Talking Theology

What do we mean by the 'pre-existence' of Jesus, and where do we find it in the Bible? Do the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke present Jesus as just a special prophet, or something more? How do the four Gospels present a coherent view of Christ? And how does recognising an eternal Jesus help us see the miracles of the gospel?Simon Gathercole is Professor of New Testament and Early Christianity at Cambridge University. For more information about Simon, see here.

How did Jesus and the early Church engage with people of other faiths? What does the Christian idea of salvation look like in a multi-faith context? Why is being a better neighbour part of living out our Christian calling? How might the Christian mandate for justice challenge the Church’s in-action on discrimination and prejudice?  Dr Gerard Charles spent 10 years working in China connected to a missionary society. He undertook doctoral research on the challenges of identity for Chinese Muslims. He now lecturers on  cross-cultural ministry including at Cranmer Hall. For more info about Gerard see here.

What does psychology have to say about identity and belonging in the world and the church? How does Scripture challenge the idea that belonging to one another involves being homogenous? How do stories of people being excluded within the church undermine the gospel? Why does pursuing belonging require transformation rather than staying the same? How do we see the Holy Spirit in the Church taking us on a journey of authentic belonging?  Dr Sanjee Perera is a cognitive ecclesiologist and is the Archbishops’ Adviser on Minority Ethnic Anglican Concerns for the Church of England.  

What is bioethics and why does it dominate our ethical discussions today? What stories about our bodies does our culture tell us, and what might a theological account look like? How does a Christian view of life on earth challenge ideas of autonomy and freedom as the goal of human flourishing? And what difference does the resurrection of Jesus' body make to our imagination and hope for a bodily future?Robert Song is Professor of Theological Ethics at Durham University. For more information about Robert, see here. 

What is it that's so special about the Gospel of John? How do the stories of people meeting Jesus get us to the heart of the Fourth Gospel? What does life as friends of Jesus really involve? And what hope does it offer us today?Ian Galloway is director of the Free Church Track at Cranmer Hall in St John's College, Durham University. He previously spent over 30 years planting and leading City Church in Newcastle, and authored a book, Called to be Friends: Unlocking the Heart of John's Gospel.For more information about Ian, see here.

What is reconciliation really about, and why is it central to our understanding of the gospel? What's the link between prayer and reconciliation? What are the habits of a reconciling life? And how does embodying reconciliation witness to God's good news for the world today?The Most Reverend and Right Honourable Justin Welby has been Archbishop of Canterbury since 2013, and before that he served as Bishop of Durham, and was also a canon at Coventry Cathedral where he worked extensively in reconciliation ministry.For more information about Justin see here.

How do we connect scripture with living faithfully in the world? What are the habits that help the Church listen to the voice of God together? What happens when we read the Bible with those who are different to us? And what does it mean to grow in expectation that we will hear God today?Reverend Dr Helen Collins is currently Tutor in Practical Theology and Director of Formation at Trinity College in Bristol. She recently published Reordering Theological Reflection: Starting with Scripture.  For more information about Helen see here. 

Is the Book of Acts just the story of what happened then or what could also happen today?  What does the book of Acts tell us about the gospel that really changed the world? What was so distinct in those early Christian communities? And why is it important for the book of Acts to challenge us today?Dr Mark Bonnington is the Senior Leader at King’s Church Durham and teaches on the book of Acts within the MA programme here at Cranmer Hall. For more information about Mark see here.

What is climate grief, and what has God got to do with it? How does Jesus grieving over the particular help us understand how we might focus our climate grief? How does being attentive to what's in front of us help us to both grieve and hope? And how does all this help us follow Jesus day by day? Hannah Malcolm is currently training for ordained ministry and writing a PhD on theology, climate and ecological grief. She campaigns around the subject of climate justice and recently edited a book entitled Words for a Dying World: Stories of Grief and Courage from the Global Church. Our question today: why is a theology of climate grief necessary for the Church today?

Do our bodies really belong to us? How did Jesus eat and how does it speak to how we eat today? How do the sacraments speak to our bodily identity? What does it mean to break bread together? Where’s the good news for those of us who struggle with how we see food?Note: This podcast includes discussion of disordered eatingReverend Dr Liz Kent is the Director of the Wesley Study Centre at St John’s College in Durham and a Methodist minister in Chester-Le-Street. Her doctoral research at Durham University explored the Church and Eating Disorders. Our question today: What Role Does Eating Play in a Good Theology of the Body?