- Theological Ethics
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Time: Mondays, 15:00–17:00, starting 25 Sept
Location: Humanity Manse Seminar Room (G01), MS Teams
Chair: Prof. David Clough (david.clough@abdn.ac.uk)
The subject of the seminar will be readings from the works of James H. Cone. All readings are accessible online from the University of Aberdeen library.
Schedule
Date
Agenda
25 Sept
Black Theology and Black Power (1969), ch. I ‘Toward a Constructive Definition of Black Power’ (pp. 24–49)
2 Oct
A Black Theology of Liberation (1970), ch. 2 ‘The Sources and Norm of Black Theology’ (pp. 44–62)
9 Oct
A Black Theology of Liberation (1970), ch. 7 ‘Church, World, and Eschatology in Black Theology’ (pp. 152–165)
16 Oct
no meeting
23 Oct
God of the Oppressed (1975), ch. 6 ‘Who is Jesus Christ for us today?’ (pp. 122–149)
30 Oct
God of the Oppressed (1975), ch. 9 ‘Liberation and the Christian Ethic’ (pp. 202–229)
6 Nov
For My People: Black Theology and the Black Church (1981), ch. VI ‘Black Theology, Black Churches, and Black Women’ (pp. 137–154)
13 Nov
The Cross and the Lynching Tree (2011), ch. 3 ‘Bearing the Cross and Staring Down the Lynching Tree: Martin Luther King Jr.’s Struggle to Redeem the Soul of America’
20 Nov
no meeting
27 Nov
The Cross and the Lynching Tree (2011), ch. 5 ‘”Oh Mary, Don’t You Weep”
4 Dec
Guest Lecture: Prof. Luke Bretherton, Duke Divinity School, ‘Political Theology as Testimony’
- Practical Theology
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Time: Wednesdays, times various (see below), starting 27 Sept
Location: various (see below)
Chair: Dr Emma Percy (emma.percy@abdn.ac.uk)
Our program features a combination of online guest presentations and in-person reading discussions. The reading discussion will consider selections from The Wiley Blackwell Companion to Theology and Qualitative Research.
Schedule
Date
Time, Location
Agenda
27 Sept
15:00–16:30, MS Teams
Dr Sharon Jagger, York St John University
4 Oct
14:00–15:30, Marshall Room
Reading discussion
11 Oct
15:00–16:30, MS Teams
Rev Dr Fiona Tweedie, Brendan Research and Church of Scotland
Red light, green light: combining data sources for congregational studies
18 Oct
14:00–15:30, Marshall Room
Reading discussion
25 Oct
15:00–16:30, MS Teams
Paula Duncan, University of Aberdeen
When Things Don’t Go to Plan: Revising my Methodology for Safer Research.
1 Nov
14:00–15:30, Marshall Room
Reading discussion
8 Nov
—
—
15 Nov
15:00–16:30, MS Teams
(hybrid, Humanity Manse)
Prof. Abby Day, Goldsmith University London
Baring Bodies, Baring Souls ...
22 Nov
15:00–16:30, MS Teams
Harry Gibbins, University of Aberdeen
Bigger On The Inside – Making the case for autistic-led Christian Ministry
29 Nov
14:00–15:30, Marshall Room
Reading discussion
6 Dec
15:00–16:30, MS Teams
Reflecting together on Qualitative and Quantitative Research methods
- Biblical Studies
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Time: Wednesdays/Thursdays, times various (see below), starting 21 Sept
Location: various (see below)
Chairs: Dr J Thomas Hewitt (jthomas.hewitt@abdn.ac.uk), Dr Katy Hockey
Our program features guest presentations on certain Wednesdays and reading discussions on certain Thursdays. All meetings will be hybrid. Meeting reminders will be emailed weekly to all Divinity PG students. Reading discussions will consider significant scholarship on ‘participation’. Readings will be available through this Leganto reading list, which will be published in due course.
Opening Lecture – Dr Mark Nanos - CANCELLED (to be rescheduled)
Schedule
Day, Date
Time, Location
Agenda
Wed, 20 Sept
15:00-16:30, Humanity Manse
Welcome Roundtable
Thurs, 28 Sept
15:00–17:00, A03 Crombie Halls
Reading: Adolf Deissmann
Wed, 4 Oct
15:00–16:30, Humanity Manse
Prof. Dr Sara Kipfer (Dortmund)
‘Horror Overwhelms Me’ (Ps 55:5): General Introduction into Concepts of Fear and Anxiety in the Hebrew BibleThurs, 12 Oct
15:00–17:00, A03 Crombie Halls
Reading: Albert Schweitzer
Wed, 18 Oct
15:00–16:30, Humanity Manse
Dr Brandon M. Hurlbert (Durham)
The Soldier’s Prayer: Psalm 91 as Christian Scripture during the War on Terror—
—
—
Thurs, 2 Nov
15:00–17:00, A03 Crombie Halls
Reading: E. P. Sanders
Wed, 8 Nov
15:00–16:30, Humanity Manse
Dr Annalisa Phillips Wilson (Cambridge)
‘Have and Have Not’: 1 Corinthians 7 and MarriageThurs, 16 Nov
15:00–17:00, A03 Crombie Halls
Reading: Michael Gorman
—
—
—
Thurs, 30 Nov
15:00–17:00, A03 Crombie Halls
Reading: Susan Eastman, Teresa Morgan
- Systematic Theology
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Time: Thursdays, 15:30–17:00, starting 21 Sept
Location: Humanity Manse Seminar Room (G01), MS Teams
Chairs: Dr Daniel Pedersen (daniel.pedersen@abdn.ac.uk), Dr Nicola Whyte
In our seminar this year we will be reading the entirety of Friedrich Schleiermacher’s dogmatics, The Christian Faith, widely regarded as one of the most important works of theology ever written. Whether one agrees or disagrees with Schleiermacher in whole or in part, it is essential reading for understanding theology thereafter and its constructive influence and promise lives on to this day. We will begin by reading roughly the first half of The Christian Faith this autumn, and then read the remainder in the spring.
Required Text: Friedrich Schleiermacher, The Christian Faith (either translation); Optional Text: Friedrich Schleiermacher, Christmas Eve Celebration: A Dialogue (the translation by Terrance Tice is best). Texts available from Blackwell’s on the High Street (with a 15% discount) or from other quality booksellers.
Each week (after the meeting) two students will be asked to start the discussion by each summarizing half of the reading in a paragraph of 350 words or less, and afterwards highlighting one key passage, and asking one question. Other participants are asked to bring questions and highlight passages also. As usual, we will continue our discussion afterwards at the pub. The first half-session of the seminar will conclude with an optional in-person Christmas party at which we will discuss Schleiermacher’s Christmas Eve Dialogue. Please read that work when you can throughout the term in anticipation of the party.
Schedule
Date
Agenda
21 Sept
Christian Faith (CF) §§ 1–7
28 Sept
CF §§ 8–14
5 Oct
CF §§ 15–31
12 Oct
CF §§ 32–45
19 Oct
CF §§ 46–49
26 Oct
Reading/Break week
2 Nov
CF §§ 50–56
9 Nov
CF §§ 57–61
16 Nov
CF §§ 62–72
23 Nov
No seminar this week
30 Nov
CF §§ 73–85
1 Dec
Christmas Eve Dialogue Party
- Historical Theology
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Time: Fridays, 14:00–16:00, starting 29 Sept
Location: KCT4, MS Teams
Chair: Rev. Prof. John Behr (john.behr@abdn.ac.uk)
The Historical Theology Seminar this year will be on Irenaeus of Lyons (and second-century context), focussing on a close reading of the whole of Against the Heresies and the Demonstration of the Apostolic Preaching.
There will be a Teams page for this, where material will be posted. Please email John Behr (john.behr@abdn.ac.uk), copying Sophia Theodoratos (s.theodoratos.20@abdn.ac.uk), if you would like participate.
- Religious Studies
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Chair: Dr Samantha Newington (s.newington@abdn.ac.uk)
Research Series
Sam Newington (Aberdeen), Medea: ancient and modern receptions
Tuesday, 3 Oct, 17:30Dr Alex Imrie (Edinburgh), Religion and the Severan Dynasty,
TBC, November, 17:30Both events will take place via Teams, please do not hesitate to contact Sam Newington for further details.
Reading the Past Series
This semester Sam Newington shall be running a Reading the Past series, where we shall explore ancient Greek and Latin texts. For the Greek reading group, we will look at Homer's Iliad 22 and we will continue with the epic tradition for the Latin with Virgil's Aeneid. The reading groups are a blend of language, grammar and commentary, not to mention absolute fun and delight! If you would like to explore these texts – there is no prerequisite language requirement, please feel most welcome! Here are the details for each reading group:
Reading Latin (Virgil, Aeneid)
Fridays, 10:00–11:00, starting 29 SeptReading Homer (Iliad 22)
Fridays, 11:15–12:15, starting 29 SeptBoth events will take place via Teams, please do not hesitate to contact Sam Newington for further details.