PROFESSOR JOHN WOLFFE
John Wolffe is Professor of Religious History at The Open University. His existing work on religious difference includes Building on History: Religion in London and Religion, Martyrdom and Global Uncertainties. He is particularly interested in exploring how an enhanced understanding of the dynamics of religious stereotyping and conflict can assist endeavours to promote more positive coexistence. He is currently (June 2016) working on an Horizon 2020 bid on religious diversity in European cities, and would be pleased to hear from potential collaborators.
DR JULIA IPGRAVE
Julia is senior research fellow in the Department of Humanities, University of Roehampton and Associate Research Fellow at the University of Warwick. Research interests include religion in education, young people’s attitudes towards religion, inter religious dialogue and community engagement. Previous research projects in religion and education include the AHRC/ESRC research project Young People’s Attitudes towards Religious Diversity (2009-2012). Currently she is responsible for the east London strand of Religion and Dialogue in Modern Societies (ReDi) 2013-2018, a study of interreligious engagement in six north European metropolitan areas, based at the University of Hamburg and funded by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research.
LENITA TÖRNING
Lenita is a Ph.D. candidate in Psychosocial Studies at Birkbeck, University of London and part of a major research project on Ethical Monotheism in the Department of Psychosocial Studies. Her doctoral thesis focuses on young people’s (Christians, Muslims and Jews) experiences of interfaith projects in London and her research interests include young people’s faith-based social engagement, lived religion and ethics, religion in the public sphere, and religion and security politics (with a particular focus on state responses to terrorism and radicalisation). Prior to coming to Birkbeck, she did an MA in Religion in Peace and Conflict at Uppsala University and a BSc with a major in International Relations at the University of Gothenburg.
DR JOHAN LILJESTRAND
Johan is senior lecturer at the Faculty of Education and Business Studies, Department of Culture Studies, Religious Studies and Educational Sciences, University of Gävle. His research interests include education and social capital in interreligious projects in the Stockholm area, Sweden. He is member of the research group: ‘Religion and Dialogue in Modern Society’ (ReDi), at Hamburg University.
DR ANDREW ROGERS
Andrew is Principal Lecturer in Practical Theology, University of Roehampton.
His research interests include theological ethnography, congregational hermeneutics (what people in churches do with the Bible); aspects of evangelicalism and pentecostalism especially new black majority churches; church growth and decline; and the intersections between faith groups, places of worship and planning policy / implementation. Key publications are Being Built Together (2013), Faith Groups and the Planning System (with Richard Gale, 2015) and Congregational Hermeneutics (2015).
ANNA LOCKLEY-SCOTT
Anna is a PhD student in Education at the University of Warwick. She is also a member of the research group ‘Religion and Dialogue in Modern Society’ (ReDi) at Hamburg University. The aim of her PhD project is to examine the impact of British Government strategies in preventing non-violent extremism on the imagined identities of Muslim pupils in secondary schools. Her aim is to use fieldwork in London secondary schools to gain an in-depth understanding of issues facing Muslim pupils in the current climate of public discourse about Islam, extremism and related government policies.
CANON DR ANGUS RITCHIE
Angus is Director of the Centre For Theology & Community and has ministered in east London since 1998, and throughout that time has been an active congregational leader in London Citizens. He is currently Priest-in-Charge of St George-in-the-East, Shadwell, a Canon of Worcester and a Research Fellow at the University of East London’s Centre for Social Justice and Change. He writes and teaches on Christian social action and apologetics. Find his books and reports here.
SELINA STONE
Selina directs the William Seymour Programme at CTC, engaging Pentecostal churches in community organising, and harnessing potential for the development of leaders and congregations. She supervises participants in our Buxton Leadership Programme, teaches on theology, power and organising at St Mellitus College and is a doctoral student at the University of Birmingham.
SOTEZ CHOWDHURY
Sotez co-ordinates Near Neighbours, helping deepen relationships between people of different faiths, ethnicities and backgrounds in eastern London. He is a visiting lecturer at Queen Mary University of London. He spent several years as the Citizens UK organizer for Tower Hamlets.
DR ANNA KOERS
Anna Körs is vice Director of the Academy of World Religions at Hamburg University since 2011 and vice Head of the international research project “Religion and Dialogue in Modern Societes“ funded by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research, Germany. Her research focuses on religious pluralization, interreligious relations, congregations, religious spaces, religion & education. Recent publications include: Religions and Dialogue. International Approaches. Series of the Academy of World Religions ’Religions in Dialogue’, No. 7. Münster; New York: Waxmann (Weiße, Wolfram; Amirpur, Katajun; Körs, Anna; Vieregge, Dörthe (Eds.) (2014)). More information…
DR R. DAVID MUIR
David Muir is Senior Lecturer in Ministerial Theology and Public Theology at Roehampton University (RU). His research interests include the intersection between religion and social justice and the role of African and Caribbean churches in society. Before joining RU he was executive director of Public Policy & Public Theology at the Evangelical Alliance. He was an independent adviser to the Home Secretary and Police Minister from 2003- 2008, as well as a member of the Advisory Board for Naturalisation and Integration. Recent publications: ‘Theology and the Black Church’ (2010), ‘London’s Burning: Riots, Gangs, and Moral Formation of Young People (2014). David is a member of the Kirby Laing Institute for Christian Ethics (Cambridge University) and a UK board member of the Transatlantic Roundtable on Religion and Race (TRRR).
