Conferences, seminars, events

Conferences

The 2014 Joint Postgraduate Conference in Religion & Theology will be held on Friday 7th and Saturday 8th March on the theme of 'Spiritual Exercises'.

When: Tuesdays, fortnightly during term time, from 4.30-6.00pm (refreshments from 4.00pm).
Where: Room G5 in the Department of Religion and Theology, University of Bristol, 3 Woodland Road.
Attendance: All postgraduates and other members of the University (with their guests) are most welcome.
Refreshments: Tea and biscuits will be served before each seminar at 4.00 p.m.

Please note that the first seminar in this series will start at 4.30 pm and will be followed by a wine reception.

Further Information: Please contact Dr Jon Balserak, J.Balserak@bristol.ac.uk

1 October 2013: Gavin D’Costa (University of Bristol), The Second Vatican Council: A Disputed Question Examined (Chair: Jon Balserak); This first seminar will start at 4.30 pm and will be followed by a wine reception
15 October 2013: Dr James Hegarty (Senior Lecturer in Indian Religions, School of History, Archaeology and Religion, Cardiff University), The Historic Conversations of Gods, Kings and Prophets: exploring the role of the dialogue across early Buddhist, Jain and Hindu literature (Chair: Rupert Gethin)
29 October 2013: Matthew Treherne (University of Leeds), Locating Dante's Theology (Chair: Carolyn Muessig)
12 November 2013: 6:00PM: George Ferzoco leads an InsideArts event: a workshop that follows a viewing of Federico Fellini's 8 ½, discussing of the role of religious culture in this film and in other works by Fellini; this will be held at The Cube. See http://www.bristol.ac.uk/arts/festival for updated details.
19 November 2013: James E. Harding (University of Otago, NZ), Reading 1 Sam 18:1-4 in the Hellenistic and Roman Periods (Chair: John Lyons)
3 December 2013: Stefano Zacchetti (Balliol College, University of Oxford), Title TBA, (Chair: Eric Greene)

28 January 2014: Jonathan Campbell (University of Bristol), “Lazy Bums”, “Handbags”, and “God’s DNA”: Some Thoughts on the Common English Bible of 2011? (Chair: John Lyons)
11 February 2014: David Leech (University of Bristol), Imagining the Philosophical Otherness of the East as ‘Atheism’ in Early Modern Christian Philosophy (Chair: Jon Balserak)
25 February 2014: Carmody Grey (University of Bristol), “What is life?" Theology and Vitalism (Chair: Gavin D’Costa)
7-8 March 2014: Nineteenth Joint Postgraduate Conference, Theology and Religious Studies (Organized by Oleksandr Demchenko and Justin Whittaker). Further details to follow shortly.
11 March 2014: Damian Howard, SJ (Heythrop College, University of London), Christian-Muslim Relations and the Concept of 'Person' (Chair: Gavin D’Costa)
25 March 2014: Carolyn Muessig (University of Bristol) Seeing Visions in Western Medieval Christianity. Respondent Eric Greene (University of Bristol) who will comment from a Buddhist Studies perspective (Chair: George Ferzoco).
29 April 2014: Philip Burton (Reader in Biblical Language and New Testament Studies, Birmingham University), St Martin of Tours, chronology, and textual analysis (Chair: Jon Balserak)
13 May 2014: Hilary Carey (University of Bristol), TBA (Chair: Carolyn Muessig).

This is a public event funded by BIRTHA, with limited seating. Entrance is free but booking in advance is required, see below.

Ten staff and postgraduate students from across the University will contribute 10 minute flash papers on topics related to religion.

Religious and Secular in Modern Europe: The Factors to Take into Account.

Where: Department of Religion and Theology, 3 Woodland Rd, Bristol. (Joint meeting with the Bristol Theological Society).
When: Thursday, 28 November 2013, 7.00 pm
Attendance: All welcome

For further details regarding this event and all seminar please contact Dr Jon Balserak (J.Balserak@bristol.ac.uk).

Five poets read and discuss their work. (Including Professor Gavin D'Costa)

Where: Room G16 University of Bristol, 3 Woodland Road.
When: Lecturer meetings (usually five or six per year) are held on a Wednesday (6.30 - 8.00 pm) of February, March, April, May, October and November; outings and socials ad hoc.
Attendance: University of Bristol staff and students are welcome to attend these talks free of charge on the production of their staff or student ID card. Students who wish to support the Society by becoming members may do so for a reduced subscription of £5.
Further Information: Please contact Peter Hardie (Secretary of the society) at asiatica99@hotmail.com

Wednesday 13th November, 6.30 to 8 pm: Max Deeg, Professor of Buddhist Studies, University of Cardiff: “‘Show me the Land where the Buddha Dwelt ...’ Chinese 'pligrim' records: What they can (and cannot) tell us about Indian Buddhism”
Wednesday 4th December, 6.30 to 8 pm: Dr Jenny Balfour-Paul, Honorary Research Fellow, Institute of Arab & Islamic Studies, University of Exeter: “Chasing the Lac-Insect in the land of the thunder dragon - a journey across the Himalayan Kingdom of Bhutan”