Previous Seminars

Academic Year 2023-2024

Academic Year 2022-2023

Semester 1 Academic Year 2021-2022

Thursday 16 September 2021
“After Genocide, Materialistic Metaphysics and Empathic Cartographies at the Borders”
Professor Mario I. Aguilar (University of St. Andrews)

Thursday 23 September 2021
“Dismantling the White Surveillance Gaze”
Dr Eric Stoddart (University of St. Andrews)

Thursday 30 September 2021
“From Outcast to Arhat: the discussion of human dignity in the Buddhist Jātaka”
Patricia Palazzo Tsai (Methodist University of Sao Paulo, Brazil)

Thursday 7 October 2021
“Religious Studies and Theological Inquiry: Tensions and Complementarities”
Isaac Portilla (University of St. Andrews)

Thursday 14 October 2021
“Global Inequality/ies and Poverty in Christian Ethics”
Professor Esther D. Reed (University of Exeter)

Thursday 28 October 2021
“Khipus to Keep Away the Living Dead: The Resurgence of Andean Funerary Khipus during the COVID Pandemic” Professor Sabine Hyland (University of St. Andrews)

29-31 October 2021
CSRP Scholars COP 26 Conference (to coincide with the COP26 in Glasgow)
“Uniting the World to Tackle Climate Change: Perspectives from Religion and Politics”
Program available at Upcoming Events – COP26 and the University of St Andrews (st-andrews.ac.uk)

Thursday 11 November 2021
“Unbordering religion in majoritarian times in Punjab across India and Pakistan” Professor Navtej K. Purewal (School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London)

Thursday 18 November 2021
“The Inner Life: Vatican II and the Catholicism of Anthropology” Dr Christine Lee (Institute of Anthropology, East China Normal University)

Thursday 25 November 2021
“Theologising with Sacred ‘Prostitutes’ in South India” Dr Eve Rebecca Parker (University of Durham)

Semester 2 Academic Year 2020-2021

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Thursday 28 January 2021
“Pope Francis: Journeys of a Peacemaker”
Professor Mario I. Aguilar (University of St. Andrews)

Thursday 4 February 2021
“Faith in/and Firearms: ‘Ordinary Theology’ and US Christian Gun Owners”
Max Grant (University of St. Andrews)

Thursday 11 February 2021: The Religion and Politics Lecture
“The Relevance of Mahatma Gandhi’s Political Spirituality”
The Religion and Politics Lecture to be delivered by Professor Ramin Jahanbegloo, Vice Dean and Director, Mahatma Gandhi Centre for Peace, Jindal Global Law School, Jindal Global University, India.

Thursday 18 February 2021
“Ecotheology and Anthropocentrism in the Roman Catholic Church”
Keith Wiedersheim (University of St. Andrews)

Thursday 25 February 2021
“Opportunities for Spiritual Renewal amongst the MC Sisters in Kolkata: A Transcontextual Feminist Mariology”
Emilie Krenn-Grosvenor (University of St. Andrews)

Thursday 4 March 2021
“Sri Ramana Maharshi and Sri Aurobindo: New Perspectives on Interfaith Dialogue”
Isaac Portilla (University of St. Andrews)

Thursday 11 March 2021
“The African Postcolonial State and Theology”
Hunter Daggett (University of St. Andrews)

Thursday 18 March 2021
Title tba
Marjorie Gourlay (University of St. Andrews)

Thursday 8 April 2021
“The Conversion to Christianity of Somalis in the UK and Sweden”
Matyas Bodi (University of St. Andrews)

Thursday 15 April 2021
Book Launch: The Common Gaze: Surveillance and the Common Good (London: SCM Press, 2021) by Dr Eric Stoddart (University of St. Andrews)
https://ericstoddart.wp.st-andrews.ac.uk/publications/further-details-the-common-gaze/

Thursday 22 April 2021
“The Bible as a Sticky Sign: Far-right Bible-Use in Contemporary Europe”
Dr Hannah Strømmen (University of Chichester)

Conferences:

April 2021: Conference “On Liberation Theology” together with Vanderbilt Divinity School and Scholars at the Peripheries. A single-day-conference. Details tba

August 2-6, 2021 Conference: “Theologies from the New Worlds” – Summer School online by Scholars at the Peripheries, the CSRP, and Fundación Milarepa, with main addresses by Jorg Rieger (Vanderbilt), Ramin Jahanbegloo (India, Jindal Global University) and Eve Parker (University of Durham). There will also be a book launch by Sasha Altaf on her book Leaving the Table on the Indian artist Altaf Mohamedi. On Friday 6 August there will be a concert for the New World with compositions by musicians and artists from Mexico, Somaliland, and India. Roundtables and research presentations to be announced. We hope to have two practical sessions on the body, dance, and theology with Ángel Méndez (Mexico) as well as a session on Yoga by Isaac Portilla.

August 15-16 August: The All-India Conference, on the anniversary of the Partition of India several scholars will present their work on “Diversity and Nationalism in India”.

November 2021, COP 26 Conference to coincide with the United Nations meetings in Glasgow (COP 26).

Semester 1 Academic Year 2020-2021

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Thursday 17 September 2020
“After Pestilence: An Interreligious Theology of the Poor”
Professor Mario I. Aguilar (University of St. Andrews)

Semester 2 Academic Year 2019-2020

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Thursday 30 January 2020
“Writing Academic Biographies: Pope Francis, the 14thDalai Lama and Edna Adan of Somaliland”
Professor Mario I. Aguilar (University of St. Andrews)

Thursday 6 February 2020
“From Pure in Heart to Immaculate Conception: Mining Scripture for a Liberating Marian Purity”
Emilie Krenn-Grosvenor (University of St. Andrews)

Thursday 13 February 2020
“Caste and Christianity in India”
Rev. Dr. Anderson Jeremiah (University of Lancaster)

Thursday 20 February 2020
“The Trickster, Jesus and the Powerful”
Hunter Daggett (University of St. Andrews)

Thursday 27 February 2020
“Religion as a Tool of Resistance: The Abyssinian Invasion of the Somali Region in Ethiopia, 1887-1889”
Mohamed Haji Ingiriis (University of Oxford)

Monday 2 March 2020
Launching of the Cambridge Centre for Christianity Worldwide and Tearfund Report
“Listening to the Local Church in Conflict-Affected Fragile States”
This report is a result of a six-month research project undertaken by Tearfund and CCCW in collaboration. Fieldwork was conducted in 2019 in South Sudan, Syria and Lebanon. The role of the church in seven fragile countries with protracted conflicts is reviewed –Syria, Iraq, Myanmar, Burundi,Central African Republic, Democratic Republic of Congo and South Sudan.
Introduction: Professor Mario I. Aguilar (University of St. Andrews)
Tearfund Director Catriona Dejan
Tearfund Impact and Research Advisor, Dr Madleina Daehnhard
Marjorie Gourlay,Research Associate for CCCW
Dr Muthuraj Swamy, Director of CCCW

Thursday 5 March 2020
“Escaping ISIS: The Faith and Politics of Internally Displaced Christians in Iraq”
Dr Andrew Marin (University of St. Andrews)

Thursday 2 April 2020
“The Great Hack –A Christian TheologicalReflection on Cambridge Analytica and Big Data in Politics”
Dr Eric Stoddart(University of St. Andrews)

Thursday 9 April 2020
‘The Brazilian Morunguetá: How the Society of Jesus and the Amazonian Indigenous Engaged in the Birth of a New Nation (Brazil)’
Braulia Barbosa Ribeiro (University of St. Andrews)

Conferences 2020:

Annual Meeting of the European Academy of Religion
Bologna 22-25 June 2020
https://www.europeanacademyofreligion.org/euare2020

Interfaith Dialogue and Signing of the Declaration for a Shared Humanity University of Tsukuba Japan
10-12 October 2020
https://univinjapan.com/university_of_tsukuba/COP26

Theology, Laudato Si’and the Caring for the Planet St. Mary’s College
Saturday 14 November 2020

Semester 1 Academic Year 2019-2020

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Thursday 19 September 2019 – St. Mary’s College Hall 11.15am
“The Mānava-Dharmásāstra, Matter, and Teilhard de Chardin”
Professor Mario I. Aguilar (University of St. Andrews)

Saturday 21 September 2019 – St. Mary’s College Hall
CSRP Anniversary Conference
https://csrp.wp.st-andrews.ac.uk/15th-year-anniversary-conference/

Thursday 3 October 2019 – St. Mary’s College Hall 11.15am
“The Conversion to Islam of Hungarian Orientalist Gyula Germanus”
Matyas Bodi (University of St. Andrews)

Thursday 10 October 2019 – St. Mary’s College Hall 11.15am
“Escaping ISIS: The Faith and Politics of Internally Displaced Christians in Iraq”
Dr Andrew Marin (University of St. Andrews)

Thursday 17 October 2019 – St. Mary’s College Hall 11.15am
“Algorithms of Liberation? A Practical Theological Consideration of Big Data Surveillance”
Dr Eric Stoddart (University of St. Andrews)

Wednesday 30 October 2019 – University of Edinburgh Asian Seminar 4-6pm
“Tibetan Buddhist Identity and the Way of the Bodhisattva
(Bodhisattvacaryāvatāra or བྱང་ཆུབ་སེམས་དཔའི་སྤྱོད་པ་ལ་འཇུག་པ)”
Professor Mario I. Aguilar (University of St. Andrews)

Thursday 31 October 2019 – St. Mary’s College Hall 11.15am
“Towards a Subaltern Public Theology for India”
Rev. Dr Raj Bharath Patta (University of Manchester)

Thursday 7 November 2019 – St. Mary’s College Hall 11.15am
“India and the global climate regime: Navigating between common and differentiated responsibilities”
Prof. Kate Sullivan de Estrada (University of Oxford)

Thursday 14 November 2019 – St. Mary’s College Hall 11.15am
“The Politics of Memory in Brazil”
Dr Andreza A. De Souza Santos (University of Oxford)

Thursday 21 November 2019 – St. Mary’s College Hall 11.15am
“Mohandas Gandhi: Experiments in Civil Disobedience”
Dr Talal Ahmed (University of Edinburgh)
https://www.edbookfest.co.uk/the-festival/whats-on/talat-ahmed

2-13 December 2019 – Santiago, Chile UN Climate Change Conference COP 25
A select group from the CSRP will take place in the UN Climate Change Conference (UNFCCC COP 25) http://sdg.iisd.org/events/unfccc-cop-25/ https://www.cop25.cl/en/

If you want to attend the SCAC Part of the Conference https://www.porlaaccionclimatica.cl/ and present a paper at the CSRP panel please be in touch with Professor M.I. Aguilar by the 20^th September via email at [email protected]

Semester 2, 2018-2019

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Thursday 31 January 2019  “Hindu-Christian Dialogue: A Comparative Study”
Professor Mario I. Aguilar (University of St. Andrews).

Thursday 7 February 2019 “‘Both Truly Christian and Truly Indian:’ A 20th century example of Indianised Christianity in the visions of E. Stanley Jones”
Nadya Phoran (University of Cambridge).

Thursday 14 February 2019  “Enhancing the Rule of Law in Oman through Judicial Reform: Merging (دمج) Ibadi and Western Judicial Thought”
Mohammed Al-Hinai (University of St. Andrews).

 Thursday 21 February 2019 “The Politics of Smell: Language, Olfactory Metaphor, and the Chinese Revolution”
Dr Xuelei Huang 黄雪蕾 (University of Edinburgh).

Thursday 28 February 2019  “Practical Feminist Mariology within the Global Village: Engaging the Liberative Potential of Marian Devotion in India”
Emilie Krenn-Grosvenor (University of St. Andrews).

4-7 March European Academy of Religion Conference Bologna https://www.europeanacademyofreligion.org/program

Thursday 4 April 2019  “Religion and Politics in Modern Japan: Continuity and change in the clothing of Shinto deities,”
Dr Saeko Yazaki 矢崎早枝子 (University of Glasgow).

Thursday 11 April 2019  “Beyond Democracy: A Reflection on Christian Engagement in Civic Action under Non- Democratic Governments based on Hong Kong’s Post-Umbrella Movement Discussions”
Gillian Chu (University of St. Andrews).

Thursday 18 April 2019  “Sri Ramana Maharshi and Sri Aurobindo: New Perspectives on Interfaith Dialogue”
Isaac Portilla (University of St. Andrews).

Thursday 25 April 2019 “Surveillance and the Common Good: A Capabilities Approach”
Dr Eric Stoddart (University of St. Andrews).

August – Interfaith Conference and signing of the Declaration of a Shared Humanity Japan

Semester 1, 2018-2019

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 Thursday 27 September 2018 – St. Mary’s College Hall 11.15am
‘Kālighāt and Ritual Purity in Kolkata: A Historical Approach to Generations in India’
Professor Mario I. Aguilar (University of St. Andrews)

 Thursday 4 October 2018 – St. Mary’s College Hall 11.15am
‘Pope Francis’ Reason in Evangelii Gaudium’
Porsiana Beatrice (University of St. Andrews)

Monday 8 October 2018 – Panikkar’s Centenary Conference Santiago, Chile
Pontifical Catholic University – Facultad de Teología Campus San Joaquín 1pm

Thursday 11 October 2018 – St. Mary’s College Hall 11.15am
‘The Gospel according to Food: Theological reflections in sharing the meal with the needy as a spiritual responsibility in the African Independent Churches – Voices from the Mission field of Scotland
Rev Dr Webster Kameme (University of St. Andrews) 

Thursday 18 October 2018 – St. Mary’s College Hall 11.15am ‘Interreligious Studies: A conversation with Professor Douglas Pratt’
Professor Douglas Pratt (University of Auckland)

Thursday 8 November 2018 – St. Mary’s College Hall 11.15am
‘Re-reading the Post-secular: Contemporary Fiction, Buddhism, and the Tibetan Mandala’
Dr Rosemary Harris-Birtill (University of St. Andrews)

Thursday 22 November 2018 – St. Mary’s College Hall 11.15am
‘The Shifting Sands of Islam: Accounting for the Disappearance of Sufism in Hargeysa, Somaliland’
Jake Cowpland (University of St. Andrews)

Thursday 29 November 2018 – St. Mary’s College Hall 11.15am
‘God Tied in Knots: Searching for the Sacred Scriptures of the Andes’
Professor Sabine Hyland (University of St. Andrews)

Thursday 6 December 2018 – Panikkar’s Centenary Conference New Delhi, India
‘Mysticism as a Universal Phenomenon’ – International Conference Centre New Delhi 3pm

Saturday 8 December 2018 – ‘The Spiritual Roots of Protest: Merton’s Enduring Legacy’
A Day of Reflection with Jim Forest on the 50th Anniversary of Merton’s Death 11.00-3.30 Walpole Hall, 27 Chester St., Edinburgh EH3 7EN

Semester 2, 2017-2018

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Thursday 1 February 2018 – St. Mary’s College Hall 11.15am
‘Interreligious Dialogue, the Partition of India, and Raimon Panikkar’
Professor Mario I. Aguilar (University of St. Andrews)

Thursday 8 February 2018 – St. Mary’s College Hall 11.15am
Matyas Bodi (University of St. Andrews)

Thursday 15 February 2018 – St. Mary’s College Hall 11.15am
Assessing Dialogues in History: Issues of Peace and Conflict in Volhynia and Eastern Galicia, 1943/44”
Stefanie Turkanik (University of St. Andrews)

Thursday 22 February 2018 – St. Mary’s College Hall 11.15am
“The Indians of Europe” – German Receptions of Indian Thought: 1789–1848’
Daniel J. Soars (University of Cambridge)

Thursday 1 March 2018 – St. Mary’s College Hall 11.15am
‘From Slavery to Westboro Baptist: What is “bad” theology?’
Rev. Dr. Leah E. Robinson (University of Edinburgh)

Monday 5th to Thursday 8th March 2018
European Academy of Religion Annual Conference
http://www.europeanacademyofreligion.org/

Thursday 5 April 2018 – St. Mary’s College Hall 11.15am
‘Surveillance and Media Ethics: Practical Theological Perspectives’
Dr Eric Stoddart (University of St. Andrews)

Friday 6th to Sunday 8th April 2018
The Thomas Merton Society of UK Annual Meeting 6-8 April 2018
Theme: Facing the Life-and-Death Issue
Address: “Merton, Life and Death: The Hermitage Years” by Professor Mario I. Aguilar (University of St. Andrews)
http://www.thomasmertonsociety.org.uk/files/public/Conference2018/2018_Conference_details.pdf

Wednesday 11 April 2018 – University of Cambridge
Celebration of the centenary of Raimon Panikkar and launching of the Opera Omnia hosted by Dr Rowan Williams (Baron Williams of Oystermouth)
Address: “Intra-religious Dialogue and Silence in the Life of Raimon Panikkar”
by Professor Mario I. Aguilar (University of St. Andrews)
Tickets available at http://www.magd.cam.ac.uk/events/raimon-panikkar

Monday 7th to Friday 11th May 2018 – Santiago, Chile
7 -8 May: ‘The Upanishads and the Practice of Yoga’, Escuela Integral de Yoga
http://www.eiy.cl/ Led by Yoga teachers, with Professor M.I. Aguilar and Kabir Babu.
9 May: ‘Laudato Si’: Towards an Ethics of Business’, at Enertrón hosted by Ivonne Bell.
11 May: ‘Towards a Shared Humanity’, conference at the Hotel Neruda.
Tuesday 3rd and Wednesday 4th July 2018 – University of Cambridge
Conference ‘Dual Religious Belonging in Christianism and Hinduism’
Address: ‘Tri-Belonging as Theological Experience: An Exploration of Silence and Texts’ by
Professor M.I. Aguilar (University of St. Andrews)

Semester 1, 2017-2018

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Thursday 21 September 2017 – St. Mary’s College Hall 11.15am
“A Theology of the Womb and Interfaith Dialogue after the Partition of India”
Professor Mario I. Aguilar (University of St. Andrews).

Thursday 28 September 2017 – St. Mary’s College Hall 11.15am
“Wolves in the Airport: Jesus’ Critique of Purity as a Challenge to 21st Century Surveillance”
Dr Eric Stoddart (University of St. Andrews).

Thursday 5 October 2017 – St. Mary’s College Hall 11.15am
“On De-Stabilization and Multiple Religious Belonging in Monastic Inter-Religious Dialogue”
Porsiana Beatrice (University of St. Andrews).

Thursday 12 October 2017 – St. Mary’s College Hall 11.15am
‘The Expansive Present: A New Model of Christian Time’
Dr Naomi Haynes (University of Edinburgh).

Friday 20 and Saturday 21 October 2017 – ‘Dialogue with Asia Conference’ (Hotel Neruda, Santiago-Chile).This is an inter-faith conference with four sessions: a panel on dialogue with Asia with the signing of the Declaration of a Shared Humanity, the unveiling of one painting of the Bhopal Collection (1985) by the Indian artist Altaf Mohammedi.

(http://dagmodern.com/artist/23) recently purchased by the Fundación Milarepa as part of its Indian art collection, followed by a conversation on art and inter-faith dialogue; a public lecture on ‘Spiritualities of India’, and a meeting of CEOs and business people with a discussion on art, philanthropy and dialogue with Asia. Hotel bookings at http://hotelneruda.cl/en/

Thursday 2 November 2017 – St. Mary’s College Hall 11.15am
“Malawian and Nigerian Independent Churches in Scotland: Through the Prism of the Sociology of Religion”
Webster Kameme (University of St. Andrews).

Thursday 9 November 2017 – St. Mary’s College Hall 11.15am
‘The Indians of Europe’ – German Receptions of Indian Thought: 1789–1848’
Daniel J. Soars (University of Cambridge).

Thursday 16 and Friday 17 November 2017 – Building Bridges Symposium Al-Maktoum College of Higher Education, Dundee.

This conference will take place within the Scottish-Interfaith Week Group and it is co-sponsored by the CSRP and the Al-Maktoum College of Higher Education, Dundee http://www.almcollege.org.uk/ 
Professor M.I. Aguilar will deliver the opening lecture (10.20am) with the title ‘Interfaith Dialogue: Experience and Art’ at the Shaikh Hamdan Bin Rashid Conference Hall.

Saturday 18 November 2016 – Day Conference: Bede Griffiths
Sanctuary, Augustine United Church, 41 George IV Bridge, Edinburgh, EH1 1EL
Organised by Edinburgh International Centre for Spirituality and Peace, EICSP, Scottish Charity, SC038996, www.eicsp.org Cost: Day Conference: £25/£20 (Concessions)/£10 (Students). Evening Event: £10/£8 (Concessions)/£5 (Students).
Contact: Neill Walker,  [email protected], 0131 331 4469.

Thursday 23 November 2016 –  St. Mary’s College Hall 11.15am
“Going to Shiloh: Pilgrims and landscape in the making of Pentecostal Christianity in West Africa”, Dr Sitna Quiroz (University of Durham)

Semester 2, 2016-2017

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Thursday 2 February 2017 – St. Mary’s College Hall 11.15am
“The Silence of Death and Inter-Religious Dialogue”
Professor Mario I. Aguilar (University of St. Andrews)

Thursday 9 February 2017 – St. Mary’s College Hall 11.15am
‘‘What makes for a better city? Towards development plans with a theological twist”
Dr Eric Stoddart (University of St. Andrews)

Thursday 16 February 2017 – St. Mary’s College Hall 11.15am
“Disability and Theological Anthropology”
Dr Brian Brock (University of Aberdeen)

Thursday 23 February 2017 – St. Mary’s College Hall 11.15am
“Acts of Citizenship: ‘or Each and All’ – Towards an Ontology of Transformative Acts”
Dr Milja Radovic (University of St. Andrews)

Thursday 2 March 2017 –  St. Mary’s College Hall 11.15am
“Collaborating with Torture? Church-State Relations between Brazil and the UK (1964–1985) in Light of the Brazilian National Truth Commission”
Rev. Dr. Graham McGeoh (Broughton St Mary’s Parish Church, Edinburgh)

Monday 20 March 2017
The 3^rd Annual Surveillance & Religion Lecture
“Will surveillance technologies make good religion better and bad religion worse?”
Dr Eric Stoddart (University of St. Andrews)
Quaker Meeting House, 7 Victoria Terrace, Edinburgh EH1 2JL.
Free entrance but booking essential. Tickets available at http://surrelig_edinburgh.eventbrite.co.uk

Thursday 30 March 2017 – St. Mary’s College Hall 11.15am
“Resisting the Shame: Exploring the Indecency of Religious Hybridity with Oholoh and Oholibah in India”
Dr Eve Parker (United Reform Church)

Thursday 6 April 2017 – St. Mary’s College Hall 11.15am
“A Theological Journey: Making Meaning in Brazil”
Clair Linzey (University of St. Andrews)

Thursday 13 April 2017 – St. Mary’s College Hall 11.15am
Andrew Marin (University of St. Andrews)

Thursday 20 April 2017 – St. Mary’s College Hall 11.15am
“Was the Apostle Paul a Convert?”
Dr Andrew Torrance (University of St. Andrews)

International Conferences 2017
A Shared Humanity in India – with the signing of the India Declaration on a Shared Humanity, New Delhi, India, Friday 9 June 2017.
A Shared Humanity and Hinduism – a retreat in silence at the Dashashwamedh Ghat, Varanasi, India, Sunday 11 June 2017.
A Shared Humanity and Tibetan Buddhism – with the signing of the India Declaration on a Shared Humanity, Dharamsala, India, Wednesday 14 June 2017.
A Shared Humanity, Women, and the World Religions – with the signing of the Women’s Declaration on a Shared Humanity, Parliament Hall, St. Andrews, Friday 23 September 2017.
A Shared Humanity, Indian Spirituality and Dialogue – with the signing of the Declaration on a Shared Humanity, Fundación Milarepa, Santiago, Chile, 20-21 October 2017.
There is no charge for the attendance at any of these conferences. However, you need to book a place – email [email protected]

Semester 1, 2016-2017

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Thursday 15 September 2016 – St. Mary’s College Hall 11.15am
‘The Way of the Hermit: Silence, Politics and Inter-Faith Dialogue’
Professor Mario I. Aguilar (University of St Andrews)

Friday 23 – Sunday 25 September 2016 – Parliament Hall
CSRP Conference: ‘Silence, Texts and Service: Towards a Christian, Hindu and Buddhist Dialogue’, see http://www.yearofinterfaithdialogue.com/Places need to be booked in advance via email to [email protected]

Friday 30 September 2016
‘How Intolerant is Islamic Law?’
Dr Jonathan A.C. Brown (Director of the Alwaleed Centre for Muslim-Christian Understanding at Georgetown University, USA)
Lecture Theatre G.03, 50 George Square, Edinburgh. This is a free event but registration is essential. You can book your seat via Eventbrite here: http://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/how-intolerant-is-islamic-law-dr-jonathan-a-c-brown-tickets-27385236981?aff=es2

Thursday 6 October 2016 – St. Mary’s College Hall 11.15am
‘Mutual Extremism: Reactive Co-radicalization as Response to Perceptions of Threat’
Professor Douglas Pratt (University of Waikato)

Saturday 8 October 2016 – Teatro Teletón, Santiago, Chile
‘Interfaith and Intercultural dialogue through dance’. An evening of Indian music and dance co-organized with the Fundación Milarepa para el Diálogo con Asia.
http://www.indiafest.cl/

Thursday 27 October 2016 – St. Mary’s College Hall 11.15am
‘Theology and Science Research’
Dr John Perry (University of St Andrews)

Saturday 29 October 2016 – Sanctuary, Augustine United Church, 41 George IV Bridge, Edinburgh, EH1 1EL

Day Conference: Thomas Merton’s Engaged Spirituality: Artistic, Political, Psychological and Interspiritual Expressions
Organised by Edinburgh International Centre for Spirituality and Peace, EICSP, Scottish Charity, SC038996, www.eicsp.org
Cost: Day Conference: £25/£20 (Concessions)/£10 (Students).
Evening Event: £10/£8 (Concessions)/£5 (Students).
Contact: Neill Walker, [email protected], 0131 331 4469.

Thursday 3 November 2016 –  St. Mary’s College Hall 11.15am
‘Submitting a research network proposal – Surveillance and Religion’
Dr Eric Stoddart (University of St Andrews)

Thursday 10 November 2016 – St. Mary’s College Hall 11.15am
‘God and the Gendered Politics of Shame: Theological Reflections on Emasculation in a Case Study of Somaliland’
Jake Cowpland (University of St Andrews)

Tuesday 17 November 2016 – St. Mary’s College Hall 11.15am
‘Activism in the Senate: Towards Political Change in Brazil’
Walter Lopes da Silva (University of St Andrews)

Thursday 24 November 2016 – St. Mary’s College Hall 11.15am
‘Uncanny Survivors and the Nazi Beast: Ethical Dilemmas in Contemporary Holocaust Fiction’
Dr Mia Spiro (University of Glasgow)

Semester 2, 2015-2016

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Thursday 28 January 2016 – St. Mary’s College Hall 11.15am
“Christian-Hindu Dialogue and the Post-Colonial God”
Professor Mario I. Aguilar (University of St. Andrews)

Thursday 4 February 2016 St. Mary’s College Hall 11.15am
“The Oppression of Aizu and Conversion to Christianity in Japan (1867-1880)”
James Morris (University of St. Andrews)

Thursday 11 February 2016 – St. Mary’s College Hall 11.15am
“Pentecostalism in Brazil: Legitimation, Socio-Cultural, and Economic transformations”
Walter Lopes Da Silva (University of St. Andrews)

Thursday 18 February 2016 – St. Mary’s College Hall 11.15am
“Constitutionalism in Oman”
Mohamed Al Hinai (University of St. Andrews)

Thursday 25 February 2016 – St. Mary’s College Hall 11.15am
“Current research in Somalia”
Dr Laura Hammond (School of Oriental and African Studies)

Thursday 3 March 2015 – St. Mary’s College Hall 11.15am
“Warriors and Men of God: Reflections on preliminary research in Somaliland”
Jake Cowpland (University of St. Andrews)

Thursday 31 March 2016 – – St. Mary’s College Hall 11.15am
The 2016 Religion and Politics Lecture:
“Religion, Secular Law and Gender in Contemporary Europe and Canada”
Professor Pascale Fournier (University of Ottawa)

Thursday 7 April 2016
“If Cows Could Talk: A Historical Exploration of the Cow in Hinduism”
Kabir Babu (University of St. Andrews)

Thursday 14 April 2016
“Towards the Towers of Trebizond: Encounters with the Sacred in Secular Life”
Taylor Carey (University of St. Andrews)

Semester 1, 2015-2016

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Thursday 17 September 2015 – St. Mary’s College Hall 11.15am
“Silence, the Pro-Logos and the Monk in Raimon Panikkar: Sutrās for a Christian-Hindū Dialogue”
Professor Mario I. Aguilar (University of St. Andrews).

Saturday 19 September 2015 13.30 at the O2 Arena London
“Compassion: The Foundation for Well-Being”
H.H. The 14^th Dalai Lama

Sunday 20 September 2015 13.30 at the London Coliseum [English National Opera]
“Ahimsa: India’s Contribution to the World”
H.H. The Dalai Lama

Thursday 24 September 2015
11.15am St. Mary’s College Hall
“Reading Politics and the Politics of Reading: Deuteronomy as Test Case”
Dr Madhavi Nevader (University of St. Andrews).

7.30pm Queens Hall Edinburgh [ticketing details: http://tiny.cc/l82n2x] “Lessons from my grandfather”
Arun Ghandi (Gandhi Institute for Nonviolence)
A public talk and conversation and Q&A with Arun Gandhi – Grandson of Mahatma Gandhi

Thursday 1 October 2015
“The Common Gaze: Cultures of Surveillance Distorting the Common Good”
Dr Eric Stoddart (University of St. Andrews).

Thursday 8 October 2015
“Hinduism and Religious Diversity”
Dr. Sharada Sugirtharajah (University of Birmingham).

Thursday 15 October 2015
“The neurophysiology of enlightenment: What’s wrong with the scientification of meditative techniques?”
Dr Miguel Farias (University of Coventry).

Thursday 29 October 2015
“What Do Christian Conscientious Objectors Really Object To? Implications for Harm to Women”
Taylor Jacob (University of St. Andrews).

Thursday 5 November 2015
“An Ecclesiology of Fragility: Building Community alongside those who Struggle against Poverty”
Dr Martin Johnstone (Secretary, Church & Society Council, Church of Scotland).

Thursday 12 November 2015
“The Church of England and Military Intervention: Suez-The Falklands-First Gulf War”
Professor John Anderson (University of St. Andrews).

Thursday 19 November 2015
“Animal Theology: Twenty Years On”
Clair Linzey (University of St. Andrews).

Semester 2, 2014-2015

Please note this information is retained for archive purposes.

Thursday 29 January 2015
“The Hermeneutics of Torture and the work of Gayatri Chakravorty Spivak”
Professor Mario I. Aguilar (University of St. Andrews).

Tuesday 3 February 2015
The Tibet Lecture 2015
“Tibetan Democracy in Exile and the Future of Sino-Tibetan Relations”, His Excellency the Sykiong, First Minister of Tibet, Dr Lobsang Sangay. This 6.30pm lecture will take place at the Fyvie Hall, University of Westminster, 309 Regent Street, London, W1B 2UW and a ticket is required [places are free but limited].

Thursday 5 February 2015
“The Church of England and Sexuality”
Professor Robert Song (University of Durham).

Thursday 12 February 2015
“Kakure Kirishitan: Dual Religious Identity in Japan”
James Morris (University of St. Andrews).

Monday 16 February 2016 5.15pm
The R.S. Sugirtharajah Seminar 2015 – “Euthanizing Biblical Studies?”
Dr. Alissa Jones Nelson (De Gruyter Berlin)

Thursday 19 February 2015
“Situating the Problematic of Varna and Jati in Hinduism: Caste, Karma and Over Sanctification”
Kabir Babu (University of St. Andrews).

Thursday 26 February 2015 5.15pm
The Africa Lecture 2015
“The Current Situation in Somaliland”
His Excellency Ali A. Awale, Representative of Somaliland to the United Kingdom.

Thursday 5 March 2015
“Toward an Ethic of Empire”
Professor Nigel Biggar (University of Oxford).

Thursday 12 March 2015
“Prophets, Politics and Pandas: Practical Theology and the Scottish Referendum”
Dr Eric Stoddart (University of St. Andrews).

Thursday 2 April 2015
“A Vision for Europe: the Theology of Consecrated Life of Pope John Paul II in Conjunction with the Address of Pope Francis to the European Parliament”
Mary Stevens (University of St. Andrews).

Thursday 9 April 2015
“To see the world as it appears: the look, the camera and the flesh: What happens in the relations between humans and technology?”
Professor Susanne Wigorts Yngvesson (Stockholm School of Theology).

Thursday 16 April 2015
“Are Parables the New Public Reason? Using Analogies in Moral Controversy”
Dr John Perry (University of St. Andrews).

Thursday 23 April 2015
“Islamic Terrorism: The Theological Ideology of ISIS”
Professor Douglas Pratt (University of Waikato, New Zealand).

Semester 1, 2014-2015

Please note this information is retained for archive purposes.

Thursday 25 September 2014
“The Fifth Dalai Lama and the Unification of Tibet: Religion and Politics (chösi nyitrel)”
Professor Mario I. Aguilar (University of St. Andrews).

Thursday 2 October 2014
“Religion and Reconciliation in Bosnia-Herzegovina”
Dr George Wilkes (University of Edinburgh).

Thursday 16 October 2014
“An African Theology of Public Conversation: The Model of African Palaver”
Estifanos Zewde (University of St. Andrews).

Thursday 23 October 2014
“The Theology of Leonardo Boff: The Praxis of Seeing and Interpreting”
Clair Linzey (University of St. Andrews).

Thursday 30 October 2014
“Riglam: Teaching Tibetan Buddhist Dialectics in a Tibetan Children’s Village”
Kasia Bylow-Antkowiak (University of St. Andrews).

Thursday 6 November 2014
“Advancing Practical Theology”
Dr Eric Stoddart (University of St. Andrews).

Thursday 13 November 2014
“Bhakti Marga Christology and the Devadási: Contemplating a Dalit Theology of Devotional Resistance”
Eve Parker (University of St. Andrews).

Thursday 20 November 2014
“How Intuitions Think: Religion, Politics, and Parables after the Culture Wars”
Dr John Perry (University of St. Andrews).

Semester 2, 2013-2014

Please note this information is retained for archive purposes.

Thursday 30 January 2014
“Pope Francis: His Life and Theological Thought”
Professor Mario I. Aguilar (University of St. Andrews)

Thursday 6 February 2014
Arts Lecture Theatre 5.30 pm
“The Dynamics and Future of Religion in the 21st Century.”
Karen Armstrong

Thursday 13 February 2014
“Conservation around sacred sites in the Himalayas: the gaol of religion”
Dr. William Tuladhar-Douglas (University of Aberdeen)

Thursday 20 February 2014
‘Theologising with the Sacred Prostitutes of South India: Exploring the Liberative Potential of the Silenced Goddess in Dalit Theology
Eve Parker (University of St. Andrews)

Thursday 27 February 2014
“An African Theology of Public Conversation”
Estifanos Zewde (University of St. Andrews)

Thursday 6 March 2014
“Do not feed the demons: Food and satans in the Muslim tradition (hadith).”
Dr. Zohar Hadromi-Allouche (Lecturer in Islam, School of Divinity, University of Aberdeen)

Thursday 10 April 2014
“Overcoming Gnosticism? Realism as Political Theology”
Dr. Vassilios Paipais (University of St. Andrews)

Wednesday 16 April 2014
Colloquium “On Pope Francis” and launching of the biography of Pope Francis written by Professor M. I. Aguilar (Pope Francis: His Life and Thought, Lutterworth, 2014)
Lower College Hall, 5.30 pm

Speakers:
Dr. Dorothea McEwan (The Warburg Institute, University of London)
H.E. Dr. Néstor Osorio Londoño, Ambassador of Colombia to the United Kingdom
RT. Rev. Professor N.T. Wright (School of Divinity)
Dr. Michael O’Sullivan SJ (All Hallows College, Dublin)
Professor Anthony Lang Jr. (School of International Relations)
Professor Mario I. Aguilar (School of Divinity)

Thursday 17 April 2014
“The foundations of churches in Ethiopia, acts of piety or acts of politics? – A comparison between two noble foundations, Qwesqwam and Däräsge Maryam”
Dr Dorothea McEwan (The Warburg Institute, University of London)

Semester 1, 2013-2014

Please note this information is retained for archive purposes.

Thursday 26 September 2013
“Pope Francis: His Life and Thought in the Context of Argentinean Politics”
Professor Mario I. Aguilar (University of St. Andrews)

Thursday 3 October 2013
“Towards an African Theology of Public Conversation”
Estifanos Zewde (University of St. Andrews)

Thursday 10 October 2013
“Offering Hospitality: Questioning Christian Approaches to War”
Dr Caron Gentry (University of St. Andrews)

Thursday 17 October 2013
“(In)visibility Before Privacy: Theological Challenges to Surveillance as Social Sorting”
Dr Eric Stoddart (University of St. Andrews) 

Thursday 24 October 2013
Dr Saeko Yazaki (University of Glasgow)

Thursday 31 October 2013
Sandra Ríos (University of Aberdeen)

Thursday 14 November 2013
“Speaking Religiously in Politics: The Case of Alasdair MacIntyre and the Wrong Aristotle”
Dr John Perry (University of St. Andrews)

Thursday 21 November 2013
“Fraternity with All Beings? – Leonardo Boff, Saint Francis and Pope Francis”
Clair Linzey (University of St. Andrews)

Thursday 28 November 2013
“The Rios Montt Trial and the Post-Conflict Legacy of Genocide in Guatemala”
Dr. Roddy Brett (University of St. Andrews)

Semester 1 Academic Year 2023-2024

Thursday 14 September 2023
Launching of the Global Centre for Indigenous Knowledge
With Dr Camila Vergara (University of Essex) and Dr Ann Simpson (University of St Andrews)
“Nadia Murad: Yazidi Religion and Indigenous Knowledge in Iraq”
Professor Mario I. Aguilar (University of St Andrews)

Thursday 21 September 2023
“Discussing Human Dignity from the Peripheries: A Dialogue between Buddhagotra and Imago Dei”.
Patricia Palazzo Tsai (Methodist University, Brazil)

Thursday 28 September 2023
“Zia and the Creation of an ‘Islamic Ideology’ of Pakistan”
Mary Hunter (University of St Andrews)

Thursday 5 October 2023
“Theological Foundations of Islamic Pastoral Care”
Dr Mahmoud Abdallah (University of Tubingen)

Thursday 12 October 2023
“Healing the Planet: Traditional Spiritual Beliefs and Sustainable Management of Ecosystems in the Amazon Forest, Colombia”
Dr Ann Simpson (University of St Andrews)

[Independent Learning Week]

Thursday 26 October 2023
“Between God and Man: E. E. Evans-Pritchard, Vatican II and Anthropological Definitions of Religion”
Dr Christine Lee (East China Normal University, Shanghai)

Thursday 2 November 2023
“This is the sound of my soul: Exploring belonging and inclusion in British Practical Theology”.
Dr Saiyyidah Zaidi (Independent Scholar)

Thursday 9 November 2023
“Reading’ and ‘writing’ Asia: A framework for intertextuality and textual interpretation from sites of struggle”
Anupama Ranawana (University of St Andrews)

Thursday 16 November 2023
“Practising a Divine Gaze: Is there any sacramental potential in digital surveillance?”
Dr Eric Stoddart (University of St Andrews)