Theology & Religious Studies Research

The lively research-orientated atmosphere of our department offers a stimulating environment for graduate research.

The department represents a broad range of overlapping research areas. Students can pursue traditional areas of study through Theology (Systematics; Philosophical Theology; Patristics and Medieval Theology; History of Christianity in the reformation and modern period; Biblical Theology, Ethics, Business Ethics, and Christianity and the Arts) and Biblical Studies (literary, ideological and theological approaches to the Hebrew Bible; Second Temple Judaism, gender and the Dead Sea Scrolls; New Testament studies, including biography, genre, environment and ethics). Central to our department too is the social scientific study of religion (anthropology, sociology, history and politics), together with philosophy of religion, the world of Jews in modern Europe, contemporary Islamic thought, and Chinese religions. Staff are engaged in research and publishing at the cutting edge of their areas, and several are involved in editing leading academic journals and monograph series.

Students pursue their research by working with a supervisor, and the department's graduate seminars and day conferences offer excellent opportunities for interaction with other staff and students, including the chance to try out research papers on a friendly audience. We pride ourselves on the quality of our research training at every level and the completion rates of our students are among the highest in the country.

You work with a supervisor, and our graduate seminars and day conferences offer excellent opportunities for interaction with other staff and students, and the chance to try out research papers in a friendly atmosphere.

Within the department you will have the opportunity to take part in the Biblical studies seminars, the research seminars in Social Scientific Study of Religion, and the Research Institute in Systematic Theology seminar programme of lectures, colloquia and seminars.