Biography
Having completed his BTh at Westminster College, Oxford, Richard was awarded AHRC scholarships for Masters and PhD studies which he took at the University of Birmingham. His doctoral research, ‘Looking for the living among the dead (letters): Textual transmission within first and second century Christianity’ was jointly supervised by Profs. Mark Goodacre and David Parker. Post-doctoral work included working at the Institute for Textual Scholarship and Electronic Editing (ITSEE) at the University of Birmingham and as Content Specialist for the British Library on the ‘Turning Pages’, Codex Sinaiticus Project.
Richard has also been the director of the Syneidon Project which he set up in 2007 to explore and develop dialogues between faith communities and academics in relation to the Bible and its use.
Profile
Research Interests
Richard’s research spans:
- Textuality (oral and written) in early Christianity
- Ecotheologies and biblical engagement with the natural world
- Animal and crop exploitation in biblical and post-biblical traditions
- Communicating biblical scholarship to non-specialist audiences
- Indigenous and eastern religious perspectives on the environment and their responses to environmental and climate breakdown
- The significance of non-human lives within theological and philosophical thought
- The intersection of theology and philosophy with creative arts
- Zen Buddhist belief and practice
His work increasingly explores how theological and philosophical frameworks can engage with ecological consciousness, artistic expression, and contemplative traditions, and the lived realities of work and vocation.
Teaching Areas
Areas of interest include, Jewish and Christian scriptures, early Christian literature, ecotheology and religious environmental ethics, Theology and the arts, indigenous and non-western environmental thought and writing, theology, philosophy, and the world of work
Administrative Responsibilities
Richard is the subject-lead for employability and sustainability.
Professional Memberships
- Member, Society of Biblical Literature
- Member of the British New Testament Society
- Scottish Centre for Geopoetics