TRS Summer Wednesdays
Last Updated: August 27th 2020
Newman University’s Theology and Philosophy department are excited to introduce TRS Summer Wednesdays – a series of webinars for those interested in studying the subject area at University. Held across 4 weeks in June/July, each session will get students thinking about some current topics in Theology and Philosophy.
Each webinar will start at 12 noon and will run for approximately 50 minutes in total – 25-30 minutes of input from one of our lecturers, followed by a short time for Q&As. Sessions will be delivered via Zoom (no need to install) Please note that there will be no need to switch on either a camera or a microphone, as questions will be posed via a LiveChat function.
10th June
Moral and Religious Language: Thinking about Meaning in Ethics and God-Talk (Dr Louise Hickman)
Do theists and atheists actually disagree about whether God exists? Can we argue over questions about ethics? For the philosopher David Hume, the wrongness of murder depends on how we feel about murder. This session will explore what Hume meant and how his ideas gave rise to later debates in the philosophy of language, including non-cognitivism and anti-realism.
17th June
Live Evil (Dr Tom Hunt)
Knowing that evil exists can challenge the way that we see the world, posing big questions about how we relate to others. What kind of problems emerge when we try to explain what evil is? In this session we will explore some responses to this question and judge how effectively they help us to place ourselves in the world.
24th June
Can Theology Survive the Climate Crisis? (Dr Richard Goode)
In what ways do climate and environmental crises challenge theology? This session will discuss the emergence of ecotheology and explore how these new ways of thinking about God and creation are beginning to transform theological thought in the 21st century.
1st July
Abraham in Early Jewish Tradition (Professor Susan Docherty)
Abraham is a hugely important figure in Judaism, Christianity and Islam, but the scriptural narratives about his life raise questions for readers old and new, not least about his readiness to sacrifice his own son. This session will consider some early Jewish explanations of these theologically problematic passages, and ask whether these hold any lessons for modern biblical interpreters.