Biography
Ben Quash grew up in County Durham and Monmouthshire. He read English as an undergraduate at Cambridge, and then (as a second degree, whilst in training for ordination at Westcott House) theology. Doctoral work on the theological dramatic theory of Hans Urs von Balthasar combined these literary and theological interests. He was Chaplain and Fellow of Fitzwilliam College, Cambridge, and a lecturer in the Cambridge Theological Federation from 1996-1999, then returned to Peterhouse as Dean and Fellow until he came to King’s as Professor of Christianity and the Arts in 2007.
From 2004-2007 Ben Quash was also Academic Convenor of the Cambridge Inter-Faith Programme in the University of Cambridge’s Faculty of Divinity, developing research and public education programmes in Judaism, Christianity and Islam and their interrelations - and indulging a delight in Scriptural Reasoning.
Research interests and PhD supervision
- Theological aesthetics, with a particular interest in Hans Urs von Balthasar's work
- Literature, drama, the visual arts and music, in their intrinsic theological interest, as well as the way in which the arts can stimulate renewed theological engagement with the Bible
- Christian ethics, especially as shaped by liturgy and scripture
Ben Quash works principally in the area of Christian theology, with a longstanding interest in the 19th-century background to modern theology, 20th-century systematics, philosophical theology, and Christian ethics. His recent collaborations with Jewish and Muslim theologians have sharpened his interest in how Christian theology may be done exegetically as well as systematically, and he is increasingly fascinated by how the arts can play a part in renewing and refreshing theological engagement with the Bible. His present research and writing are focussed on this theme.
Ben welcomes enquiries from prospective research students, who would like to work with him on projects relating to his research interests.
For more details, please see his full research profile.
Teaching
Undergraduate
- 5AAT2045 Salvation and the City
Postgraduate
- 7AATC411 The Idea of Beauty in Western Theology
- 7AATC412 The Devotional Use of Art in Christianity
- 7AATC413 Art as a Theological Medium
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Quash, B., 2021, The Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church. Louth, A. (ed.). 4th ed. Oxford University Press Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding - Entry in encyclopedia/dictionary
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Quash, B., 2021, Transforming Christian Thought in the Visual Arts: Theology, Aesthetics and Practice. Beaumont, S. & Thiele, M. (eds.). Routledge, (Routledge Studies in Theology, Imagination, and the Arts). Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding - Chapter
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Quash, B., 2021, In : Modern Theology. Research output: Contribution to journal - Article
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Quash, J. B., 2020, Image as Theology (Arts and the Sacred Vol. 5) . McInroy, M., Strine, C. & Torrance, A. (eds.). Brepols Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding - Chapter
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Quash, J. B., 2020, The Cambridge Companion to the Gospels, 2nd ed.. Barton, S. (ed.). Cambridge University Press Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding - Chapter
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Hawkey, J., Quash, B. & White, V., 31 Jul 2019, Taylor and Francis Inc. 195 p. Research output: Book/Report - Book. DOIs: https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315585314
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Quash, J. B., 31 Jul 2019, God's Song and Music's Meanings: Theology, Liturgy, and Musicology in Dialogue. Quash, B., Hawkey, J. & White, V. (eds.). Routledge, p. 140-162 23 p. Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding - Chapter
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Quash, J. B. (ed.), White, V. (ed.) & Hawkey, J. (ed.), 2019, Routledge. Research output: Book/Report - Book
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Quash, J. B., 2019, A Cultural History of Tragedy in the Modern Age. Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding - Chapter
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Quash, B., 2019, Art and Theology in Ecumenical Perspective. Verdon, T. (ed.). La Mandragora Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding - Chapter