stringerquartet

Listening and Learning?

Another speaker, a local Methodist minister I think, commenting on the recent riots in Northern Ireland following the violent attack by a Somali individual, noted that he had spoken to a fifteen-year-old youth involved in the riots. This youth had apparently told him that he was rioting because ‘they are slitting our throats and nobodyContinue reading “Listening and Learning?”

What do we need Government/Community for?

I heard something on the radio over the weekend that got me thinking. A woman from Northern Ireland was speaking about the network of people who, connected by WhatsApp, had rescued and supported numerous immigrant families during the recent riots. It was difficult listening. It was also inspiring, seeing what is possible when social mediaContinue reading “What do we need Government/Community for?”

Habitus and Discourse

This is the second of my blogs on Bourdieu and aims to try and make sense of the concept of habitus. There has been an incredible amount written about habitus, and the general view is that it can pretty much mean whatever you want it to mean in any specific context. That is probably unfair,Continue reading “Habitus and Discourse”

Globalising Tate Modern

Having a conference in London with an early start on the 21 April I travelled down the day before and thought that I would catch a few exhibitions that I had noted on the internet. My travels started at the National Portrait Gallery. For reasons that I was not entirely sure about, the National PortraitContinue reading “Globalising Tate Modern”

The Cosmic Incarnation

I had a student, some years ago now, who wanted to do a study of the place of green issues in the Anglican liturgical texts. I am sure he expected to find an absence. He soon discovered, however, that because the liturgy had emerged within a largely agricultural society, one that was far closer toContinue reading “The Cosmic Incarnation”

The Idea of a Twenty-First Century (Catholic Heritage) University: Part 3, The New Dark Ages

The New Dark Ages Over the weekend, I read a review of Nigel Biggar’s latest book, The New Dark Ages. Biggar is Professor of Theology at Oxford who came to prominence recently because his earlier book on Colonialism was ‘cancelled’ by Bloomsbury before being taken up by William Collins and becoming a best seller. TheContinue reading “The Idea of a Twenty-First Century (Catholic Heritage) University: Part 3, The New Dark Ages”

The Idea of a Twenty-First Century (Catholic Heritage) University: Part 2, Truth(s)

Truth(s) This takes me to the core of Newman’s argument, particularly in the lectures he delivered to the university in Dublin, the first five sections of the book. Here Newman is keen to emphasise the place of Catholic theology as central to his understanding of what a university should be. More accurately, however, and givenContinue reading “The Idea of a Twenty-First Century (Catholic Heritage) University: Part 2, Truth(s)”

The Idea of a Twenty-First Century (Catholic Heritage) University: Part 1, Community

I gave a paper at an event at Birmingham Newman University to celebrate the recognition of St John Henry Newman as Doctor of the Church. This is the text, in three parts: Summary In summarising what I have tried to address this morning, I would highlight three points that I have learnt from reading CardinalContinue reading “The Idea of a Twenty-First Century (Catholic Heritage) University: Part 1, Community”

Is it Time to Abandon Decolonisation?

The concept of decolonisation seems to have been particularly prominent in my mind over the last month or so. Or, rather, the language of decolonisation has been prominent. The more I have heard the word, the less I feel that I understand what it is about. Is it, therefore, time to abandon the term? DecolonisationContinue reading “Is it Time to Abandon Decolonisation?”