BS thanked all mem- As soon as the Index is announced, bers for their support and willingness members will be informed via the to serve as panel members. Cur- mailing list. rently the BASR is asked to com- 7. Last but not least, a pleasure for the ment of the REF framework as part secretary was the organisation of a of the consultation process. In tea party in honour of BASR life 2012/.2013 further assessors can be member Peggy Morgan for her birth- nominated for areas not covered by day. the current panel members. 4. Earlier this year the secretary was 6. Treasurer’s Report and Account involved in the preparation of a bid to (Stephen Gregg) host the IAHR World Congress 2015 The report started with thanks to Der- at Edinburgh. Unfortunately, the bid mot Tredget, the last treasurer, for was unsuccessful and the congress his immense help during the transi- was given to Erfurt in Germany. tion process. Nonetheless, BS thanked Steve Sut- An important change to last year’s re- cliffe for his immense work writing port is that BASR no longer need to the bid. In response to a question the audit the accounts by an outside Secretary confirmed that no reasons auditor due to a change of the regu- were given for the rejections. lations for charities. 5. On ongoing item is the MA Bench- (spread sheet with accounts follows mark Exercise, led by George Chrys- these minutes) sides for AUDTRS, supported by AGM accepted them. various members of the BASR. The treasurer then presented the pro- George Chryssides reported that the posal by the executive committee to request to commence the exercise raise the fee from £20 to £30 and was sent to QAA and he awaits a £10 to £15 for student and unwaged. response in the next weeks. A report The reasons are increase costs (e.g. about the process will be published travel to consultation meetings) and in the next Bulletin. a possible increase of the EARS and 6. These consultations were conducted IAHR fees (the BASR pays per head during the last 12 months: to both associations, without any dis- - The secretary attended for the count for students). BASR a meeting in London to dis- After a discussion the proposal was ac- cuss the External Examination pro- cepted by all present. It was agreed cedure in HEI in the UK (a report by to email the members immediately the HEA was published in the Bulle- after the conference to inform them tin). about the change and ask them to - The members were asked to ex- change the standing orders. Mem- press their comments on the Green bers are also asked to inform the Paper about research funding the EU BASR secretary about a change of

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status (e.g., when a member starts to 10. BASR conference 2012 and 2013 work after graduation). (Douglas Davies) The next conference will be at Winches- 7. Bulletin Editors’ Report (Dominic ter, 3-5 September 2012, organised by Corrywright) Paul Hedges. Dialogue and Misunder- Members were asked for contributions standings was suggested as a possible of articles, reviews, conference re- topic of the conference. However, sev- ports and announcements about new eral members expressed their discom- publications but also to encourage fort with dialogue and recommended a PG students to write for the Bulletin. stronger emphasis on the methodology The next Bulletin will have a section on of study of religions. After a lengthy dis- T&L as well as an item about cussion and several other suggestions it AUDTRS. The Bulletin would wel- was decided to go back to Winchester come also a discussion about the with our critique of the term dialogue, letter of AUDTRS to Times Higher and to ask that the title is changed in about the situation in the UK. order to reflect the aims of the BASR. Helen Waterhouse has decided to re- The 2013 conference will be at Liver- sign as Bulletin Editor in 2012 and pool Hope, together with the EASR con- the BASR welcomes expression of ference. The topic will be “Religion, Mi- interest of anyone interested in work- gration and Mutations”, held in the first ing with Dominic as Bulletin editor. week of September. The president expressed his thanks to As a location for a future conference the Helen for her long work in the execu- BASR received an email suggesting tive committee and her contribution Aberdeen, to be discussed at a later to the BASR. AGM.

8. Diskus Co-ordinating Editor Report 11. Any Other Business (Graham Harvey) The president thanked Dan Smith and The issue 2010 (Birmingham) is not Adam Powell for their help in the or- ready and will require some more ganisation and running of the confer- time before it is on-line. Meanwhile ence. the problem with Microsoft was The Secretary reminded everyone that solved and the reference style as a consequence of the election, sorted. The 2011 issue will include the BASR will need a new Diskus apart from the two keynote lectures a coordinator in 2012 and asked any- selection of papers held at the 2011 one interested in the role to send an conference. In the next two years expression of interest. there will be also a special issue The Executive Committee is also look- about T&L. ing for a volunteer who can set up a In response to a question about Open Facebook site for BASR as well as Journal / pdf format, Graham Harvey other social media networks. confirmed that he will look into it. Peggy Morgan reminded everyone of the Archive of the BASR in the Ox- 9. Election of President Elect ford Bodleian. The president asked the nominee to leave the room for a short while. He 14. Date and Venue of the next meeting then reported that Graham Harvey has The next AGM will be held during the been nominated by Bettina Schmidt and 2012 conference at Winchester Univer- Helen Waterhouse. The AGM accepted sity, 3-5 September 2012. Further de- the nomination unanimously. tails will be announced in the Bulletin Graham was asked back into the room and website. and the president congratulated him to be elected President Elect. Douglas Davies closed the AGM at 3.15 pm

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BASR Annual Conference, Durham, 5th-7th September 2011

Ritual Knowledge

The annual conference of the British Asso- (ideas about how things are) with morality ciation for the Study of Religions (BASR) (ideas about which things matter for hu- was held at St. Chad’s College of the Uni- man fulfilment). Moreover, mythic stories, versity of Durham from Monday 5th to which, he argued, can be reduced in the Wednesday 7th September 2011. Forty- Abrahamic traditions to the motif that God four speakers presented papers on the is a man, allow individual and collective theme of Ritual Knowledge, from disci- values to be aligned, thus overcoming con- plines including Anthropology, Sociology, flicts between personal wholeness and so- Philosophy, Religious Studies and Theol- cial cohesion which compromise conditions ogy. The conference brought together for successful reproduction. Ritual assists postgraduate students and scholars from this by allowing the individual to map their throughout the UK and abroad. The organ- personal story onto the cosmological story, isational committee for the conference the myth. At the same time, it helps social were aided admirably by Mr. Dan Smith cohesion by synchronising the aims of and Mr. Adam Powell, both postgraduate these fulfilled individuals. This, he argued, researchers of the Theology and Religion explains the persistence of religion in a Department of Durham University. scientific materialist epistemology. A num- ber of interesting questions were posed We were privileged to receive two plenary following the talk, including whether relig- lectures, held in the imposing cathedral ions, since they do persist, should be con- surroundings of the nearby Prior’s Hall, sidered more successful at promoting con- from Armin Geertz, Professor of the His- ditions for reproduction than secular alter- tory of Religions at Aarhus University, Den- natives; and what the consequences for mark, and Loyal Rue, Professor of Religion personal wholeness and social coherence and Philosophy at Luther College, may be when religions exist alongside Decorah, Iowa, USA. In the first plenary, other religious or secular meaning sys- ‘Rite Makes Right’, Loyal Rue presented tems. an ambitious but compelling model of ‘Religion’, incorporating the claim that In the second plenary, held later on Tues- “nothing in human behaviour or experience day, Professor Geertz discussed new ap- makes sense except in the light of evolu- proaches to the cognitive science of reli- tionary theory”. Rue argued that religion is gious ritual. Geertz began by describing an evolutionary strategy to overcome the ritual competence theory and the standard “naturalistic fallacy”, which, drawing from cognitive science of religion, where the Rorty, Rue defined as the irreconcilability goal is to develop explanatory and predic- of objective facts and subjective moral val- tive models of religious behaviour. Geertz ues. In Rue’s view, religions persist exactly argued that this approach can be improved because they provide a way of integrating by integrating the insights and methods of the realms of truth and value: they are neurology with those of religious studies, story traditions which combine cosmology (Continued on page 12)

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BASR TREASURER’S REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDING 15 th AUGUST 2011

Stephen E. Gregg BASR Honorary Treasurer

1. This period is the first that comes under the new regulations at the Charity Com- mission, meaning we save on external audit fees. 2. Inland Revenue: Gift Aid figures (for 108 members) – up slightly on last year. The payment has not come through in time for this year’s accounts but will appear in next year’s figures. 3. Committee expenses are considerably down. The committee has tried to minimise costs by holding a phone-conference meeting in lieu of a face-to-face meeting ear- lier this year. 4. EASR/IAHR Membership is largely unchanged this year. 5. Bank charges – bank transfer fees for paying our subscriptions to EASR and IAHR were very high this year. The problem comes from having to convert sterling into either euros or dollars. I am in discussion with the treasurers of each organisation to try to reduce costs. 6. Insurance has increased in line with the market rate. 7. Birmingham Day Conference – finished with a £678 surplus, despite aiming to break even. 8. Durham Conference – as this has been administered directly by the host institu- tion, rather than through the BASR Treasury, there is just one relevant transaction for this accounting period, which is the Student Bursary fee of £1130. The fund will decrease substantially when Durham costs are paid.. 9. Summary of Financial Position: Overall, the finances of the BASR are sound with adequate reserves to ensure our successful continuation. The conference fund is likely to diminish after Durham, and I am mindful that we should actively seek to market the Winchester 2012 conference at the earliest opportunity through our departments and colleagues.

*** Important BASR Subscription Update ***

At the AGM held at Durham University on 6 th September 2011 it was decided, by a unanimous vote that BASR subscription rates would increase with effect from 1 st Octo- ber 2011. The new rates are £30 (full rate) and £15 (unwaged/student). An email was sent to all members of the BASR mailing list immediately after the AGM, and many members have updated their Standing Orders to the new amount – many thanks to them. If you were unable to change your Standing Order in time for the 1 st October pay- ment date, please forward a cheque for the balance of payment for this year’s subscrip- tion to the treasurer Stephen Gregg :

School of Theology, Religious Studies & Islamic Studies University of Wales: Trinity Saint David Lampeter SA48 7ED

Please also remember to change your Standing Order in time for next year – this is very quick and easy to do using your own online banking facility. Should you not have ac- cess to an online banking facility, forms may be found at www.basr.ac.uk/ membership.htm which should be completed and returned to the above address. Members paying by cheque should send a cheque as usual to the above address, in line with the new rates.

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recognising that humans are social beings, to cover them all, but certain themes relat- and understanding cognition as ing to the conference topic and the plenary “embodied, embrained, emotioned, situ- presentations emerged. ated, distributed, extended, materialised, and deeply cultural”. The conference opened with a presenta- tion by Professor James Cox of the Univer- Geertz continued by discussing the impor- sity of Edinburgh, entitled ‘Ritual as con- tance of sound conceptualisation, design veyor of authoritative tradition: That without and interpretation of results in the cognitive which Religion would not be Religion’. Ex- science of religion, and reminding us that amining ritual itself and its shade ‘myth’ the experimental method does not provide through a phenomenological approach, proof of, but only support for, hypotheses Professor Cox touched upon some key about cognition. Our knowledge of the issues on ritual identity in Shona hierarchi- brain is still very limited, and Geertz cau- cal society, and argued that Zimbabwean tioned his listeners to be critical of claims ancestors employed ritual as the sine qua made about, for example, neural effects of non of a community religion – ‘that without meditation. Geertz outlined the findings of which religion would not be religion’. This a number of experiments conducted within introduced the question of the relationship the MIND Lab research team at Aarhus, between ritual and tradition, a theme which focusing largely on the effects of prayer on was taken up in the second section by Bet- the brain. Personal prayer and more ab- tina Schmitt and David Wilson, both of stract prayer such as the Lord’s prayer whom argued that ritual regulates authority were shown to affect different areas of the by appealing to tradition, especially in tra- brain, and brain activity was shown to be ditions with a high degree of local variabil- influenced by information given to partici- ity, specifically Brazilian Condomblé and pants by researchers about the religious Scottish Spiritualism. With reference to characteristics of a prayer’s author. Fur- Jugendfeier, the German Humanist Asso- thermore, while prayer was shown to alle- ciation’s ceremony of ‘youth celebration’, viate physical pain for religious (but not Rebecca Aechtner showed that the collec- non-religious) research participants, the tive or academic notions of the relation- pain relief that participants report is subjec- ships between ritual, religion, tradition and tive, with no physiological correlate: none- secularity may be challenged by the ideas theless, when part of the brain is ‘blocked’ of ritual subjects themselves. prayer no longer provides relief, suggest- ing the possibility of some relationship be- Another emergent theme was the question tween prayer and this area of the brain. of what ritual is . Margaret Gouin focused Such tantalisingly complex findings indi- on rituals as a way of ‘getting things done’, cate the need for further interdisciplinary presenting a working definition of ritual as research in this area. ‘an ensemble of formal action(s), having reference to some kind of external force, The three days of the conference con- executed with a definite purpose in mind’. sisted generally of parallel sessions of four In the Tuesday morning session, Peter presentations, loosely grouped themati- Collins (Durham University) asked why it is cally. It is beyond the scope of this report that, despite the attention given to ritual in 12

academia, little attention has been given to architects in Scotland have met these chal- ritual knowledge . Collins suggested that, lenges. despite its prominence, practice theory alone cannot adequately describe ritual, as Catherine Racine’s tender and moving it ignores knowledge in the form of inten- autoethnographic account of spending time tion and emotion. In the same session, in caring for her mother’s dead body de- his paper on the Alum Rock community in scribed how the ritual of physical grooming Birmingham, Christian Karner placed ritual transformed her mother from alive to dead, on a scale of social action which helps to demonstrated her own altered identity, and elucidate discourses between religion, so- mitigated the anguish of confrontation by ciety and politics. By contrast, Jan Krátký death and the corpse. Geoffrey Johnson, a focused on the role of material culture in hospital chaplain, described how he had ritual cognition, arguing that external ob- created ad hoc rituals in mental health in- jects play an enabling and structuring role patient wards, as a way of making space in ritual knowledge. for patients and staff to mourn suicides on those wards. Douglas Davies also spoke of A number of papers addressed ritualisation ritual freedom, in the context of woodland and death. One full panel featured papers burial sites, which, he explained, not only from an interdisciplinary project on crema- are relatively free from institutionalised ritu- tion in Scotland. Gordon Raeburn explored alisation, but also host a wealth of cultural, the varying degrees of success with which historical and theological resources for Scottish Reformers replaced Catholic fu- meaning-making which are drawn on by neral rituals and ‘superstitions’ with sombre those who use the site to speculate about and sober burials. Peter Jupp described a death, identity and the body. ‘re-ritualisation’ of Church of Scotland fu- nerals between 1850 and 2010, from the Tara Bailey discussed funeral eulogies, re-introduction of graveside services and showing that for some mourners it is not prayers for the bereaved to the variety of only what is said that matters but also who funeral ‘templates’ being used by present says it: people who know the deceased day clergy. Stephen White gave an ac- receive more approval. Bailey interpreted count of a legal dispute concerning the this through a model which views grief as right of a Hindu man to be cremated on a processed through sharing memories of pyre in the open air, guiding us through the the deceased. Kristyna Kubovna discussed contested definitions of ‘cremation’, ritual murder, and in particular historical ‘crematorium’ and even ‘building’ that this accusations by Christians of Jews killing case raised, and also discussed the legal others for ritual purposes. Kubovna drew implications of the public display of bodies. on Bauman’s theories to argue that such In the final presentation, Hilary Grainger accusations should be understood as argued that shifting cultural and social val- myths maintained by a majority group to ues can be seen in the way that architec- delimit the minority group which exists tural design meets the tensions present in within it. Marko Veisson’s paper explored crematoria, which are both utilitarian and the construction of ritual meaning in wid- symbolic, and serve all religions and none. owhood rites in Northern Ghana, inter- Using photographs, Grainger showed how preted both as an element of Ghanaian 13

cultural heritage and as degrading for pelled to share their spiritual experiences women. Veisson showed how these com- with others. peting interpretations related to wider struggles between NGOs, local chiefs and On Monday evening, the REF (Research community elders for authority. Excellence Framework) consultation panel was held, chaired by Bettina Schmidt The conference also saw the presentation (University of Wales, Trinity St. David) and of several papers which addressed the Steven Sutcliffe (University of Edinburgh), topic of non-ritual or aversion to ritual. both involved on the REF process at the George Chryssides discussed ‘de- national level. While the level of engage- ritualizing’ among Jehovah’s Witnesses, ment with the issue was perhaps not as where ritual is seen as idolatrous and con- strong as the chairs would have liked, it did trary to God’s word. Witnesses only ob- raise some crucial issues relating to aca- serve (adult) baptism, an annual Memorial, demic publication and departmental fund- marriage and funerals, and do this without ing, and suggested that the REF process is processions, candles, special vestments, not something which scholars, particularly or ritual readings or prayers; Chryssides those early in their careers, can afford to argued that this lack of ritual expresses the ignore. Additionally, stalls run by Equinox, close relationship between believers and Continuum and Blackwell afforded an op- Jehovah. Moojan Momen likewise spoke of portunity to view recent books and talk with what substitutes for ritual in the Baha’i the publishers in a convivial environment. faith, where there is no real community rit- ual. In marriages, only one sentence is ex- The BASR continues to support and en- changed. At burials, there is but one courage the work of postgraduate stu- prayer. Instead, any space and all time are dents, and the authors wish to express seen as potentially sacred because attrib- their gratitude for the opportunity to pre- utes of God can be named there. Continu- sent their research, exchange ideas and ing this theme of non-ritual, Marzia Coltri receive feedback from fellow researchers explored the ‘archetype of magic’ which is in such a cordial atmosphere. We all intrinsic in Ethiopian Christianity. Indeed agreed that to feel welcomed into this ex- God with hidden and ‘pluralistic’ names traordinary academic community was an takes refuges in Ethiopian symbols, spells, honour, and deeply encouraging. and also amulets. Jim Banks discussed the aversion to ritual of ‘spiritual but not reli- Rebecca Aechtner (University of Edin- gious’ young adults in the U.S. Banks’ re- burgh), Tara Bailey (University of Bath), search participants described Church- James Banks (University of Wales Trin- goers as judgmental, hypocritical, money- ity Saint David), Marzia Coltri focused, closed-minded, pressuring and (University of Birmingham), David blindly obedient; and did not feel com- Robertson (University of Edinburgh).

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REPORTS and NEWS

The Association of University Departments of Theology and Religious Studies

AUDTRS.

AUDTRS had its beginnings in the 1980s other bodies. It was also the days of the when Professor James Dunn of Durham old QAA department inspection regime and University, and a few others, perceived the AUDTRS contributed extensively to the dangers facing the field of theology and undergraduate subject benchmarking for religious studies in higher education in a our subject area. In this way AUDTRS time of cuts and of a shift away from the made its mark both collectively and traditional study of the humanities towards through the voices of individuals. more scientific or business models in uni- In its early days AUDTRS was also in- versities. Those days, thirty years ago, volved in the defence of departments un- seem far off, but perhaps the insight of our der threat of merger or closure. As a rec- founders was prophetic as well as timely, ognized national body, its voice was heard and today that threat to our subject area is by vice chancellors and universities. This more immediate and powerful than ever. role continues today – AUDTRS was, for example, participant in the recent negotia- The early meetings of AUDTRS in Durham tions regarding the Department of Biblical and London were large and well-attended, Studies at Sheffield University. full of energy and a sense of mission. They brought together representatives from Over the years AUDTRS has remained across the universities in England, Wales, active, though with varying degrees of in- Scotland and Northern Ireland, the older tensity. It is fair to say that when threats and the new, those with church and teach- become more acute in the sector, then ing training origins like Liverpool Hope, and AUDTRS tends to rise to the occasion, and later York St. John, and so on. The defini- such is the case at present. Thus, it is tion of the subject area was broad, and AUDTRS which called together a large membership included institutions like meeting of representatives from almost all SOAS. Membership did not include and universities teaching theology and religious still does not, though the issue is being de- studies in Birmingham in the early part of bated) seminaries or institutions providing 2011, a meeting which provided a real fo- training within a particular faith tradition. cus for thought and which resulted, among Attendance was largely in the interests of other things, in a public voice in the de- information gathering and keeping in touch fence of the subject. At the same time with the broader picture. Those were the AUDTRS has continued over the years to early days of the RAE, and many of the ensure that theology and religious studies first debates about criteria and definitions is nationally represented at meetings with were conducted at AUDTRS’s meetings such bodies at the AHRC and others, and with representatives from HEFCE and its committee members regularly work to- 15

gether with other national subject associa- tions in the humanities on a range of is- sues of mutual concern, both large and small. tinues to make its presence felt – for exam- ple, at the behest of members, we joined Over the years the work of AUDTRS has with Professor Beebee of Birmingham and been closely linked, through correspon- our colleagues in philosophy, and our joint dence with ministers such as Mr. Gove, effort brought about the separation of the- with problems and issues in the training of ology and religious studies from philosophy teachers of Religious Education in schools, in the 2014 REF panels. But there are and particularly in the current discussions many questions. At a time of restructuring in England concerning the baccalaureate, in almost all of our institutions, depart- which specifically excludes RE from its cur- ments are often becoming a thing of the riculum. At the same time there has been past, as we are regrouped into schools and close co-operation with the Subject Centre faculties into colleges. Our name – the as- in Philosophy and Religious Studies, sociation of university departments – no based in the University of Leeds, and with longer properly describes the situation of their closure in 2011, AUDTRS has taken many of us. We are anxious that AUDTRS on much of the resources and expertise does not exclude any scholar or group of gained by the Subject Centre over the scholars and teachers working within the years through its website which is currently sector, and to that end we now also wel- being thoroughly redesigned and updated. come individual members as well as insti- When it is completed, this will provide an tutional. invaluable resource for information (an up- AUDTRS works on a very small budget dated and easily revisable ‘handbook’ of and is entirely run by busy, working aca- departments, for example), news and the demics without administrative assistants. exchange of ideas. We are only as effective as our available resources allow, and it is crucial that mem- In 2010, AUDTRS hosted a conference in bers – heads of departments or designated Liverpool Hope University which brought representatives – keep in touch and en- together vice chancellors, former vice sure that the annual dues (effectively our chancellors, representatives from other only source of income) are paid. For our subject associations and our own mem- part, we will continue to fight for the well- bers to address current issues and prob- being of theology and religious studies in lems. Part of its function was to provide times when almost all of us are faced with information and bring colleagues together enormous problems. If there is anything in a common cause at a time when compe- you think that we can do to help, do not tition between institutions often seems to hesitate to contact us directly or via the threaten mutual destruction by rivalry. A website. similar conference is being planned for the early part of 2012. David Jasper University of Glasgow We are all facing times of change and con- Ron Geaves fusion in higher education. AUDTRS con- Liverpool Hope 16

British Academy: Hosting Learned Societies, Subject Associations and REF. Sept 28 th 2011

5. Evidence is important: all types of evi- As BASR President I attended a meeting dence acceptable as long as it potentially hosted by the British Academy on Septem- independently verifiable. ber 28th on REF. Speakers were, the REF manager of the HE Funding Council for 6. The interplay of output material, impact, England, Graeme Rosenberg, two panel and research and supportive environment chairs, Dame Janet Finch and Prof. Bruce of a unit is important. Brown, and chaiman for the day, Professor Nigel Vincent, Vice-President, Research 7. The former 'esteem' factor is still -in a and Higher Education, British Academy. It sense- present through Impact and Envi- was an informative and valuable event with ronment. some 50 Associations represented as well as a dozen university reps and 10 or so BA 8. The word 'showcase' kept recurring as Fellows. Among the points I brought away in the importance of 'showcasing', or of from the major presentations made were 'showcasing the benefit' our work to them. the following:- Similarly, the terms 'reach' and 'significance' were constantly being 1. Key to the notion of Impact is evidence stressed. of impact BEYOND academia, and of the integrity, coherence, and clarity of an en- 9. Regarding 'environment' we must not try’s NARRATIVE of this work. forget our narrative accounts of quantita- tive elements, e.g. PhDs. 2. That narrative needs to ensure that it is descriptively informative and not evalua- 10. We note that it is our Institution and not tive. One needs to describe the conse- ourselves as 'individuals' who make the quences and beneficial effects of any case submission. An obvious but important note. study. 11. The issue of double-weighted work 3. One might also describe potential bene- was much discussed. Quality not quantity fits that did not occur, perhaps because is key: one speaker referred to having government etc. was unreceptive. dealt with a one-star double-weighted book submitted last time. 4. We need to show just how Arts, Hu- manities and Social Science do in fact in- Douglas J. Davies fluence society. Durham University

17

Hope: A Form of Delusion? Buddhist and Christian Perspectives The 9th Conference of the European Network of Buddhist-Christian Studies Liverpool Hope University, 30 th June – 4 th July 2011

Can we hope in a world that is shot through tion, faith and love. with suffering? Should hope be shunned as a form of attachment? Should we affirm our hope Within the session on ‘Hope in Pastoral Situa- or let go of it? And, if we embrace hope, what tions’grounded, Dr Hiroshi Munehiro Niwano should we hope for and what can inspire us? (Rissho Kosei Kai, Japan) focussed on Rissho Between 60 and 70 people, from 16 countries, Kosei Kai’s pastoral work, most movingly its came together to address questions such as response to the recent earthquake and tsunami these at the 9th conference of the European in Japan. Notto Thelle (Oslo University), speak- Network of Buddhist-Christian Studies, held in ing from a Christian viewpoint, sensitively ex- glorious weather at Liverpool Hope University plored pastoral situations caused by life experi- in England, between 30 th June and 4 th July ences that seem to question and make a mock- 2011. ery of hope, drawing on decades of Buddhist- Christian encounter. Peggy Morgan (Mansfield At the heart of the conference were ten key- College, Oxford), addressing the third theme, note presentations on five crucial aspects ‘Embodiments of Hope’ concretized her brief by within the theme of hope: Hope and the Cri- focussing on a contemporary embodiment of tique of Hope; Hope in Pastoral Situations; Em- hope capable of emboldening Christians: bodiments of Hope; Hope in Situations of Rosemary Radford Ruether and her listening Hopelessness: Engaged Buddhism and Libera- dialogue with Buddhism. Mitsuya Dake tion Theology; Eschatologies of Hope. Dr (Ryukoko University, Japan), on the other Sybille Fritsch-Oppermann (Church of South- hand, chose Amida Buddha as his empowering ern Hesse) gave the introductory lecture, which embodiment of the wisdom, compassion and suggested that hope can be seen both as a non-dualism that lies at the heart of Buddhism, utopian ideal within and beyond living religions focussing on Shinran’s understanding. and a working hypothesis, through which hu- mans can strive towards truth and transcen- The theme, ‘Hope in Situations of Hopeless- dence. ness’ was opened to the public in an evening session. Sallie King (James Madison Univer- Each theme was addressed from a Buddhist sity, USA), using examples such as the Sarvo- and a Christian perspective, followed by a ple- daya Movement in Sri Lanka and the Dalai nary to enable dialogue between the speakers, Lama’s peace work, argued that Buddhism was and between speakers and participants. Ad- ‘loaded’ with hope from an Engaged Buddhist dressing the first theme, Hope and the Critique perspective. Buddhist hope, at one level, was of Hope, from a Buddhist perspective, Richard an amalgam of acceptance, lawful change and Gombrich (Balliol College, Oxford) robustly ar- effort. At another, it was the conviction that gued that hope was not a category that was everyone had the potential to change and that relevant to Theravāda Buddhism, distinguish- truth had power. Sathianathan Clarke (Wesley ing between hope and confidence, and hope Theological College, Washington DC), mov- and expectation. Werner Jeanrond, (Glasgow ingly examined Dalit liberation theology, sug- University), taking the Christian perspective, gesting that hope within this context could be suggested that a critical theology of hope, an seen as a proxy topos that extended faith into inter-hope dialogue, was necessary, within a life, an alter-wisdom where love could enrich critique of other key concepts such as salva- life, and an energy, a verb, leading to transfor-

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mative action. University) and ‘Masao Abe’s Hope for Bud- dhists and Christians in Thirty Five Years of Addressing the last theme, Eschatologies of Dialogue’ (Anniewieke Vroom, VU University, Hope, Anthony Kelly (Australian Catholic Uni- Amsterdam). These three sessions were in- versity) recognized a contemporary crisis of credibly rich and varied. hope and, distinguishing between hope as an emotion and hope as a virtue, explored a para- The conference was not all work! In the open- dox: that Christian hope is rooted in the resur- ing session, The Hope Quartet made sure par- rection of the crucified Jesus but that this event ticipants knew they were in Liverpool through a is described in a varied rhetoric of negations. Beatles-inspired jazz interlude. On Saturday Justin Ritzinger (Oberlin College, USA), noting afternoon, there was a cultural tour that in- that endings are hard to find in Buddhist litera- cluded Liverpool Cathedral (Church of Eng- ture, examined the coming of Maitreya, the fu- land), the Metropolitan Cathedral (Roman ture Buddha, as a possible candidate for a Catholic), the Slavery Museum and the Beatles Buddhist eschaton, concluding that the similari- Museum (Beatles World). This was followed by ties to Christian eschatology were superficial, a meal overlooking the Mersey. The Chap- with the exception of a contemporary reinven- laincy at Liverpool Hope opened its doors for tion of the Maitreyan tradition in China. informal conversation after the evening ses- sions and they were not closed until the early In addition to invited keynote speakers, a range hours of the morning. And those who were both of other researchers responded to a call for academics and practitioners could participate papers. These were presented in three time in meditation sessions before breakfast led by slots. In the first, a session for postgraduate Karl Baier, Kurt Krammer, Br. Josef Götz and research students and recognised researchers, Venerable Sonam Dorje. twelve papers were given, including: The Full- ness of the Present in Zen Buddhism and The European Network of Buddhist-Christian Christianity (Raquel Bouso Garcia, Universitat Studies is thankful to the following organisa- Pompeu Fabra): Imitatio Christi and the Tantric tions who sponsored the conference through Way: Prolegomena to a Comparative Study of grants of money, enabling it to take place: Are- the Hagiographical Works of Bonaventura and opagus; Association of Protestant Churches GTsang Smyon Heruka (Massimo Rondolino, and Missions in Germany (Evangelisches Mis- Bristol University); “Interreligious Monks”: sionswerk in Deutschland): Office of the Vice- Transformative Aspects of Intermonastic En- Chancellor, Liverpool Hope University; Rissho counter (Timon Reichl – Muenster University); Kosei Kai (Japan); Swedish Missionary Soci- The Sangha Acts in Thailand (Venerable Ratan ety; The Corless Fund; The Spalding Trust Jyoti Barua – Mahachulalongkornrajavidyalaya (UK).A volume that includes all keynote ad- University). The second was a Forum for Prac- dresses will be published by EOS Publishing titioners, in which the main speaker was Eliza- (St Ottilien). The Network is also grateful to the beth West of the British-based Contemplative four members of the Buddhist monastic Consciousness Network. The last, containing Sangha in Asia who were successful in gaining six papers on the theme of Hope and Buddhist- their visas and to the Liverpool Hope adminis- Christian Relations, included: ‘Loss, Memory trative team and Hope in Sri Lanka; Buddhist-Christian Per- spectives’ (Jude Lal Fernando, Irish School of Elizabeth J Harris Ecumenics), ‘Is Birth into Amida’s Pure Land a President of the European Network of Buddhist-Christian Studies Delusion?: an inquiry into strategies of ascer- taining, and a comparison with, similar prob- lems in Christianity’ (Martin Repp, Heidelberg

19

TEACHING MATTERS

HEA Subject Centre for Philosophical and Religious Studies—Update

At the beginning of 2011/12 the Subject • a regular learning and teaching Centre entered its ‘transition period’ in panel session at the BASR an- preparation for the handover of discipline- nual conference. level support to the new Higher Education Other planned activities with TRS subject Academy (HEA) structure. During this pe- associations (Association of University De- riod we will continue to: partments of Theology and Religious Stud- • publish our journal, DISCOURSE : ies; Association of University Lecturers of LEARNING AND T EACHING IN P HI- Religious Education; Society for the Study LOSOPHICAL AND R ELIGIOUS S TUD- of Theology; and the Sociology of Religion IES ; Study Group) include these events: • run events such as our popular • Learning and teaching workshops/ ‘Aspiring Academics’ workshop; and conferences; • offer support for individual academ- • Learning and teaching sessions at ics and departments. other subject association confer- ences; We also continue to work closely with all of • Postgraduate events to support TRS you, and with the HEA, to ensure continuity ‘aspiring academics’. of support for our disciplines in the future. This includes developing ‘legacy’ projects and developing new learning and teaching- with BASR and other subject associations materials, e.g. to provide further opportunities for learning • (for use in schools) the value of TRS and teaching enhancement within Theol- degrees; ogy and Religious Studies (TRS) – brief • to support the transitions from A level details of these are outlined below. RS to university TRS, and from TRS

to PGCE/careers in education/world Subject Centre ‘legacy’ projects with of work; TRS subject associations • Continuation of the Subject Centre’s

popular series of Faith Guides. With BASR, we are establishing:

• a BASR working group on learn- Clare Saunders ing and teaching; HEA PRS • a regular learning and teaching section in the BASR Bulletin; • a learning and teaching website; and

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Higher Education Academy Subject Centre Legacy Funding – BASR Grant

As a part of the process of change occur- stance. £2,020. ring at the Higher Education Academy, the The BASR Bulletin will now contain a Subject Centre for Philosophical and Reli- new Teaching and Learning sec- gious Studies contacted Subject Associa- tion, based on the output of the tions in late spring of 2011 to invite tenders working group, but that also wel- to work with them to ensure that the aims comes contributions from the wider and resources of the Subject Centre were membership. We have covenanted continued after the impending HEA re- to publish this section for two years structuring. Upon receipt of this request, in the first instance. £470. Douglas Davies asked Graham Harvey The BASR will create a new website and I to lead on this bid, which we duly did, which revitalises and modernises with the close support of Subject Centre our existing website and creates a staff. The executive committee of the brand new on-line Teaching and BASR felt that this was an important op- Learning presence, which acts as a portunity for our association both to posi- portal for dissemination of BASR tion ourselves centrally in the new land- Teaching and Learning outputs and scape of subject support, post HEA re- also as a repository for learning structuring, and also to support knowledge and support materials transferred transfer and perpetuate the constructive from the Subject Centre website, ethos of the Subject Centre, from whom including the journal Discourse, many of our members have received much employability guides, faith guides support over the last decade. and associated materials. £1,744. A tender was written and submitted in late The BASR conference in Winchester June, and on the 19 th of July we received a (September 2012) will contain a formal Schedule of Activities and Costs panel (sponsored by the HEA) spe- from the Subject Centre, accepting our cifically on the subject of Teaching proposals and agreeing the parameters of and Learning in Religious Studies. the grant that we had been awarded. The We have covenanted to run this total grant funding awarded to the BASR panel for one year in the first in- was £4,614, and the breakdown of that is stance. £380. as follows: The opportunity that this grant affords us is The BASR will establish a working to establish an energised Teaching and group on Teaching and Learning, Learning element of the ‘BASR Portfolio’ which will meet twice annually and the clear intention would be to con- (once at conference) and share tinue these activities, as self-perpetuating training, best practice, research activities based on members’ interests, and advances in pedagogy with the practice and research. It is important to general membership. We have point out, however, that Graham and I covenanted to run this working were very keen not to burden the BASR group for two years in the first in- with any financial obligations beyond the

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two-year period of the grant, due to our the creation of the new website, and Domi- financial and legal obligations as a charita- nic Corrywright and myself to lead on the ble organisation, and so the BASR is under establishment of the Teaching and Learn- no obligation to continue these activities ing working group. Elsewhere in this edi- beyond the grant period if they are not self- tion, you will find an article by Dominic re- sustaining. Of course, we hope that they garding the establishment of the working will be, and this depends to a large extent group, and Graham will provide an update on the willingness of members to contrib- on the new website in the next edition. ute to this exciting initiative. To take this project forward, Douglas Da- Stephen E. Gregg vies has asked Graham Harvey to lead on

Teaching and Learning in the Study of Religions BASR Working Group

Balancing Teaching and Research ties), has encouraged diverse projects in T Reduced to the most elementary forms and L and increased sharing of good prac- Universities offer 2 products: teaching/ tice. learning and research. It has been a com- monplace understanding that the former is By 2010-11 funding for these major pro- a poor relation of the latter. Certainly this jects and significant organisations has has historically been the case in terms of come to an end or been reduced so signifi- promotion, pay and retention, and, though cantly that the leverage to balance teach- it less easy to measure, status. Being a ing with research has lost its primary driv- great teacher has not carried the same ers. For those who believe a proper bal- cache as being a great researcher. While ance has not yet been achieved this may most colleagues with academic posts are signal a return to low-status teaching at HE engaged in both activities, REF seems to level. But the funding is also running thin take a certain precedence over HEA, for research and the same government whichever HEI is their employer. Balancing that has enacted funding cuts is promoting the importance of skilful teaching, based teaching and learning with White papers on evidence-based research and sharing such as ‘Students at the heart of the Sys- practitioner experience, with the research tem’ (2011). Meanwhile increased fees for agenda has been a core aim of the subject students are leading them to seek high- centres in the last years. There can be no quality products in all aspects of their ex- doubt that the teaching and learning perience, and the teaching and learning agenda has been boosted and effectively experience is at the front end of that enhanced by subject centres such as that search for quality. It seems that in the new of HEA-PRS. Equally, splendid work by the HE environment academics will all need to 74 centres for excellence in teaching and be ‘all-rounders’ – great researchers and learning, such as the Reinvention Centre great teachers. (Warwick and Oxford Brookes universi- 22

BASR Teaching and Learning Working Group can be on any of the full range of aspects We are seeking expressions of interest of T and L – from transition to university, from colleagues who would like to promote the development of academic literacies, teaching and learning in the study of Relig- digital literacies and research literacies to ions. We would like to continue the pro- synoptic modules, exit and progression gramme of HEA-PRS to share practitioner guidance – and on any level for UG to M expertise. In the first instance we are ask- level and doctoral study. ing for colleagues to send short articles or summaries of work they have undertaken We will also be convening and supporting in relation to T and L. These may be re- specific projects and networks related to T lated to internally or externally funded pro- and L in the study of religions and further jects to enhance the student experience welcome proposals from colleagues on with a focus on the teaching of religion, or these areas. We will report to BASR self-determined projects and practices that through the Bulletin as they develop. you feel are valuable means of improving teaching. Written articles and summaries Dominic Corrywright

Benchmarking at Master’s Level

Some colleagues are more enthusiastic Departments of Theology and Religious than others about academic politics and Studies) committee meeting last year, a bureaucracy. For some, the prospect of decision was taken to extend benchmark- formulating a QAA benchmarking state- ing to Master’s Level. Currently there is no ment for Master’s Level degrees may requirement for any subject to devise seem a mere paper exercise, generating benchmarks for postgraduate degrees, and even more documentation for cross- at present no other Arts and Humanities referencing. (The Quality Assurance subject has done so. However, there is Agency (QAA) oversees the definition of merit in carrying out this exercise voluntar- benchmarking standards, amongst other ily, rather than treating it as a chore that matters.) Others may be more enthusias- has to be completed. Increasingly, institu- tic, believing that there are some important tions insist that degree proposals conform questions about Master’s degrees in The- to benchmarking statements, and it is ology and Religious Studies (TRS) that therefore helpful to demonstrate compli- would benefit from resolution, and that ance, rather than to rely on external asses- there is merit in helping to write the rules, sors to assure a validation committee that rather than have them imposed from a course is of acceptable Master’s stan- above. dard. A working party was set up, and identified The TRS subject benchmarking statement several issues that a benchmarking state- for undergraduate study was first published ment might usefully address. For example, in 2000, and subsequently revised in 2007. Master’s degrees have various names: At an AUDTRS (Association of University M.A., M.Litt., M.Th., M.Sc. — the Univer- 23

sity of Wales offers an LL.M. in Canon the scope and limits of TRS, or should vali- Law. Some institutions are phasing out the dation proposers make their own case M.Phil. in favour of M.Res. (Master of Re- about the appropriateness of their subject search). We need to consider whether matter? there is some rationale in the naming of degrees, and which ones are subject to It is frequently expected that postgraduate benchmarking standards. (We shall no study should have a research component. doubt exclude the Oxbridge M.A., which is Do we agree, and if so how should a simply paid for, and Scottish M.A.s, which benchmarking document handle this? Not are first degrees. Others might be subject all Master’s degrees have designated re- to different benchmarks, such as sociol- search modules, and a benchmarking ogy, education, or law.) statement might be expected the issue of how research might be handled. Traditionally, a substantial proportion of theology has been for church training, and It is possible that there are disparities be- postgraduate research is frequently under- tween different institutions countrywide. taken by Christian clergy and church work- What might a benchmarking document do ers. Sometimes there is a high degree of to address this? Is a benchmarking state- diocesan input to content and assessment. ment merely a summary of the status quo, To what extent can one justify a or is it more ‘campaigning’ in its intent? ‘confessional’ approach, or is it a require- Should it help to raise standards or simply ment that any qualification in TRS might be maintain them? comfortably pursued by students of any faith, or indeed of none? The working party submitted an ‘expression of interest’ to the Quality As- Another issue may relate to subject surance Agency (QAA), which is the first boundaries. When does a degree count as step towards producing a benchmarking TRS, or when might it be more appropri- statement. Perhaps surprisingly, we re- ately labelled as politics, sociology or psy- ceived a somewhat cautious reply, sug- chology? I am sure that many of us have gesting that perhaps the QAA was not in- attended conferences where we have won- tending to press ahead with new bench- dered what a paper had to do with religious marking exercises. Representatives from studies, or whether we simply had an un- the working party are meeting Harriet Bar- duly narrow view of our subject. A year ago nes, the QAA’s Development Officer, I listened to a presentation on sometime in November. We hope to be ‘otherkins’ (people who believe that they able to update members in the next Bulle- are really animals, vampires, werewolves, tin. and the like). Is this religion, or was the presenter at the wrong conference? Relig- In the meantime, the working party is ion, of course, is a contested concept, and pleased to receive any comments and sug- all sorts of activities have at times been gestions, either on the issues mentioned classified as ‘religious’. How prescriptive above or on any others. The QAA believes should a benchmarking document be in the importance of ‘ownership’ of such here? Should it take a stance on defining documents, and hence requires wide con- 24

sultation within the subject. All comments Chester), Ron Geaves (Liverpool Hope are valued, and should be sent to George University), David Jasper (University of Chryssides (University of Birmingham) at Glasgow), Peter McGrail (Liverpool Hope [email protected] University), Hugh Pyper (University of Sheffield), Bettina Schmidt (University of Current members of the working party are: Wales Lampeter), Andrew Village (York St Darlene Bird (formerly University of Glas- John University). gow), Marion Bowman (Open University), Gordon Campbell (Union Theological Col- George D. Chryssides lege, Belfast), George Chryssides University of Birmingham (Convenor) (University of Birmingham), Dominic Corrywright (Oxford Brookes Uni- versity), Wendy Dossett (University of

An MSc student’s research report

My MSc by Research (long track) disserta- should be embraced wholesale, something tion has a working title of: Neo-Tylorian Tylor cautions against himself. His descrip- Theories of Religion: the Relation and tions of indigenous societies are undenia- Relevance of Tylor to Contemporary Theo- bly outdated but no worse than other semi- ries of Religion . This concerns the influ- nal ancestors, like Durkheim, who are an ence and untapped potential of E.B Tylor indispensable part of undergraduate teach- and his Primitive Culture (1871). ing.

Tylor’s work represented an important Some of Tylor’s core ideas are reflected by precedent in the theory and definition of many contemporary scholars. These “Neo- religion, because it was an adamantly hu- Tylorian” tendencies may be due to first- manistic, non-theological attempt to study hand influence, or simply an affinity. Har- religion. Tylor defined religion as “belief in vey has reappraised “Animism” as respect spiritual beings” and stated that a broadly for persons, only some of whom are hu- applicable yet minimal definition was nec- man, drawing on Hallowell and Bird-David. essary to avoid conflating religion with Guthrie argued that religion is the anthro- Christian theism. Helping to found the So- pomorphisation of the environment and cial Scientific approach to studying religion, Poo has written about Extra-Human Pow- unlike Mueller etc, who imbued their work ers which represent an extension of human with a theological agenda. Tylor’s “Spirits” social relations beyond the human. Other by contrast, were an extension of the idea scholars widened their definitions beyond of the human soul; often the embodied beings, while still demarcating religion as a souls of natural phenomena (Animism) and distinct concept. Goodman introduced relations with them are an extension of hu- “Alternate Reality” which has been taken man relationships. and adapted by Cox, while Stringer uses “non-empirical.” These modern theorists This does not mean that his approach may disagree with Tylor and each other 25

but what they have in common is a critical Bibliography substantivist approach which seeks to de- Cox, J.L From Primitive to Indigenous in fine “religion” as a field which is non- the Academic Study of Religion (2007) confessional, human focused, embracing Ashgate its diversity without extending it so wide as Goodman, F. Ecstasy, Ritual and Alternate to become meaningless. In other words, to Reality (1998) Indiana University Press offer a minimal definition. Guthrie, S. Faces in the Clouds (1995) OUP Going back into the history of such ap- Harvey, G. Animism: Respecting the Living proaches should be fruitful, insightful and World (2005) Hurst & Co Publishers aid our current definitional problems. While Poo, M.C In Search of Personal Welfare Tylor is frequently referred to, this is nor- (1998) State University of New York Press mally fleeting. Furthermore Tylor is so Stringer, M. Contemporary Western Eth- linked with the work of Frazer that in many nography and the Definition of Religion introductions to the theory of religion, the (2008)Continuum two are treated as interchangeable. As an Tylor, E.B Primitive Culture (1871) London: important theorist in his own right, Tylor is John Murray forgotten and overlooked. Liam Sutherland University of Edinburgh

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TRIBUTES

Terry (D. A. T.) Thomas (1931-2011)

Members attending the BASR annual con- never visited a place of worship belonging ference in Durham were saddened to learn to any religion apart from their own. Terry of the death of Terry Thomas on 4 Sep- continued this practical exploration of reli- tember 2011. gious diversity when he published with P. A. S. Ghuman in 1976 a pioneering survey Before entering academic life, Terry of Sikhs in Cardiff. Other Open University worked as a police cadet in Birmingham courses to which Terry contributed in- and a farm labourer in west Wales. He cluded ‘The Growth of Religious Diversity’, gained a first class B.A in Welsh Language for which he wrote about Hindus and Sikhs and Literature at St. David’s College, Lam- in Britain, and ‘Religion in Victorian Britain’, peter, and a B. A. in Theology at St. Cath- to which he authored units on missionary erine’s College, Oxford. He trained for the activity. His contributions to OU course ministry in the Church in Wales, becoming materials were not confined to Religious ordained in 1958. In 1962 he left Wales to Studies, and he enriched several courses serve as a missionary in India, where he in other areas particularly through televi- became acquainted with its religions. sion and radio programmes. Terry played a significant role in steering the development In 1971 he returned to Britain to take up of Religious Studies in the Open University the post of Staff Tutor in Religious Studies during the critical period when it secured at the Open University in Wales, becoming full departmental status. Senior Lecturer in 1976. These were the Open University’s early years: it received In 1995 Terry initiated the university’s de- its Royal Charter in 1969 and took aboard partmental Religions in Europe project. its first students in 1971. At that time there This was an attempt to create a database was relatively little provision for the study for the study of Europe’s various religions. of religion, apart from Christianity, and Keen to move away from the theological Terry was one of two permanent full-time perspective that dominated the study of staff who pioneered the highly popular religion until recently, Terry wanted to en- ‘Man’s Religious Quest’ course, which was sure that the database encompassed ma- launched in 1978. Terry contributed units terial from a variety of fields — historical, on Sikhism and on Inter-Religious Encoun- sociological and political. ter. He wholeheartedly believed that relig- ions should be studied as living phenom- Terry’s interest in Inter-Religious Encoun- ena, not merely from their texts, and during ter was inspired by the work of Paul Tillich, the early years of the course Terry would on whom he wrote his doctoral thesis, give invaluable advice about field work to which he successfully completed at the its part-time tutors, many of whom had University of Nottingham in 1983. He wrote

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numerous articles on Tillich, and the thesis did much to strengthen the Association in was eventually published by Cardiff Aca- the early 1990s, helping to achieve a re- demic Press as Paul Tillich and World Re- markable increase in membership and ligions (1999). Much of this study was support for the Annual Conference. His theoretical, reflecting Terry’s interest in election as an Honorary Life Member of methodology in the study of religion, and in the BASR in 2004 was well deserved, and the history of the subject — topics which he came out of retirement in 2004 at the he continued to discuss with enthusiasm, Association’s 50th anniversary celebra- even in his final days. For example, he was tions at Oxford. In his final decade Terry an early critic of overusing the term ‘the also taught Philosophy and Religious Stud- sacred’, and in his 1995 paper ‘“The Sa- ies for the University of the Third Age. cred” as a Viable Concept in the Contem- porary Study of Religions’ (reprinted 2004) Terry was a keen fisherman, and when he he contrasted the often exotic connotations retired in 1996 he decided to give up aca- of this term with ‘most religious situations demia almost entirely in order to teach as they exist in the lives of real people and trout and salmon fishing. In his foreword to real situations’. This joint focus on practical Paul Tillich and World Religions , he wrote and plural expressions of religion is also ‘I now spend my time in fishing and mat- characteristic of his 1988 edited volume ters related to fishing. This is my final con- The British: their Religious Beliefs and tribution to the field of the history of relig- Practices 1800-1986 , published in John ions. I hope it will be found worthy of its Hinnells’ and Ninian Smart’s series The subject, a tribute from one “boundary per- Library of Religious Beliefs and Practices. son” to another.’ (p.ii). In his Introduction Terry describes the his- Having moved outside Christianity, Terry torical situation of religion in Britain as one had asked to have no funeral ceremony, ‘of complex plurality, always internally in but that his body should be donated for the “official” Church, externally in scientific study. This latter request was not “alternative” forms of religion, and then in possible, however, due to the advanced the emergence of the dissenting sects … state of the cancer from which he had In spite of all the written histories which been suffering. Instead of a religious rite, a have tended to take the “official” line there gathering was held to celebrate Terry’s life never seems to have been a time when at the Angel Hotel in Abergavenny on 19 there was not a plurality of religious ex- September 2011. A goodly number of pression’ (p.13). friends, family, former students and col- Terry’s work for the BASR was consider- leagues attended, and gave tributes in his able. He was BASR Secretary from 1987 memory. to 1993, and became the first editor of the Gwilym Beckerlegge BASR’s Occasional Papers series in 1991 Open University until his retirement in 1996. Membership of George Chryssides University of Birmingham BASR was low when he took over, and he Steven Sutcliffe University of Edinburgh

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Terry Thomas Publications

Open University course materials Man’s Religious Quest (AD208) 1978a Sikhism: the Voice of the Guru. Units 12-13 (96 pp.) Milton Keynes: Open University Press. 1978b Inter-religious Encounter. Units 29-30 (78 pp.) Milton Keynes: Open University Press. 1978c (translator) ‘Hymns of Guru Nanak’ in W.Foy (ed.) Man’s Religious Quest London: Croom Helm in association with The Open University, pp.267-286. TV Programme – ‘Sikhs in Britain’ TV Programme – ‘Krishna and Christ’ Radio Programme – ‘Sikh Testimony’ Radio Programme – ‘Muslim Testimony’ Radio Programme – ‘Inter-Religious Encounter’

The Religious Quest (A228)/World Religions (213) 1987 (2 ed. 1997) (with J. F. Coakley) Christianity . Units 13-14 (81 pp.) Milton Keynes: Open Uni- versity Press. 1997 Sikhism: the Voice of the Guru . Units 14-15 (79 pp.) Milton Keynes: Open University Press (revised edition of Thomas 1978a).

The Growth of Religious Diversity: Britain from 1945 (A231) 1993a ‘Hindu Dharma in Dispersion’, pp.173-204 in G. Parsons (ed), The Growth of Religious Di- versity: Britain from 1945. Volume 1: Traditions . London: Routledge / Open University. 1993b ‘Old Allies, New Neighbours: Sikhs in Britain’, pp.205-242 in G. Parsons (ed), The Growth of Religious Diversity: Britain from 1945. Volume 1: Traditions , London: Routledge / Open Uni- versity.

Religion in Victorian Britain (A313) 1988 ‘The Impact of Other Religions’ in G.Parsons (ed.) Religion in Victorian Britain, Volume II: Controversies Manchester and New York: Manchester University Press in association with The Open University, pp.280-298. 1997 ‘Foreign Missions and Missionaries in Victorian Britain’ in J.R.Wolffe (ed.) Religion in Victo- rian Britain, Vol.5: Culture and Empire Manchester and New York: Manchester University Press in association with The Open University, pp.101-134.

Other OU A/V contributions TV Programme ‘Images ofthe Holy’ (A291 The Early Roman Empire and the Rise of Christianity) TV Programme (x3) ‘Punjab to Britain’ (E354 Ethnic Minorities and Community Relations

Other Publications 1976 (with P. A. S. Ghuman), ‘A survey of social and religious attitudes among Sikhs in Cardiff’, Cardiff: The Open University. 1984a Encounter of Religions, The Enlightenment, Evolutionism, Popular Religion, Rites of Pas- sage, Sacrifice, Salvation, Study of Religion(s), Symbol: nine entries in J. Hinnells (ed), Pen- guin Dictionary of Religions (2 nd edition published by Blackwell as A New Dictionary of Relig- ions , 1995; republished by Penguin in 1997). 1984b ‘On Another Boundary: Tillich’s Encounter with World Religions’, pp.193-212; in J. Carey (ed), Theonomy and Autonomy: Studies in Paul Tillich’s Engagement with Modern Culture .

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Macon GA: Mercer University Press. 1986a ‘The Guru in Sikhism’ in P.Connolly (ed.) Perspectives on Indian Religion: Papers in Honour of Karel Werner . Delhi: Sri Satguru Publications, pp.239-253. 1986b ‘Theological Excursions into Foreign Lands. F.D. Maurice and Rowland Williams on Christianity and the Religions ofthe World’, Papers of the Nineteenth Century Theology Working Group American Academy of Religion Annual Meeting 1987 ‘The Religion of the Concrete Spirit – A Possible Key to Understanding the Relation between Religion and Culture in Paul Tillich’s Definition of Religion’, pp.173-186 in Religion et Culture. Actes du Colloque International du centenaire Paul Tillich, Université Laval, Quebec, 18-22 Août, 1986 , Les Presses de Université Laval, Editions du Cerf. 1988a ‘Introduction’, pp.1-16 in Thomas (ed.) 1988. 1988b ‘East Comes West’, pp.72–100 in Thomas (ed.) 1988. 1988 (editor), The British: their Religious Beliefs and Practices 1800-1986 , London: Routledge. 1989 ‘Paul Tillich, Ontology and Cultural Boundaries’, pp.230-249 in G. Hummel (ed), God and Being/Gott und Sein: the problem of ontology in the philosophical theology of Paul Tillich. Contributions to the II International Paul Tillich Symposium, Frankfurt, 1988 . Berlin: de Gruyter. 1989 (editor), The Encounter of Religions and Quasi-Religions by Paul Tillich (Volume 37 in the series Toronto Studies in Theology). Lampeter: Edwin Mellen. 1990 ‘Religious Studies in the Universities: The Open University’, pp.57-66 in U. King (ed), Turning Points in Religious Studies: Essays in Honour of Geoffrey Parrinder , Edinburgh: T. & T. Clark. 1991 Entries, plus section editorship on Christianity, in J. Hinnells (ed.) Who’s Who of World Relig- ions. London: Macmillan. 1993c ‘Nature and Sacrament: an Analysis of Tillich’s thought from the perspective of the Scientific Study of Religions’, pp.42-57 in G. Hummel (ed.) Natural Theology versus Theology of Na- ture? Tillich’s Thinking as Impetus for a Discourse among Theology, Philosophy and Natural Sciences. Proceedings of IV International Paul Tillich Symposium, Frankfurt, 1992. Berlin: de Gruyter. 1993d Editor of Study of Religions section in J. Hinnells (ed), Revised Penguin Dictionary of Relig- ions 1995a ‘Convergence and Divergence in a Plural World’, pp.18-42 in F. Parrella (ed.) Paul Tillich’s Theological Legacy: Spirit and Community. International Paul Tillich Conference, New Har- mony, June 1993 . Berlin: de Gruyter. 1995b ‘Paul Tillich and Mircea Eliade and their use of Paradox’, pp.242-263 in G. Hummel (ed.), The Theological Paradox: Interdisciplinary Reflections on the Centre of Paul Tillich’s Thought. Proceedings of the V International Paul Tillich Symposium, Frankfurt, 1994 , Berlin: de Gruyter. 1995c ‘The Sacred as a Viable Concept in the Contemporary Study of Religions’, British Association for the Study of Religions Occasional Paper 13. Leeds: University of Leeds (reprinted pp.47-66 in S. Sutcliffe (ed.) 2004, Religion: Empirical Studies , Aldershot: Ashgate). 1995d with Elizabeth Manning ‘The Iconic Function of Music’ in D.Brown and A.Loades (eds.) The Sense ofthe Sacramental . London: SPCK, pp.159-171. 1999 Paul Tillich and World Religions , Cardiff: Cardiff Academic Press (revised version of PhD thesis submitted to University of Nottingham in 1982 under the title ‘Paul Tillich and World Religions: A Study of Paul Tillich’s Thought on Inter-Religious Encounter and Dialogue’).

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2000 ‘Political Motivations in the Development of the Academic Study of Religions in Britain’, pp.74- 90 in A. Geertz and R. McCutcheon (eds.) Perspectives on Method and Theory in the Study of Religion: Adjunct Proceedings of the XVIIth Congress of the International Association for the History of Religions, Mexico City 1995 (collection also published as Method and Theory in the Study of Religion 12/1-2).

PETER B CLARKE (1940-2011)

Members may by now have heard that different contexts across the globe. All Professor Peter Clarke died at the end of these interests are reflected in Peter’s nu- June this year. His death came suddenly merous publications and the doctoral the- and unexpectedly. The funeral took place ses he supervised. They also involved him on 7 July 2011 in the chapel of Blackfriars in a wide international network of (direct in Oxford, followed by the burial in Wolver- and indirect) contacts and colleagues, of cote cemetery, with Peter’s family and which many a reader of the Journal of many of his friends and colleagues pre- Contemporary Religion and also the BASR sent. Bulletin formed a part. Peter’s connections truly spanned the globe, from Europe, the Peter founded the Journal of Contempo- US, and Canada to South America (Brazil), rary Religion in 1985 as Religion Today: A Africa, and the Far East (Japan, Taiwan). Journal of Contemporary Religion , as part As one colleague commented, Peter was of the Centre for New Religions which he ‘at home in pretty well any culture’. In order had created at King’s College London. This to both reflect on and celebrate Peter’s life was one of the many initiatives which Peter and achievements, there will be a memo- launched besides teaching and lecturing in rial service at King’s College London later Anthropology and Sociology of Religion at this year. King’s from 1994. After he had retired early in 2003, Peter was attached to the Faculty While we are learning to come to terms of Theology at the University of Oxford in with Peter’s absence and its implications, his home city. He continued to pursue ex- we can take both comfort and example of isting research interests and added new his intention of ‘not doing good in general, ones, which often involved extensive trips but doing good in minute particulars’—a to far-flung destinations. paraphrase of a quote by William Blake Peter once cited—from which many of us Peter’s research interests ranged widely, have benefited. including Islam, African religions, African- American religion, new religious move- Elisabeth Arweck ments, Japanese religions, religions in Bra- zil (Candomblé), and their expressions in

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BOOK REVIEWS

Book Reviews in an elegant style that draws upon both histori- Andrew D Chumbley, Opuscula Magica Vol- cal cunning craft (for example see the various ume 1: Essays on Witchcraft and the Sabbatic valuable works by Prof Owen Davies) the 20th Tradition, Richmond, Calif; Three Hands Press, century sorceries of Austin Osman Spare, ele- 2010. 150 pp hardback, illustrated. ments from Sufism and much more besides. It is a most compelling mix for the reader, regard- Graham King & Daniel Schulke (Eds), The less of their orientation towards the material. A Occult Reliquary: images and artefacts of the sympathetic and informative introduction by Richel-Eldermans Collection, Richmond, Calif; Daniel Schulke sets up this collection beauti- Three Hands Press, 2010. 229 pp large format fully. hardback This book is obviously of relevance to histori- ans and anthropologists of religion and magic Alison Butler, Victorian occultism and the mak- and lay readers with interests in magic. The ing of modern magic- invoking tradition, Lon- level will be of use be scholars from under- don/New York, Palgrave MacMillan, (Palgrave graduate to Professorial, and intelligent lay Historical Studies in Witchcraft and Magic Se- readers alike, and the publishers and editor are ries) 2011. 225 pp, index, bibliography. Hard- to be congratulated for assembling a crossover back volume from a very exclusive set of material. Highly recommended for anyone researching Scholars of modern occultism should need no modern magic/occultism, and particularly inter- introduction to the work of the late Andrew esting for anyone working on studies of the Chumbley, since he was a public and “self- practitioner/academic interface. outed” member of that increasing group of aca- demics who both study esoteric subjects and The author and magician Daniel Schulke pro- are practitioners. Andrew was partway through vides a foreword, and Graham King an intro- studying a Ph.D. in London (on Greek magic) duction to The Occult Reliquary . Those five or and was the longtime Magister (Head) of the six pages are largely the only text in what is an Cultus Sabbatai ; a small but influential collec- astonishing collection of images. The text gives tion of traditional and hereditary witchcraft a brief history of how the collection was ac- groups who claim a lineage which predated the quired, and some comments on what its place modern "Gardnerian” (and associated) strands in modern magic may be. What that place actu- of Wicca. Andrew tragically died of complica- ally is, is left up to the reader. This collection is tions following a severe asthma attack in 2004. as yet only slightly researched, so we don't yet Since his Ph.D. was unfinished, the majority of know what it is. What we do know is that it is his published works are written from a practitio- enormously significant for the history of Euro- ner perspective. However, as is often the case, pean occultism, 20th-century politics and roy- the lines between the two disciplines and ap- alty, and the broader cultural history of the pe- proaches are mobile, blurred and at best indis- riod. tinct. So, what is actually in the collection? A mix of Chapters include material on the analysis of text, objects/artefacts, over 2000 examples of what magic is, the importance of initiation and sexual/magical imagery, hundreds of as yet how it can occur, textual transmission of magi- undecipherable sigils, and a large number of cal material and the differences between self- what appear to be stylised draughtsman-type taught and group-taught magicians, presented drawings of temple apparatus, furniture, and

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possibly "choreography" of ritual practices. It the tension between the (then) "new sci- appears to be part of a complicated manual of ence" and the Golden Dawn’s seemingly neo-Masonic sex magic for group work. The retrogressive resurrection of magical meth- nature of this ritual material, the geographical ods which were in some cases centuries location, and the time period (early- to mid-20th old, and were often claimed to be far, far century) do not fit any known magical group, let older. Many rites were based on an inter- alone one with a membership who seemed to pretation of Egyptian magic that owed as include very powerful people in the wider world. much to the order members’ ad hoc re- It is probably a deliberate editorial act that the search work in the British Museum as it did print run of this book is less than 1100 (each to pure speculation and drama. The book copy is numbered) since the material is para- also covers the complicated personal rela- doxically both specialised, but (in terms of im- tionships, schisms, reformations and politi- agery and artistry) will be sought-after. The cal battles which beset the brief history of production values are high, with vivid printing this influential magical group. It forges a on crisp and high-quality paper- anyone famil- thorough and careful examination of the iar with the breathtaking output of Fulgur Ltd historical background of all of this, without (for example works by and about Austin Os- becoming lost in ephemeral side issues. man Spare’s art) will not be let down by the If I have to find faults with this book, there standards of reproduction, design and presen- are two, and neither is about the scholar- tation here, which is high praise. ship. The first is that some photographs of The book, being primarily image-based will be the people under discussion, the locations, of use be scholars from undergraduate to Pro- regalia, and temples would have assisted in fessorial .Highly recommended for anyone re- forming the picture that the narrative paints, searching modern magic/occultism, and par- however this may well have been a produc- ticularly interesting for anyone working on art tion economics issue. My second quibble is history, symbolism and the interface between aimed at the editing, which although highly politics and esotericism. skilful, has, I feel cut this book rather too The well-respected Palgrave Historical series short. I would happily have read a book up currently runs to almost a dozen titles, some to twice the length, which is not so much a being “in progress”. This volume, Victorian oc- problem than an indication that I felt there cultism and the Making of Modern Magic, is was far more material available that I would based on the doctoral thesis which Canadian have wanted to read. researcher Alison Butler undertook a few years This fine book is obviously of relevance to ago at Bristol University in the UK. The book historians and anthropologists of religion, covers the intersection of science, magic and historians of the philosophy of science, Vic- religion towards the end of the Victorian era, in torianists, and lay readers with interests in both Britain and France. It is particularly fo- magic and Freemasonry. The appeal and cused on the Hermetic Order of the Golden relevance of this book will be to scholars Dawn, the famous group who spawned many (from undergraduate to Professorial) and notable magicians and who are massively influ- intelligent lay readers alike, and Dr Butler ential even to the present day on modern oc- has considerably developed and encour- cult practices. The membership of the order aged research in the area, and the book is a reads like a Who's Who of society at the time, worthy addition to the series. including literary and theatrical figures, scien- tists, business people, dilettantes and the inde- pendently wealthy, leisured classes, who were Dave Evans Independent Scholar able to indulge interests in the exotic and the magical at that time. The text admirably covers

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MEMBERS’ RECENT PUBLICATIONS

Brodbeck, Simon ‘Ramayana ’, ‘ Bhagavad Gita ’, and ‘ Mahabharata ’. In Alf Hiltebeitel, ed.-in-chief, Oxford Bib- liographies Online: Hinduism . New York: Oxford University Press. 2011.

‘Sanskrit Epics: the Ramayana , Mahabharata and Harivamsha .’ In Jessica Frazier, ed., The Continuum Companion to Hindu Studies , pp. 83–99. London: Continuum. 2011.

‘Analytic and Synthetic Approaches in Light of the Critical Edition of the Mahabharata and Harivamsha .’ Journal of Vaishnava Studies 19.2, pp. 223–50. 2011.

The Mahabharata Patriline: Gender, Culture, and the Royal Hereditary . Farnham: Ashgate. 2009.

‘Husbands of Earth: Kshatriya s, Females, and Female Kshatriya s in the Striparvan of the Mahabharata .’ In Robert P. Goldman and Muneo Tokunaga, eds, Epic Undertakings: Pa- pers of the 12th World Sanskrit Conference, Vol. 2 , pp. 33–63. Delhi: Motilal Banarsidass. 2009.

‘The Bharadvaja Pattern in the Mahabharata .’ In Petteri Koskikallio, ed., Parallels and Com- parisons: Proceedings of the Fourth Dubrovnik International Conference on the Sanskrit Epics and Puranas , pp. 137–79. Zagreb: Croatian Academy of Sciences and Arts. 2009.

‘Janamejaya’s Big Brother: New Light on the Mahabharata ’s Frame Story.’ Religions of South Asia 2.2 (for 2008), pp.161–76. 2009.

Chryssides, George D. Christianity Today. London: Continuum. 2010

‘‘How Prophecy Succeeds: Jehovah’s Witnesses and Prophetic Expectations’. Interna- tional Journal for the Study of New Religions. Vol.1.1, Spring, pp.27-48. 2010

‘Transcultural migration and new religious movements: a case study of Vipassana’. In Rigal-Cellard, Bernadette (ed.) Religions et Mondialisation: Exils, Expansions, Résis- tances. Bordeaux: Presses Universitaires de Bordeaux; pp.281-290. 2010

‘Jehovah’s Multinational Organization: Globalization, Theocracy and Jehovah’s Wit- nesses’. In Rigal-Cellard, Bernadette (ed.) Religions et Mondialisation: Exils, Expan- sions, Résistances. Bordeaux: Presses Universitaires de Bordeaux; pp.199-207. 2010.

‘“They keep changing the dates”: The Jehovah’s Witnesses’ Changing Chronology’. CESNUR Library Texts and Documents Cyber-proceedings of International Confer- ence organized by CESNUR, Italian Association of Sociology (AIS) Sociology of Relig- ions Section, and the School of Political Science, University of Torino, 9-11 September 2010. Located at www.cesnur.org/2010/to-chryssides.htm Reproduced in Spero News at URL: www.speroforum.com/a/40147/Jehovahs-Witnesses-Changing- Chronology 21 September 2010 The Daily Estimate at URL: www.dailyestimate.com/ print.asp?idarticle=40147 2010

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‘Christians’; in Harvey, Graham (ed.) (2009). Religions in Focus: New Approaches to Tradi- tion and Contemporary Practices. London and Oakville CT: Equinox, pp.273-294. 2009.

‘The Unification Church’; in Neusner, J. (2009). World Religions in America , 4 ed. Louisville, KY: Westminster John Knox Press, pp. 353-374. 2009.

‘Remembering the Future: A Case Study of the Jehovah’s Witnesses’ Memo- rial’. Diskus , Vol.10. Accessible online at www.basr.ac.uk/diskus/diskus10/ chryssides.htm 2009

Gabriel, Theodore Playing God; Belief and Ritual in the Muttappan Cult of North Malabar , Equinox 2010

(Co-Editor with Rabiha Hannan), Islam and the Veil , Contiunuum Books, 2011

Geaves, Ron .A Islam Today . London: Continuum 2010

Abdullah Quilliam : The Life and Times of a Victorian Muslim . Leicester: Kube Press. 2010

‘Sikh Controversies concerning Punjabi Pilgrimage Sites used for Healing and Possession’ in Possession in South Asia , ed. Fabrizio Ferrari, London: Routledge. 2010

‘Teaching and researching Islam in the UK: The Contemporary Challenges’, Perspectives Vol.1 pp.6-11, Teaching Islamic Studies in Higher Education, HEA Islamic Studies Network 2010

‘Fatwa and Foreign Policy: New Models of Citizenship in an Emerging Age of Globalisation’ in Strangers, Aliens and Foreigners , ed Helen Vella Bonavita, .Interdisciplinary Press 2011

‘The Life and times of Abdullah Quilliam: British Foreign Policy, Muslim Loyalties and Con- temporary Resonances’ Arches Quarterly , Volume 4:8 Spring/Summer, pp.44-55. 2011

Gosling, David Darwin, Science and the Indian Tradition Delhi: ISPCK.2011

‘Responses to Darwin in the Religious Traditions’, in Zygon vol. 46, no. 2 June. 2011

Harris, Eliabeth J., ‘Le Dynamisme du non-attachment dans le bouddhisme theravada’ in La Chair et le Souffle , 6.1, 2011: pp. 45-54. 2011

‘Scriptural Reasoning or Symbiosis: Can an Asian paradigm have a message for Europe?’ in Cheetham, David, Ulrich Winkler, Oddbjorn Leirvik & Judith Gruber (eds.), Interreligious Hermeneutics in Pluralistic Europe: Between Texts and People (Currents of Encounter Vol. 40), Amsterdam & New York: Rodopi: pp. 83-101. 2011

‘Manipulating Meaning: Daniel John Gogerly’s Nineteenth Century Translations of the Theravāda Texts’ in Buddhist Studies Review 27.2: pp. 177-195. 2010

‘What Can Buddhism Offer the Struggle for Human Rights?’ in Dialogue (Colombo), New Series 2008-9: pp. 137-159 2009.

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Nesbitt, Eleanor (with E. Arweck) ‘’Religious Education in the Experience of Young People from Mixed-Faith Families’, British Journal of Religious Education , 33 (1) 31-46. 2011

‘Transformation through Encounter?’ Universalist , 92, June, 20-28. 2011

(co-ed Ian Florance) ‘Gemini Four’, London: Only Connect (poems by Ian Florance, Jane Hitchcot, Eleanor Nesbitt, Rowan Williams, John-David Yule). 2011

(with E. Arweck) ‘Young People’s Identity Formation in Mixed-Faith Families’: Continuity or Discontiunity of Religious Tradition?’ Journal of Contemporary Religion , 25, 1, January, 67- 87. 2010

‘Interrogating the Experience of Quaker Scholars in Hindu and Sikh Studies: Spiritual Jour- neying and Academic Engagement’, Quaker Studies , 14, 2. 2010

(with E. Arweck) ‘Close Encounters? The Intersection of Faith and Ethnicity in Mixed-Faith Families’, Journal of Beliefs and Values , 31, 1, 39-52. 2010

(with E Arweck) ‘Issues Arising from an Ethnographic Investigation of the Religious Identity Formation of Young People in Mixed-Faith Families’, Fieldwork in Religion , 5 (1) 8-31. 2010

(with E. Arweck) ‘Plurality at Close Quarters: Mixed Faith Families in the UK’, Journal of Re- ligion in Europe , 3, 1-28. 2010

(with E. Arweck) ‘Growing Up in a Mixed-Faith Family: Intact or Fractured Chain of Mem- ory?’ In S. Collins-Mayo and P. Dandelion (eds) Religion and Youth , Aldershot, Ashgate, pp.167-74. 2010

(with D. Jakobsh) ‘Contextualising the Issues: Sikhism and Women’ in D. Jakobsh (ed.) Sikhism and Women , New Delhi, Oxford University Press,.pp. 1-39. 2010

‘Religious Education and Pupils from ‘Mixed-Faith’ Families’, REsource , 32, 3, 16-18. 2010

‘Research Report: Studying the Religious Socialization of Sikh and “Mixed-Faith” Youth in Britain: Contexts and Issues’, Journal of Religion in Europe , 2, 37-57. 2009

‘The Teacher of Religion as Ethnographer’ in P.B. Clarke (ed.) The Oxford Handbook of the Sociology of Religion , Oxford, Oxford University Press, pp 965-985. 2009

‘Hinduism in Punjab’ in K.A. Jacobsen (ed.) Encyclopaedia of Hinduism, volume 1, Leiden, Brill 2009

‘Building Interfaith Understanding: Quaker Testimonies in an Age of Diversity’, Friends Quarterly , 37, 1, 15-27. 2009

‘Of truth, teacups and wineglasses’, The Friend , 167 (46) 13. 2009

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GUIDELINES FOR BULLETIN CONTRIBUTORS

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We welcome, in particular, accounts of research in progress by post-graduate students, articles de- scribing RS at a particular location and reports of changes and movements.

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OCCASIONAL PAPERS

£3.00 each inc. p&p. Write, enclosing payment (cheques made out to BASR), to Helen Waterhouse, Arts Faculty, The Open University, Walton Hall, Milton Keynes, MK7 6AA or order from the BASR Web site.

1 Miranda Green, Women and Goddesses in the Celtic World , 1991 2 Christine Trevett, The Quaker Margaret Fell: Religion and Gender in a C17th Dissent- ing Group , 1991 3 Ann Bancroft, Hildegarde of Bingen to Meinrad Craighead , 1991 4 Julia Leslie, Religion, Gender and Dharma: The Case of the Widow Ascetic , 1991 5 Peter Antes, How to study religious experience in the traditions, 1992 6 Marion Bowman, Phenomenology, fieldwork and folk religion , 1992 7 George Chryssides, Unificationism: A study in religious syncretism , 1993 8 Michael Pye, Syncretism versus synthesis , 1993 9 Ria Kloppenberg, A Buddhist-Christian encounter in Sri Lanka: Pandura Vada , 1994 10 Peter Donovan, Maori rituals add magic to contemporary civic life , 1995 11 Ninian Smart, Sacred nationalism , 1995 12 W. S. F. Pickering, Locating the sacred: Durkheim and Otto , 1995 13 Terence Thomas, ‘The sacred’ as a viable concept in the contemporary study of relig- ions , 1995 (bound together with 12) 14 Margaret Chatterjee, Do we need authority in religious life? , 1996 15 Chris Arthur, Media, meaning, and method in the study of religion, 1996 16 Gerrie ter Haar, Chosen people: The concept of diaspora in the modern world , 1996 17 Richard Gombrich, Religious experience in early Buddhism , 1997 18 James Cox, Alterity as identity: Innovation in the Academic Study of Religions , 1998 19 Elizabeth Amoah, African spirituality and religious innovation , 1998 20 Ian Reader, Religion, conflict and the sacred mission: On understanding the violence of Aum Shinrikyo , 1999 21 Brian Bocking, Religious Studies: The New Queen of the Sciences , 2000 22 Kim Knott, The Sense and Nonsense of ‘Community’: A Consideration of Contemporary Debates about Community and Culture by a Scholar of Religion , 2002 23 Armin Geertz, Religion and Community in Indigenous Contexts , 2002 24 Guilia Sfameni Gasparro, Religion and Community in the Ancient World , 2002 25 Tariq Modood, Multiculturalism, Muslims and the British State , 2002 26 Rosalind Hackett, The Response of Scholars of Religion to Global Religious Violence , 2003 27. Ursula King, Cherished Memories, Fractured Identities and New Subjectivities: Cele brating Fifty Years of British Scholarship in Religious Studies , 2006.

Subsequent annual lectures are published in DISKUS http://www.basr.ac.uk/diskus/

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