NEW COLLEGE MAGAZINE2019
“A VERY BRITISH TOUR-DE-FORCE” Miles Jupp Comedian, actor and alumnus P10
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NEW COLLEGE NEWS HISTORY MAKERS YOUR NEWS Stories from around the School P4 A landmark year for women P7 Alumni updates P14 NEW COLLEGE 2019
EDITOR’S NOTE
School of Divinity, University of Edinburgh, Mound Place, Edinburgh EH1 2LX.
Tel: +44 131 650 8959 Email: [email protected] Website www.ed.ac.uk/divinity Facebook.com/SchoolOfDivinityEdinburgh Twitter.com/SchoolofDiv Welcome to New College, the School of Divinity’s annual © The University of Edinburgh March 2019. No part of this publication may be reproduced in magazine, formerly known as the Bulletin. I am honoured to any form without prior written consent. The views follow Emeritus Professor Larry Hurtado as editor. We are expressed are those of the contributors and do indebted to him for his contributions over a number of years, not necessarily represent those of the School and wish him well in his retirement. 2 of Divinity, New College or the University of Edinburgh. In these pages, you will find a window into an energetic, Change of address? engaging community of scholarship, already looking forward If you have changed address, please let us to its 175th year (see p 5). know. Contact the University’s Development and Alumni office on +44 (0)131 650 2240 or email This year’s magazine includes a lead article on our alumnus [email protected] Miles Jupp (MA Divinity, 2005), whose path, post-New The University of Edinburgh is a charitable body College, has taken him to radio, television, and more recently, registered in Scotland, with registration number Hollywood. Our coverage of the School’s first female Head SC005336. of School (Professor Helen Bond) charts history in the making. Alongside this, our features on two of the School’s most exciting growth areas – Christian-Muslim Relations, and Science and Religion – show us New College at its very best, as our staff and students make a unique contribution to some of the greatest questions posed by our (politically and culturally) unsettled age.
We are pleased to present news of academic awards, new PRIVACY STATEMENT appointments, book releases, graduate successes, and All personal information is held securely by the University much more. And of course, we are always glad to hear from and in accordance with Data Protection Law. The data we hold will be used by the University, or other parties you about developments in your career and life. acting under the instructions of the University, for a range of activities. These include sending publications. If you’d like to find out more, you can view our full privacy notice This is New College. on the University’s website www.ed.ac.uk/development- alumni/privacy. Dr James Eglinton Email: [email protected]
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CONTENTS
New College news 4 Guiding a global conversation 12 3 60 second interview: Alex Chow 6 Alumni updates 14 History makers 7 New staff 18 Religion in a scientific world and Reading matters 19 science in a religious world 8 Attracting the brightest and best 20 Miles Jupp 10
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University of Edinburgh School of Divinity www.ed.ac.uk/divinity NEW COLLEGE 2019
NEW COLLEGE NEWS
Divinity achieves Athena SWAN Silver Award In the same year that Professor Helen Bond became the first female Head of Divinity (see p 7), and the Church of Scotland celebrated 50 years of female ministers, the School became the first Theology and Religious Studies department in the UK to achieve an Athena SWAN Silver award, after securing the first Bronze in 2014. Athena SWAN recognises commitment to advancing the careers of women in higher education and research. The bid was submitted 4 by the Equality and Diversity (E&D) Committee, led at the time by Dr Naomi Appleton (pictured front left).
Photo: Suzanne Heffron.
Winning research grants Professor Mona Siddiqui received $338,671 (nearly £265,000) from the Issachar Fund for a theological, philosophical and political exploration of the theme of gratitude in Christianity and Islam.
Dr Arkotong Longkumer received a Leverhulme Research Grant for £259,256 for a project entitled: ‘Gurus, anti-gurus, and media in North India’, with a colleague in the School of Social and Political Science. Change of role for David Fergusson After 10 years as Principal of New College, Professor Dr Mark Harris was awarded £117k from the Issachar David Fergusson has handed the role over to Fund to write a monograph and organise a series of Professor Susan Hardman Moore. “I’m looking workshops about the ‘Theology of the Quantum World.’ forward to continuing as Professor of Divinity,” he told us. “I enjoy teaching, research and the supervision Dr David Grumett received a £112k share of a grant of doctoral students as much as ever. In the medium from the Arts and Humanities Research Council term, I also plan to write a one-volume systematic (AHRC) to look at the Christian ethics of farmed theology and I’m co-editing a three-volume History animal welfare, in collaboration with the University of Scottish Theology, due to be published by Oxford of Chester. University Press in 2019/20.”
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research students, as a successful teacher, and for his exercise of leadership both in his home university department and internationally.”
175th anniversary On 3 June 1846, Rev Dr Thomas Chalmers laid the foundation stone for New College on the Mound. Now the School is looking forward to 2021, when we will celebrate our 175th anniversary. Planning will start this summer. What events or activities would you like to see? What part can you play? Please let us know! Email: [email protected] Ground breaking: Emmanuel Kwame Tettey In November, Emmanuel Kwame Tettey became Jewish Lives, Scottish Spaces the first student to graduate from the University of Dr Hannah Holtschneider’s three-year AHRC Edinburgh with a Masters degree by research in research project has produced a series of three- Islamic Studies and Christian-Muslim Relations. minute films, each focusing on a 19th or 20th century His research supervisor, Dr Joshua Ralston, said, Jewish immigrant to Scotland. ‘Points of arrival’ tells “Emmanuel’s dissertation on the National Office of the stories of Isaac Hirshow (1883-1956), Annie the Chief Imam in Ghana received first class Lindey (1886-1953), Hilda Goldwag (1912-2008), honours and was lauded by the external examiner Henry Wuga (born 1924) and Dorrith Sim as a particularly interesting and ground-breaking (1931-2012). piece of research.” 5 Armistice 100 RSE recognition for Matt Novenson The front of New College was bathed in red light The Royal Society of Edinburgh (RSE) awarded the for Armistice Day, 11 November 2018, as part Thomas Reid Medal to senior lecturer Dr Matthew of PoppyScotland’s ‘Light Up Red’ campaign to Novenson “for his outstanding research work on commemorate the centenary of the ending of early Christianity and his strengths as a supervisor of World War 1.
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60 SECOND INTERVIEW
What kind of undergraduate were you? As a typical Chinese American, I studied engineering. During my four years of undergraduate studies, I only wrote two essays!
Why did you move to the University of Edinburgh? The air is cleaner in Scotland than in Beijing where I was a postdoc. I also wanted to be part of its world- renowned Centre for the Study of World Christianity.
What’s the biggest misconception about your field? People often think World Christianity is entirely 6 about mission history. I don’t research missionaries, nor am I a historian. I am a theologian interested in non-Western expressions of Christian thought and practice.
Name a scholar you admire. Andrew Walls. Not only for his academic work, but also for his humility, humour, and love for his students. Dr Alexander Chow is Senior Lecturer in Theology and World Christianity. His What was the last book that made you think? recent book, Chinese Public Theology, was Jean-Marc Éla’s My Faith as an African. I was published by Oxford University Press (2018). impressed by the thoughtful ways he addressed theological questions which resonated with many Where were you born? of my own. I was born and raised in Los Angeles County in the 1970s, to ethnic Chinese parents who emigrated from their country of birth, then known as Burma, in the How would you like to be remembered? midst of anti-Chinese riots. As a person who truly cared for others – family and friends, students and colleagues, neighbours and strangers. How has this shaped who you are? I have always known myself to be a minority. In my youth, I wanted to reject my Chineseness and be ‘white’. Only as an adult have I begun to appreciate who I am and what my parents have given me.
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HISTORY
MAKERS 7
It has been a landmark year for women at For Professor Hardman Moore, being Principal New College. In August, Professor Helen of New College is an opportunity to serve New Bond became the first female Head of the College, the School and the Church of Scotland School and Professor Susan Hardman by making teaching and research more accessible to the public, offering continuing professional Moore became Principal of New College. development for ministers and developing Professor Bond told us: “Being the first female Head outreach events to interest a wide range of the School of Divinity is a great opportunity. The of people. School is in very good shape in terms of research rating and student satisfaction. We ranked 1st in Shaping the future Scotland and 4th in the UK for Theology and Religious “We’re at a critical point in terms of shaping the Studies in the most recent Research Excellence ministry of the future,” says Professor Hardman Framework (REF 2014) assessment based on the Moore. “A lot of thought needs to go into how best quality and volume of our research, and we achieved to equip the people of God – lay people as well as 92.5% student satisfaction in the latest national ministers – to engage with today’s society and to Student Survey (NSS 2018). live out their lives as disciples. I’d like to see New College develop its collaboration with the Church for training and supporting people in ministry.” As the new Head of School, my role is to make sure we remain at the forefront.
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RELIGION IN A SCIENTIFIC WORLD, AND SCIENCE IN A RELIGIOUS W O RLD
“I love the moment you get in a seminar when you explain something of fundamental importance in the science and theology discussion, and the lightbulb goes on in the student’s eyes.” So speaks Dr Mark Harris, Senior Lecturer in Theology and Science – and a scholar active in both physics 8 and theology.
Last year, the scale of his Since then, Dr Harris has The questions that drive this field contribution to the study of science published ground-breaking work lie at the heart of modern thinking, and religion was recognised in on novel magnetic materials and address a basic tension in our the award of the Boyle Medal. The in Nature Physics, and was polarised age: is there a place for most prestigious prize in his field, awarded £128,000 by the religion in a scientific world, and its recent winners include John Issachar Foundation for a conversely, is there a place for Polkinghorne, Sarah Coakley, and two-year project on ‘Theology science in a religious world? Jürgen Moltmann. of the Quantum World.’ Those questions are explored in diverse ways by a range of New College faculty members. Dr Sarah Lane Ritchie, a newly appointed Lecturer in Theology and Science, studies the relationship between religion and cognitive neuroscience. Dr Michael Fuller, Senior Teaching Fellow, researches theology in relation to Big Data. Training future pioneers Under their tutelage, a large group of postgraduate students push the boundaries of their discipline ever further forward.
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RELIGION IN A SCIENTIFIC WORLD, AND SCIENCE IN A RELIGIOUS W O RLD
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Describing the ongoing success “Now, to pursue doctoral fellowship at the University of St of the School’s MSc in Science research, I chose it because Andrews before her recent return and Religion, Dr Harris notes, I know the School, its staff to Edinburgh, Joanna Leidenhag “We’ve trained some 60 students (academic and non-academic) is currently a postdoctoral fellow at to Masters level, of whom a third and particularly my supervisor Dr the University of St Andrews, and have gone on to do PhDs.” Mark Harris, and the availability of Dr Jang is a chaplain to Myongji generous funding. Having other University in his native South Korea. One of these is Esgrid Sikahall friends returning as well for their Urízar, winner of a Principal’s More recently still, Theology in doctoral studies underscores the Career Development Scholarship. Scotland’s 2018 Fraser Essay excellence of the staff.” Esgrid taught mathematics at competition was won by James a Guatemalan university for five Prize winning scholars Thieke – a New College PhD years before moving to Edinburgh. student working on religion and The impact of New College’s developmental psychology. “My PhD topic is A Hermeneutical science and religion postgraduates Approach to Science and Religion,” on their field is striking. Scholars Having experienced New College he says. “I’m working on Hans- trained here – Jaeho Jang, Joanna as a student and now as a lecturer, Georg Gadamer’s hermeneutics Leidenhag, and Sarah Lane Ritchie Dr Lane Ritchie remains enthused: in relation to the ideal of scientific – took a clean sweep of academic “The community offers objectivity in order to explore how prizes at the 2018 European an environment where no this can be interpreted in the field. Society for the Study of Science question is off limits, no answer and Theology in Lyon, France. “Originally, I chose New College predetermined, and that insists on for the MSc because of the nature Since then, all three have continued a rigorous, critical engagement of the programme,” he continues. to flourish: Dr Lane Ritchie was with the natural sciences, religion, appointed to a postdoctoral and philosophy.”
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“A VERY BRITISH TOUR-DE-FORCE” MILES JUPP
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I’ve got to keep myself quite fit too, tediously. Photographs by Steve Ullathorne.
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hile New Dad’s performing is obviously “I met my wife in Edinburgh too. That College’s rather less ego-driven than mine.” was the best and most life changing alumni make their Miles’ father, Rev Dr Peter Jupp, aspect of the whole thing.” mark on the world is an Honorary Fellow at in many different New College. The Life I Lead ways, few recent In the last two years Miles has graduates have done so as visibly “I spent a lot of time at The Stand, had a UK-wide theatre tour as comedian and actor Miles Jupp which led onto other things. I got (Songs of Freedom), published (MA Divinity, 2005). the chance to be on a TV show the childhood memoirs of his called The Live Floor Show when fictional celebrity food writer Having begun his career as part of I was in 3rd year, and then I did Damien Trench (Egg & Soldiers) the University’s Improverts comedy Balamory. and voiced Blackberry in the 2018 troupe at the Bedlam Theatre, Christmas special Watership Miles’ performances at The Stand “Balamory was made by the Down (BBC, Netflix). comedy club led to a breakthrough husband of a stand up poet that part on the CBeebies series gigged there a lot. If you’re into This spring, he has been touring Balamory – a role he played while your showbiz trivia, Frankie Boyle theatres in The Life I Lead, a play a student. used to cat sit for them.” by James Kettle, head writer on The News Quiz. Since then, the man described by Good atmosphere the Telegraph as “a very British Much has happened in the 19 “The Life I Lead is about David tour-de-force” has become a years since Miles arrived in Tomlinson who played Mr Banks regular fixture on radio (The News Edinburgh as a fresher. in Mary Poppins,” Miles explains. Quiz), television (Have I Got News “He had a difficult childhood, a 11 for You?, Rev, Watership Down), “I really did enjoy Professor tricky war, a tragic first marriage and cinema screens (Sherlock Fergusson’s lectures,” he recalls. and a very complicated family life. Holmes, The Monuments Men). “I remember him asking at the end of a lecture about Wittgenstein if “It’s a one man play, so that’s How did his degree figure in anybody had any questions. We rather tricky. It feels rather more his career plan? all sat there and no hands went pressured than doing a stand “I suppose I viewed my Divinity up and he just shrugged and said, up show because you’ve got to course as a sort of wide-ranging ‘Well, whereof one cannot speak get so many more things right. arts degree. It was a subject I one must be silent’. There’s a lot of line learning to be was interested in. I don’t think I done, reading about Tomlinson was ever a real trainee chaplain. “There was such a good and watching his films. I don’t Although when I did a Theology atmosphere at New College want to do an impression of him and Practice course one term, I and a real mix of people,” he but I want to capture his spirit and did spend an afternoon a week at recalls. “There were lots of mature lightness of touch. the Royal Edinburgh, wandering students too who’d actually done a around a ward wearing a badge bit of real living and lots of people “I’ve got to keep myself quite fit that said ‘chaplaincy student’ on it. from overseas. I liked that. too, tediously.”
“I was in some plays at school and “I made some really good and You can keep up to date with I got a real kick out of it. Because close friends at New College who Miles’ activities via his website my father is a clergyman – a I still see a lot of. We went out for www.milesjupp.co.uk United Reformed Church minister dinner recently and it was just like – public performance wasn’t too being in Rainy Hall. We just sat intimidating a prospect. there being rude about each other and laughing. Wonderful.
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GUIDING A GLOBAL CONVERSATION
In 2019, more than half of the and their political and social world’s 7.7 billion people are interactions today, take on a either Christian or Muslim – a striking importance. Through its combined majority that is forecast Christian-Muslim Studies Network to grow substantially in the – a project led by Dr Joshua coming decades. In that light, Ralston and Professor Mona conversations on the intellectual Siddiqui – New College plays a history of Christianity and Islam, unique role in enabling a deeper
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departments in a way that it wasn’t To enable their widespread 10 years ago. Philanthropists don’t dissemination, published give for no reason.” conference proceedings will appear in English and Arabic. Funding boost For Dr Ralston, the conferences’ In 2017 and 2018, Professor value is clear: Siddiqui was awarded research grants from the John Templeton “They aren’t a search for simplistic Foundation and Issachar Fund for agreement or intractable the revival of Islamic philosophy difference. The conferences bring alongside western philosophy and new angles to age-old questions a two-year project on the notion of in theology, philosophy, and gratitude in Christianity and Islam. religion by bringing together conversation partners who don’t The Christian-Muslim Studies normally meet.” Network is the fruit of a $425,000 grant from the Henry Luce Closer to home, the Network’s Foundation in 2017. Asked to activities play an increasingly describe what the Network has important role in New College’s achieved thus far, Dr Ralston community and curricula. Four points to its impact on previously faculty members are currently isolated pockets of interest in affiliated with the Network – the Christian-Muslim interaction Islamic Studies scholars Dr Abdul across the globe: 13 Rahman Mustafa and Dr Omar Anchassi, alongside Professor “In the past three years, Siddiqui and Dr Ralston – with a Edinburgh has become an fifth appointment to be made important hub connecting debates this summer. on Christianity and Islam that were taking place in the Middle East, Through a steady stream of Europe, and North America. In the guest lectures and symposia, past, those conversations were and with courses on Christian- siloed. Scholars in different parts Muslim interaction in high of the world weren’t talking to demand, conversations now each other.” beginning on the Mound look set to carry on across the scholarly appreciation of Christian International conferences globe – from Jakarta to Los and Muslim engagement across a Through a series of ground- Angeles – for years to come. range of disciplines. breaking international conferences, the Network has set about “In New College, Christian- transforming those fragmented In New College, Muslim studies has grown from a engagements. Following events Christian-Muslim studies single but very popular course to in Edinburgh (2017) and Beirut something major over the past few (February 2019), a diverse cast has grown from a single years,” says Professor Siddiqui. of Christian and Muslim scholars but very popular course to “It creates a space for intellectual will meet in Atlanta this October diversity, attracts funding, and for a conference on Islamic Law, something major over the it’s flourishing in academic Christian Ethics, and Social Action. past few years.
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ALUMNI UPDATES 14 Rev Rosie Addis Dr Kengo Akiyama Dr Tom Breimaier is Associate Rector at St John’s is now Lecturer in Biblical has recently been appointed Episcopal Church, Edinburgh. Hebrew, University of California, Lecturer in Church History at Davis. New book: The Love of Spurgeon’s College, London. Neighbour in Ancient Judaism (Leiden: Brill, 2018). Rev Dr Cory Brock is Associate Pastor of First Prof James N. Anderson Presbyterian Church (PCA) in was promoted to Professor of Jackson, Mississippi, and Adjunct Theology and Philosophy at Faculty at Belhaven University. Reformed Theological Seminary New book with Nathaniel Gray (RTS) Charlotte, North Carolina, Sutanto, eds., Herman Bavinck, June 2018. Philosophy of Revelation: A New Annotated Edition (Peabody: Prof Graeme Auld Hendrickson, 2018). former Principal of New College, has spent much of his ‘retirement’ Dr Heidi Campbell travelling, enjoying visits to has been promoted to Professor Jerusalem, Australia, India and Sri of Communication at Texas A&M Rev Dr Sarah Agnew Lanka, Russia and the northern University. She won the Scholar of serves as Minister of the Word at Baltic, parts of central Europe, the Year Award from the Religious Canberra Uniting Church Parish, and Morocco. He continues his Communication Association in 2017. Canberra, Australia, and an academic writing, despite the adjunct faculty member at Charles distractions of grandchildren, Dr Bernardo Cho Sturt University. dogs, hens, sheep, a goose, and is Professor of New Testament, the protestations of his wife. Seminario Teologico Servo de Cristo in Sao Paulo, Brazil. New
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book: Royal Messianism and Professionals has been awarded Fellow at the British School in the Jerusalem Priesthood in the Oklahoma CareerTech’s first ever Rome, a Teaching Fellow in Late Gospel of Mark (London: T&T Advocate of Excellence Award for Roman History at the University Clark/Bloomsbury, 2019). his support of vocational teachers. of Edinburgh, and Barber Library Research Fellow at the University Dr Zachary Cole Dr Whitney Gamble of Durham. is Lecturer in Biblical Studies at is Associate Professor of Biblical Union Theological College, Belfast, and Theological Studies at Ross Jesmont and was previously teaching at Providence Christian College in is a PhD student and teaching Palm Beach Atlantic University in Pasadena, California. New book: assistant at Durham University. West Palm Beach, Florida. Christ and the Law: Antinomianism at the Westminster Assembly Prof Chris Keith Prof Emeritus Jim Cox (Grand Rapids: Reformation is Research Professor of New is working on a project around Heritage Books, 2018). Testament and Early Christianity at the ownership of Indigenous St Mary’s University, Twickenham. knowledge, funded by Western Rev Dr Grétar Gunnarsson Sydney University, which will is a Lutheran pastor in culminate in a consultation of Grafarvogskirkja, Iceland. international scholars in December 2019, with a larger symposium in Dr Theodora Hawksley September 2020. is a sister of the Congregation of Jesus. She is a theologian Dr Richard Davis specialising in peacebuilding and Senior Lecturer in Theology and Catholic Social Teaching. 15 Ethics at the Pacific Theological College in Fiji, is a member of the Rev Dr Frances Henderson Center for Theological Inquiry’s has been appointed Transition 2018-19 Research Workshop on Minister for the Presbytery of Religion and Violence, in Princeton. Shetland, Church of Scotland. Elena Dugan Dr Michael Heneise is a doctoral candidate in is now Associate Professor of Dr Matthew D Kim the Religions of the Ancient Indigenous Religions, Arctic is Associate Professor of Mediterranean, Princeton University. University of Norway, Tromsø. New Preaching and Ministry and book: Agency and Knowledge Director of Mentored Ministry Jamie Dumas in Northeast India: The Life and at Gordon-Conwell Theological is now a policy analyst at Homes Landscapes of Dreams (London: Seminary in South Hamilton, England. Routledge, 2018). Massachusetts. His book, Preaching with Cultural Rev Dr Liam Fraser Dr Elijah Hixson Intelligence: Understanding the is Edinburgh University Campus has been appointed Junior People Who Hear Our Sermons Minister for the Church of Research Associate at Tyndale (Baker Academic, 2017) was the Scotland. New book: Atheism, House, Cambridge. 2018 Preaching magazine Book Fundamentalism, and the of the Year. Protestant Reformation (Cambridge: Dr Matthew Hoskin Cambridge University Press, 2018). has been appointed Assistant Rev Dr Jean Kirkwood Professor of Latin Language and is Minister at Townhill and Kingseat Rev Dr Robert (Bob) Funk Literature at the University of British Parish, Dunfermline. The founder, President and Vice Columbia, Vancouver. Before this, Chairman of Express Employment he was a Ralegh Radford Rome
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Maryville, Tennessee. New book: Darwin in a New Key: Evolution and the Question of Value (Eugene: Cascade Books, 2016). Lizzy Murley is now doing Teach For All in London. Rev Dr Bruce Pass is Lecturer in Christian Thought and History at the Brisbane School of Theology.
Dr Andrew Kloes Dr Damon Lycourinos is a contract historical researcher has a new book out: Ritual at the Mandel Centre for Advanced Embodiment in Modern Western Holocaust Studies, at the United Magic: Becoming the Magician 16 States Holocaust Memorial (London: Routledge, 2018). Museum in Washington, DC. Before this, he was a postdoctoral Rev Michael Mair Amy Plender fellow at the University of has become a Padre for the has been a researcher for Manchester. New book: The Army’s 32 Signal Regiment the Theos think tank since German Awakening: Protestant in Glasgow. the completion of her MTh by Renewal after the Enlightenment, Research in Systematic Theology 1815-1848 (Oxford: Oxford Dr Janice McLean-Farrell in 2017. New book: After Grenfell: University Press, 2019). is Dirck Romeyn Assistant the Faith Groups’ Response Professor of Metro-Urban Ministry (London: Theos, 2018). at New Brunswick Theological Seminary. Dr Zachary Purvis has moved to the University of Prof Paul Middleton Wisconsin-Madison, where he is Professor of New Testament has been appointed Kingdon and Early Christianity at the Fellow at the Institute for Research University of Chester. New book: in the Humanities. This follows The Violence of the Lamb: Martyrs the completion of his three- as Agents of Divine Judgment in year Leverhulme Early Career the Book of Revelation (London: Fellowship here at New College. Bloomsbury/T&T Clark, 2018). Dr David Robertson Dr Felicity Loughlin Dr William (Bill) J Meyer is a Research Fellow in the has been appointed Lecturer is Professor of Philosophy and School of History, University of in Religious Studies at the the Ralph W. Beeson Professor St Andrews. Open University. of Religion at Maryville College in
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Rev Dr David Robinson Rev Colin Sinclair is Postdoctoral Fellow in Science is Moderator Designate of the and Theology at Regent College, General Assembly of the Church Vancouver. of Scotland 2019-20, and Minister of Palmerston Place Church, Dr Adam T Shreve Edinburgh. is a Senior UX Researcher at Zendrive. Rev Timothy Sinclair is Minister of Partick Trinity Church of Scotland, in Glasgow.
Dr Ryan Tafilowski Prof Andrew Finlay Walls is Associate Pastor of Foothills received our Honorary Degree of Fellowship Baptist Church in Doctor of Divinity in recognition of Denver, Colorado. his immense contribution to global religious scholarship. Dr Corey Williams is Assistant Professor of Anthropology and Global Dr Nathaniel Gray Sutanto Christianity at the University of is Theologian in Residence at Leiden. He has been given an Covenant City Church, Jakarta, AAR Collaborative International Indonesia, and Adjunct Lecturer at Research Grant Award to work 17 Westminster Theological Seminary, on ‘Transnational Pentecostalism Philadelphia. in the Age of #MeToo: Sexual Violence and Harassment From Rebecca Runesson Hannah Tulloch Lagos to Los Angeles.’ Sanfridsson (nee Codrington) is a doctoral student at the is Associate Director, Represent Dr Eric Lewis Williams Department for the Study of Comms, Edinburgh. is Curator of Religion at the Religion, University of Toronto. Smithsonian Institution, National Dr James T. Turner Museum of African American Prof Bill Shaw is Assistant Professor of History and Culture. New book, now retired, left New College Philosophy at Anderson co-ed with Frederick L. Ware in 1979 to become Professor University in Anderson, South and Antonia Michelle Daymond: of Divinity at St Mary’s College, Carolina. Before this, he was T&T Clark Companion to African University of St Andrews. He a postdoctoral fellow at Fuller American Theology (London: remained there until he retired in Theological Seminary. In 2018, Bloomsbury, 2019). 1993, having served as Principal he published his first monograph for five years. He was moderator of with Routledge Press, On the Rev Dr Alistair Wilson the Presbytery of St Andrews of the Resurrection of the Dead: A formerly Lecturer in New Testament Church of Scotland, was chairman New Metaphysics of Afterlife for at Highland Theological College, of the European Committee Christian Thought. has been appointed Lecturer in and served on the Executive New Testament and Mission at Committee of the World Alliance Edinburgh Theological Seminary. of Reformed Churches and was chaplain to the Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews.
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NEW STAFF Dr Omar Anchassi Dr Anchassi comes to New College from the University of Exeter, where he was a postdoctoral fellow. His academic expertise is on Islamic law as it relates to violence, gender, and sexuality. Dr Chris Clark Dr Clark has been appointed to a one-year post as Research Dr Suzanna Millar Assistant to Dr Naomi Appleton. Dr Russell Newton Dr Millar has been appointed to a He is working on the creation of Alumnus Dr Newton was three-year Teaching Fellowship in an online searchable database appointed to the Hope Trust Hebrew Bible. She was previously of Jataka stories in the texts and Postdoctoral Fellowship in a Teaching Fellow at the University art of South Asia, funded by Dr September 2018. An ecclesiastical of Leeds. Her doctorate was taken Appleton’s Philip Leverhulme Prize. historian, his previous degrees at the University of Cambridge. were all taken at the University of 18 Edinburgh: MA (Hons) in Religious Dr Sarah Lane Ritchie Studies (2011), MTh (2014), and Alumna Dr Lane Ritchie joined us PhD (2018). in September 2018 as Lecturer in Theology and Science. Before this, she was a postdoctoral Schools Outreach research fellow at the University of St Andrews. Her research Dr Naomi Appleton focuses on theology and cognitive has been appointed to the neuroscience. new role of Schools Outreach Officer. She will make links Dr Ulrich Schmiedel with local schools, arrange Dr Schmiedel has recently been Dr Alexander (Sandy) Forsyth visit days for pupils and host appointed Lecturer in Theology, Dr Forsyth joined us from the professional development Politics, and Ethics. A graduate University of Glasgow, where he events for local teachers. of the Universities of Glasgow was Tutor and Research Fellow and Oxford, he was previously in Practical Theology. Previously Lecturer in Systematic Theology a Hope Trust Postdoctoral Fellow at Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität at New College, he has rejoined München, Germany. the School as the T.F. Torrance Lecturer in Theology and Mission.
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READING MATTERS
RECENT BOOKS BY ACADEMIC STAFF AND *HONORARY FELLOWS
Naomi Appleton, and Peter Harvey, Buddhist Path, Fiction and Drama: Murderous Texts (London: T&T Buddhist Teachings: Studies in Memory of L.S. Clark/Bloomsbury, 2019) Cousins (Sheffield: Equinox, 2019) *Timothy Larsen, John Stuart Mill: A Secular Life 19 Stewart J. Brown, Charlotte Methuen, and Andrew (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2018) Spicer, eds. The Church and Empire (Cambridge: *Timothy Larsen, George MacDonald in the Age of Cambridge University Press, 2018) Miracles: Incarnation, Doubt and Reenchantment Simon Burton, Joshua Hollman, and Eric Parker, eds. (Downers Grove, Illinois: InterVarsity Press Academic, Nicholas of Cusa and the Making of the Early Modern 2018). World (Leiden: Brill, 2019) Laura Mair, Religion and Relationships in Ragged James Eglinton, Cory Brock, and Nathaniel Gray Schools: An Intimate History of Educating the Poor (London: Routledge, 2018) Sutanto, eds. and trs. Herman Bavinck, Christian Worldview (Wheaton: Crossway, 2019) Ulrich Schmiedel and Graeme Smith, eds. Religion in the European Migrant Crisis (London: Palgrave David Fergusson, The Providence of God: A Macmillan, 2018) Polyphonic Approach (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2018) Brian Stanley, Christianity in the David Fergusson, and Bruce McCormack, eds. Schools Twentieth Century: of Faith: Essays on Theology, Ethics and Education A World History in Honour of Iain R. Torrance (London: T&T Clark/ (Princeton: Princeton Bloomsbury, 2019) University Press, Alison Jack, The Prodigal Son in English and American 2018). Winner of a Literature (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2018) Christianity Today Alison Jack and Caroline Blyth, eds. The Bible in Crime 2019 Book Award of Merit in History.
University of Edinburgh School of Divinity www.ed.ac.uk/divinity ATTRACTING THE BRIGHTEST AND BEST On average around 50% of Divinity postgraduate students are awarded some level of scholarship funding, all based on academic merit.
Sophie Bayer Sophie, from Bavaria, was awarded the Astaire Ernst Levin Collection PhD Scholarship for research related to the archive of Dr Ernst Levin, who fled Nazi Germany. She is interested in the interwar period and German Exile in the 1930s and 40s. “The Ernst Levin Collection contains correspondence of this very time period,” she explains. “I am very excited to have the possibility of examining it.”
Matthew Baines Matthew, the first recipient of our Ruth Page Scholarship, is completing a Masters in preparation for a PhD on Francis Turretin’s doctrine of faith. Matthew worked full time while studying to secure a Bachelor of Commerce from the University of Sydney, before achieving a Bachelor of Divinity with 1st Class Honours from Moore Theological College.
Nuam Hatzaw Nuam holds a School of Divinity Research Scholarship. Her PhD examines Asian feminist theology from the standpoint of Zomi women in Chin State, Myanmar. “I am both academically and personally passionate about my research,” she enthuses. “I truly believe in doing theology that uplifts, gives life and makes a difference on the ground.”
Thank you for your support We are grateful to alumni such as the Rev Dr Norma P. Robertson who support our scholarships and all those who donate to the funds we have set up in honour of John Baillie, J.S. Stewart, T. F. Torrance, John McIntyre and Ruth Page. Donations can be made at www.ed.ac.uk/divinity/support or by contacting the Head of School.
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