I am an Associate Professor of Psychology of Religion at the University of Birmingham. I have a background in both Psychology (BA, PhD) and Theology/Religious Studies (BA, MTS). Within the psychology of religion, my research tends to focus on two broad areas. The first is investigating perceptions of the relationship between science and religion from a social and experimental psychology perspective. This has involved examining the roles of belief systems and social identities relating to religion, nonreligion, and science. Additionally, my research investigates social cognition (how we think about the self and others), particularly focusing on how people think about God. This research has implications for outcomes such as intergroup relations, stereotyping, prejudice, and mental health.

I am an Associate Professor in Practical Theology at the University of Birmingham. I understand theology to be a fundamentally practical endeavour, concerned with questions of responsibility, just institutions, and moral life in a plural society. Such questions are places where conceptual and contextual theology are necessarily mutually informing. My research consequently focuses on meeting points between theology, politics and practice. There are two strands to this work. This first is my established and ongoing work on Paul Ricoeur, whose understanding of self, other and institution offers ways to make sense of diverse questions of contemporary life, such as the rise of political populism, diversity within the political community, and the role of religion in public reasoning. Frequently this work also attends to the question of disciplinary distinctions. The second strand assesses a constellation of contemporary issues through the lenses of political theology. Most recently that has included work on development theory, relating the work of Catholic Social Thought and the capability approach. I am beginning to expand that work from CST into questions of care, labour and justice. While continuing to draw on public theology to frame my contributions to these questions, I situate my own perspective within the resources of Catholic theology.

Dr Jon Catling is a Professor of Psychology and Education, and is an expert in research design and analysis. His research interests cover three main areas: Language acquisition, especially the impact of the ‘Age of Acquisition’ of language; Resilience and the relationship between mental and physical health in young people; and the relationship between cognitive and physical functioning, mental health and immune function in older adults.

I am a Professor of Philosophical Theology at the University of Birmingham. My principal work has been on the ways changes in philosophical method have an impact on theological reasoning. I am especially interested in Kant’s attempt to combine subject and object (in his transcendental idealism) and Hegel’s correction of this in his account of the concept (in his logic). This has led to associated questions of truth, tradition, subjectivity and argumentation in inter-religious encounter (often stimulated by the practice of Scriptural Reasoning).

I am a Professor of Science, Knowledge, and Belief in Society at the University of Birmingham. I am a transdisciplinary researcher whose work is predominantly sociological, historical, philosophical, and psychological in approach. My research focuses on: the perception of, and engagement with, STEMM in diverse societies; National and international science communication: the role of 'science', non-religion and/or beliefs as identity markers, in public space 'conflict narratives', stereotypes or prejudice formation; and public perceptions of the relationship between science and belief.

Dr. Shoko Watanabe received her Ph.D. in psychology from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Prior to specializing in social psychology, Dr. Watanabe received her M.S. in educational psychology from Oklahoma State University and her B.A. in theological-historical studies from Oral Roberts University in Tulsa, Oklahoma. At the University of Birmingham, Dr. Watanabe conducts empirical research investigating hesitancies that theologians might have about engaging with psychology. In addition, she has two other streams of research. First, Dr. Watanabe's religious cognition research examines theodicy (how people perceive God amidst suffering), teleological reasoning (inferring purpose for natural entities and events), and longitudinal patterns of stability or change in religious doubt and engagement. Second, Dr. Watanabe's moral-social perception research addresses when and why uninvolved third parties perceive moral transgressors as deserving of forgiveness and conditions under which hypocrites are punished. Dr. Watanabe explores these topics in laboratory and online experiments using social cognitive and behavioral approaches, and through secondary data analyses using structural equation modeling.

Dr. Watanabe’s works have been published in the Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, Social Psychological and Personality Science, Social Psychology, Journal for the Cognitive Science of Religion, and more. More information on Dr. Watanabe's educational journey and personal background can be found in an interview piece by the International Society for the Science of Existential Psychology.

Dr. Edward (Ward) B. Davis is a Professor of Psychology at Wheaton College in Wheaton, Illinois and the Director of Clinical Training in the Wheaton Doctoral Psychology Programs. His research focuses on positive psychology (the scientific study of strengths, virtues, and flourishing), the psychology of religion and spirituality (the scientific study of people’s search for and response to sacred meaning and connection), and God representations (how people doctrinally view and experientially relate with God). Most of Dr. Davis’s publications, presentations, and research grants have focused on these areas, including the recently published Handbook of Positive Psychology, Religion, and Spirituality. Dr. Davis also is a licensed clinical psychologist and serves on the Editorial Board of two journals: Psychology of Religion and Spirituality (PRS, Associate Editor) and Journal of Psychology and Theology (JPT, Editorial Board). On a more personal note, Dr. Davis enjoys spending time with his friends, his wife Meghan, and their three kids. He also enjoys backpacking, camping, working out, playing basketball, swimming, reading, singing, and playing the piano.

Emily Reed Burdett graduated BS in psychology from Azusa Pacific University and MS in clinical psychology from California State University, Fullerton. She completed a DPhil at Oxford in 2013 researching the cognitive, cultural, and developmental foundations of children’s understanding of God and humans. Following her DPhil she was a research fellow at the University of St Andrews for three years, examining the developmental origins of culture and innovation. She now is Associate Professor at the University of Nottingham and retains a research associate post with the University of Oxford. She is currently investigating the development of belief across 30 different sites globally (developingbelief.com) as well as the developmental origins of creativity. Her research interests include science and religion, child development, the developmental origins of creativity and learning, morality, and social cognition. Her work has been published most recently in Developmental Psychology, Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society, and Child Development.

Frank D. Fincham is Eminent Scholar and Director of the Florida State University Family Institute. As a Rhodes Scholar at Oxford University, he obtained his doctoral degree in social psychology. After postdoctoral training in clinical psychology at Stony Brook University he was an assistant professor at University of Illinois where he ultimately became professor and Director of Clinical Training. The author of over 400 publications, his research has been widely recognized by numerous awards, including the President’s Award for “distinguished contributions to psychological knowledge” from the British Psychological Society, the Ernest Burgess Award for “outstanding scholarly and career achievement in the study of families” from the National Council for Family Relations, the Distinguished Career Award from the International Association for Relationship Research, and most recently, the Bier Award for “outstanding interdisciplinary work on issues of psychology of religion,” from Division 36 of the American Psychological Association. His current research focus is on divine forgiveness.

Kathryn A. Johnson (Ph.D., Arizona State University) is an Associate Research Professor in the Psychology Department at ASU. Merging her backgrounds in Religious Studies and Social Psychology, her research focuses on the social perception of non-human agents (e.g., God, robots, viruses). For example, much of her research has focused on the influence of diverse God representations on values, social attitudes, and prosocial behavior. She received Religions journal’s Young Investigator Award in 2021 and has authored over 50 publications which have appeared in outlets such as the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, and Perspectives on Psychological Science. She currently serves as an associate editor of Psychology of Religion and Spirituality.

Peter C. Hill, Ph.D. (Social Psychology), Professor of Psychology at the Rosemead School of Psychology and Director of the Office of Academic Research and Grants, Biola University, is a Fellow of the American Psychological Association and is a past president of APA’s Division 36 (Society for the Psychology of Religion and Spirituality). His research interests include religious and spiritual measurement as well as positive psychological virtues such as humility (both intellectual and otherwise), forgiveness, and gratitude, particularly as they relate to religious experience. Other interests include religious fundamentalism, and the role of affect in religious and spiritual experience.

Pierre-Yves Brandt is Professor for the Psychology of Religion at the University of Lausanne, Switzerland. His interests include children’s representations of God, psychological construction of religious identity, religious coping among seniors and among patients with schizophrenia, and spiritual care in hospitals, care homes and home care. He was the dean of the Faculty of Theology and Sciences of Religions (FTSR), University of Lausanne (2006-2010) and the chair of the Institute of Social Sciences of Religions (ISSR) of the FTSR (2016-2020). He was the president of the International Association for the Psychology of Religion (IAPR) from 2015 to 2019, and is the President of the Fondation des Archives Jean Piaget (since 2001).

Rebekah A. Richert earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology (BA) from Calvin College (1999) and a Ph.D. in Psychology from the University of Virginia (2003). Funded by a National Science Foundation International Post-Doctoral Research Fellowship, she was a postdoctoral fellow with Dr. Harvey Whitehouse at Queens University-Belfast (2003-2004) and with Dr. Paul Harris at the Harvard University Graduate School of Education (2004-2005).
Dr. Richert has developed various lines of research into how children’s developing social cognition influences their understanding of religion, fantasy, and media. In particular, she studies cultural and developmental mechanisms in the development of concepts of God, the soul, prayer and rituals, as well as children’s commitments to the reality status of religious entities and the efficacy of religious practices. Bridging the study of developing fantasy-reality distinctions, Dr. Richert also examines how the fantastical content and characters in children’s media can both support and hinder children’s learning from books, videos, and interactive games. Her research has been funded by the National Science Foundation, the Social Science Research Council, The John Templeton Foundation, and the Templeton World Charity Trust.

Daryl Van Tongeren, PhD, is a professor of psychology at Hope College and the director of the Frost Center for Social Science Research. A social psychologist, he has published more than 200 scholarly articles and chapters, and four books, on topics such as religion, meaning in life, and virtues. Most recently, his work has focused on the psychological and social processes of leaving religion and undergoing religious change. His research has been covered by numerous media outlets, including the New York Times, Chicago Tribune, Washington Post, The Atlantic, NPR-affiliated radio stations, Scientific American, and Men’s Health. His work has been supported by numerous grants from the John Templeton Foundation, and he has won national and international awards for his research. He is also an associate editor for The Journal of Positive Psychology. He enjoys running, biking, and hiking near where he lives with his wife, Sara, in Holland, Michigan.

Dr Guy Itzchakov is an Associate Professor in the Department of Human Services, at the University of Haifa where he directs the "Interpersonal Listening and Social Influence Lab." Guy received his Ph.D. in Business Administration from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem (2017) and was a postdoctoral fellow at Rotman School of Management at the University of Toronto (2018). His research focuses on the effects of high-quality listening on listeners' and speakers' emotions, attitudes, and behaviors as well as listening training in organizations. Guy’s research includes laboratory experiments, field studies, and listening training studies. The latter examines how listening training programs in organizations impact managers, employees, and organizational outcomes. Other research lines include attitudes and persuasion, attitude ambivalence and goal setting.

In 2023, Guy received an early career award from the Attitudes and Social Influence Group at the Society of Personality and Social Psychology. His research appeared in leading journals in social and organizational psychology such as the Annual Review of Organizational Psychology and Organizational Behavior, Harvard Business Review, Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, Journal of Experiment Social Psychology, European Journal of Work and Organizational Psychology, and Applied Psychology: An International Review. His research received funding from the Israel Science Foundation, the Israel-U.S Bi-national Science Foundation, and the Templeton World Charity Foundation. Guy also writes a blog for Psychology Today called "The Listening Lens" (link).

I am an Associate Professor of Psychology and Honors at the University of Maine where I have worked since receiving my PhD in Experimental Social Psychology from Baylor University. Most of my research in the psychology of religion investigates the ways religious beliefs and social identities interact to influence some of the greatest human goods (altruistic sacrifice, generosity, humility) and some of the greatest human ills (prejudice, discrimination, and violence). Recently I have served as a co-leader on The Open Science of Religion Project, which supports high quality, transparent research in the scientific study of religion.

Kimberly Rios (Ph.D., Stanford University) is Professor of Psychology at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. Her research focuses on intergroup relations and various social identities, including race/ethnicity and religion. Most relevant to this workshop, she has investigated stereotypes of and perceptions of threat from religious majority and minority groups. Her work has been funded by the John Templeton Foundation, the Russell Sage Foundation, APA Division 36 (Psychology of Religion and Spirituality), and the Society for the Psychological Study of Social Issues. She was the recipient of the 2019 International Society for Self and Identity Early Career Award. She serves as Editor-in-Chief of Self and Identity, Specialty Chief Editor of the Group Processes and Intergroup Relations section of the brand-new journal Frontiers in Social Psychology, and Associate Editor of Group Processes and Intergroup Relations and the International Journal for the Psychology of Religion.

Dr Liz Gulliford is Associate Professor in the School of Education at the University of Birmingham. She has an interdisciplinary background with an MA in Theology (Trinity College Oxford), MPhil in Theology and Religious Studies (Queens' College, Cambridge), and a BPS-accredited BSc in Psychology from Anglia Ruskin University. Her PhD (Queens' College, Cambridge, 2011) established a firm, critical foundation for theoretical and practical work in positive psychology upon which she has progressively built an international reputation. She has carried out conceptual and empirical work on gratitude, forgiveness, hope, optimism, courage, compassion, positive psychology, virtue ethics, moral development, and exemplarism. She has published in a wide range of journals in psychology, education, and philosophy and has given numerous invited presentations internationally to both academic and lay audiences. During her tenure as an Associate Professor in Positive Psychology at the University of Northampton (2018 – 2023), Liz was Co-PI on a John Templeton Foundation funded research project on 'The role of exemplar narratives in cultivating character' (2019 – 2023), which was part of a larger network grant on moral exemplars. Liz works in the Jubilee Centre for Character and Virtues in the School of Education at UoB and is an Associate Fellow of the Oxford Character Project.

Dr Miguel Farias studied psychotherapy and experimental psychology at Lisbon and Oxford universities. He has been a lecturer at Oxford University and currently leads the Brain, Belief, and Behaviour Lab at Coventry University. His recent work includes a study of heart-centred contemplation in Christianity and Islam, the beliefs of atheists, spiritual possession, and indigenous religion in the Brazilian Amazon. For more information about his work, see https://miguelfarias.co.uk/.

Patty Van Cappellen, Ph.D., is an Assistant Research Professor in the Social Science Research Institute and Psychology and Neuroscience Department at Duke University. She has a dual advanced degree in Biblical Studies and a Ph.D. in Social Psychology received in 2012 from the University of Louvain in Belgium. Her research uses psychological theories and methods to study emotions (e.g., awe and gratitude), religion, and flourishing. She asks questions such as "Does religion lead to individual well-being and social harmony: when, how, and for whom?"

She is the recipient of multiple grants from the Templeton philanthropies to deepen her work on the science of religious practices (e.g., meditation, prayer, worship) and of emotions such as compassion and hope. For her work, Dr Van Cappellen received the Early Career Award from the International Association for the Psychology of Religion in 2017 and the Margaret Gorman Early Career Award from the American Psychological Association Div. 36 in 2019. You can find more information about her Belief, Affect, and Behavior lab here: https://sites.duke.edu/bablab/

After receiving my PhD in Social Psychology from the University of Virginia late last century, I joined the Psychology Department at the University of Oregon – and never left! Over the years, a theme running throughout my empirical social cognition research is the relationship between the self and others: in self-other comparisons; in using the self as a basis for understanding others; and in the self's attempts at taking others' perspectives. I have been interested in the interpersonal effects of perspective taking as well as people's accuracy at inferring others' thoughts and feelings (i.e., how well do I know what's in your head?). Both perspective taking and interpersonal inferential accuracy are often associated with prosocial behavior. However, in my study of these topics, I've found that sometimes attention to others' thoughts may originate from self-serving or even malevolent motives and accuracy may result from very simple heuristics. I'm currently serving as head of my department, which makes this workshop, an opportunity to think and discuss with others across disciplinary lines, all the more appreciated.

I am a clinical psychologist and Anglican priest based in the University of Oxford. After a long and varied career in the British health service and academia my work now mainly focuses on psychology of religion and Christianity and the arts.

I studied experimental psychology and (later) theology at Oxford University, and clinical psychology and (later) Christianity and the Arts at King's College, London. My clinical work was mainly in the area of neurology and my first PhD was on fear and anxiety following acquired brain injury. My work in psychology of religion has focused on psychology and the Bible. My teaching has been in the areas of pastoral care, especially in the areas of ageing, mental health, and dementia; in the area of spiritual formation, especially the use of insights from positive psychology; and in spirituality and the arts. I am currently pursuing a second PhD at King’s College London on the Visual Commentary on Scripture. I have been passionate about the interface between theology and psychology since I was a teenager.

Publications in the area of psychology and faith include:

Books

• McGrath, A. & Collicutt J. (2007). The Dawkins delusion? Atheist fundamentalism and the denial of the divine. London: SPCK.
• Collicutt, J. (2015). The psychology of Christian character formation. London: SCM.
• Bretherton, R., Collicutt, J., & Brickman, J. (2016). Being mindful, being Christian. Oxford: Lion/Monarch.
• Collicutt, J. (2016). Thinking of you: A spiritual resource for people with dementia. Oxford: BRF.
• Coles, A. & Collicutt, J. (2019). Neurology and religion. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
• Collicutt, J. Ind, J., Slater, V., & Webster, A. (2024). Death and life: A church’s guide to exploring mortality. Oxford: BRF.
• Collicutt, J. (2024). So longeth my soul: A reader in Christian spirituality. London: SCM.

Articles (since 2010)

• Collicutt, J. (2011). Editor of special issue of The Psychologist (volume 24, part 4) on psychology and religion.
• Collicutt, J. (2011). Posttraumatic growth, spirituality, and acquired brain injury. Brain Impairment, 12, 82-92.
• Unterrainer, H.F., Huber, H., Sorgo M., Collicutt, J., & Fink, A. (2011). Dimensions of religious/spiritual well-being and schizotypal personality. Personality and Individual Differences, 51, 360-364.
• Collicutt, J. & Gray, A. (2012). ‘‘A merry heart doeth good like a medicine’’: Humour, religion and wellbeing. Mental Health, Religion and Culture, 15, 759-778.
• Collicutt, J. (2012). Bringing the academic discipline of psychology to bear on the study of the Bible. Journal of Theological Studies, 63, 1-48.
• Unterrainer, H.F., Nelson, O., Collicutt, J., & Fink, A. (2012). The English version of the Multidimensional Inventory for Religious-spiritual Wellbeing (MI-RSWB-E): First results for British college students. Religions, 3, 588-599.
• Selvam, S.G. & Collicutt, J. (2012).  The ubiquity of character strengths in African Traditional Religion: A thematic analysis. In H-H Knoop & A. Delle Fave (eds). Wellbeing and cultures: A positive psychology perspective. New York: Springer, pp. 83-102.
• Unterrainer H-F, Lewis, A. Collicutt, J., & Fink, A. (2013). Religious/spiritual well-being, coping styles, and personality dimensions in people with substance use disorders. International Journal for the Psychology of Religion, 23, 204-213.
• Collicutt, J. (2014). Comment on  Reber & Slife’s ‘Theistic Psychology and the Relation of Worldviews:  A Reply to the Critics’. Edification: The Transdisciplinary Journal of Christian Psychology, 7, 1-10.
• Collicutt, J. (2015). Living in the end times: A short course addressing end of life issues for older people in an English parish church setting. Working with Older People, 19, 140-149.
• Slater, V. & Collicutt, J. (2018). Living Well in the End Times (LWET): a project to research and support churches’ engagement with issues of death and dying. Practical Theology, 11, 176-188.
• Collicutt, J. (2019). Clinical applications of resilience, in C. Cook & N. White (eds). Visions of resilience: Pastoral and clinical insights. London: Routledge, pp. 199-215.
• Collicutt, J. (2020). Spiritual awareness and dementia, in M. Salisbury (ed). God in fragments: Worship with those living with dementia. London: Church House Publishing.
• Collicutt, J. (2020). Jesus and psychosis, in C. Cook & I. Hamley (eds). The Bible and mental health. London: SCM, pp. 34-53.
• Collicutt, J. (2021). Perspectives from psychology and Christian theology, in M. Lamb & J. Brant (eds). Cultivating virtue in the university. New York: Oxford University Press, pp. 158-171.
• Collicutt, J. (2021). Dementia, God, and human identity. Faraday Papers, 23, 1-6.
• Collicutt, J. (2022).  The role of clinical case studies in understanding the relationship between the brain and faith. Zygon, 57, 616-634.
• Collicutt, J. (2022). ‘human kind Cannot bear very much reality.’:  The relationship between John Ruskin’s visionary aspiration and his mental health. Mental Health, Religion, & Culture, 25, 231-246.
• Brown, J. & Collicutt, J. (2022). Psalms 90, 91 and 92 as a means of coping with trauma and adversity. Mental Health, Religion, & Culture, 25, 276-287.
• Collicutt, J. (2023). Why write theology books? Science & Christian Belief, 35, 132-139.
• Collicutt, J. (2024). Psychology, in E. Shively & R. de Sousa (eds) The Routledge handbook of interdisciplinary approaches to biblical studies (in press).
• Aitken, L., MacCann, C., Cavanagh, M., Collicutt, J. (2024). The Common Hope Scale: Initial psychometric properties of a new interdisciplinary derived measure of hope. Personality & Individual Differences (in press).

Dr Joanna Leidenhag is Associate Professor of Theology and Philosophy at the University of Leeds. She has published two monographs, Minding Creation: Theological Panpsychism and the Doctrine of Creation (Bloomsbury/T&T Clark, 2021), and Science-Engaged Theology (Cambridge University Press, 2023). Her current work is on a science-engaged theology of autism and neurodiversity.

John Swinton is Professor in Practical Theology and Pastoral Care and Chair in Divinity and Religious Studies at the University of Aberdeen. For more than a decade John worked as a registered mental health nurse. He also worked for a number of years as a hospital and community mental health Chaplain alongside of people with severe mental health challenges who were moving from the hospital into the community. In 2004, he founded the University of Aberdeen’s Centre for Spirituality, Health and Disability. He has published widely within the area of mental health, dementia, disability theology, spirituality and healthcare, end of life care, qualitative research and pastoral care. John is the author of a number of monographs including Finding Jesus in the Storm: The spiritual lives of people with mental health challenges (Eerdmans, 2020), which won the Aldersgate prize for outstanding interdisciplinary work within theology. His book Dementia: Living in the memories of God won the Archbishop of Canterbury’s Ramsey Prize for excellence in theological writing. John is married with five children. He is also a musician, and his first album – Beautiful songs about difficult things - is set to come out soon.

Rev. Dr. Sarah Ann Bixler is Assistant Professor of Formation and Practical Theology and Associate Dean of the Seminary at Eastern Mennonite University in Harrisonburg, Virginia, USA. She holds a PhD in practical theology and MDiv from Princeton Theological Seminary, and a BA in English education from Eastern Mennonite University. Before entering higher education, she worked in congregational youth ministry, secondary education and ecclesial administration. Sarah is currently working on a book drawn from her dissertation, advised by Dr. Kenda Creasy Dean, utilizing attachment theory to understand and respond to the paradox of adolescent happiness without belonging in religious communities. Sarah was recently awarded a $1.25 million grant from Lilly Endowment Inc. for an interdisciplinary collaboration to support caregivers in contextualized Christian practices that foster faith formation and attachment security.

Thoko is a sociologist of Science and Religion based at St John’s College, Durham University. Her academic background is in the Sociology of Religion (MA), the History and Theory of Psychology (MSc) and Science and Technology Studies (Ph.D.). Her work is grounded in the Sociology of Scientific Knowledge (SSK) and explores notions of rationality, the relationship between the construction of scientific and religious knowledge, and the correlation between funding cultures and discipline formation. She is currently spearheading a cross-national study on the attitudes of senior church leaders toward science and science-engaged theology. She is also engaged in bringing STS into the social study of science and religion by consolidating existing work and building a network of scholars who take an STS approach to the science/religion intersection.

Carolina Montero Orphanopoulos holds a master's degree in Bioethics and a doctorate in Theological Ethics. Her doctoral thesis, entitled "Vulnerability: Towards a More Human Ethics" (Ed. Dykinson, 2022), proposes a Christian ethics grounded in the anthropology of vulnerability, approached from an interdisciplinary perspective. In 2024, she was honored with the Centessimus Annus Pro Pontifice Foundation Prize for this work.

With eighteen years of teaching experience at various universities in the country, she has instructed courses in Fundamental Moral, Bioethics, Philosophical Ethics, and various subjects in General Theological Formation. Driven by both vocation and training toward dialogue between theology and other disciplines, she has taught at faculties of theology, liberal arts, and medicine at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels.

Since 2021, she has been working at the Catholic University Silva Henríquez as a research academic at the Egidio Viganò Institute of Theology. Within the research line of Praxis, Christianity, and theology, she focuses on the ethics of vulnerability, global bioethics, and the ecclesial crisis due to abuse. Also the author of the books "Vulnerability, Recognition, and Repair: Christian Praxis and Human Fulfillment" (2012) and "Bioethics and Vulnerability: Deliberating on Life from a More Human Paradigm" (2023), she serves on the Editorial Board of the Ibero-American Journal of Bioethics, the Manuel Larraín Theological Center (PUC - UAH), and the global network CTEWC (Catholic Theological Ethics in the World Church).

I'm an Affiliated Researcher at the Two Wings Institute in Wrocław, Poland, and a Visiting Lecturer at the Margaret Beaufort Institute of Theology in Cambridge, UK. I'm also a member of the IDEAS Lab at the University of Warsaw. I hold a PhD in Biblical Studies from the University of Manchester. My educational background also includes Polish and Hebrew philologies (University of Warsaw) and a Postgraduate Diploma in Coaching and Mentoring (SWPS University of Social Sciences and Humanities in Warsaw). My research interests encompass areas such as prophetic literature, biblical reception and models of engagement with Scripture in the Catholic Church. As an Associate Lecturer at the Medical University of Warsaw, I teach in medical humanities. Additionally, I practise as a coach, specialising in academic coaching and academic writing coaching. I see my commitment to education as an active practitioner of Godly Play. Moving between these areas of engagement, I discovered the diverse and rich zone in which different paradigms of reasoning – scientific and artistic, or critical and empathic – intersect and influence each other in what has been described by the renowned cellist Yo-yo Ma as the "edge effect." Since then, I have been exploring this zone in poetry and collage. Having resided in Warsaw, Tel Aviv, Manchester, and Cambridge, I currently live in the Żywiec area in southern Poland, together with my astronomer husband, our three children, and our dog.

Dr. Francis Ethelbert Kwabena Benyah is a researcher at the Department for the Study of Religions, Åbo Akademi University, Turku, Finland. Dr. Benyah’s doctoral thesis explored the religious, human rights and media dimensions of the activities of prayer camps in relation to mental illness in Ghana. His research interest focuses on African Pentecostal Christianity with a special interest in how it intersects and interacts with public life in areas such as media, politics, health and human rights. Dr. Benyah co-edited the book Contemporary Discourses in Social Exclusion published by Palgrave Macmillan in 2023.

Hannah holds a PhD in Practical Theology from the University of Aberdeen. Her doctoral work examined the lived experience of stigma in the lives of Christians with bipolar disorder. Before gaining her PhD in Practical Theology Hannah received an undergraduate degree in psychology at the University of Aberdeen and holds qualifications in counselling skills and mental health first aid. Hannah is an honorary associate at the Centre for Spirituality, Health and Disability at the University of Aberdeen. On top of conducting this research, Hannah has been working as a visiting lecturer at London School of Theology where she has been leading a module on Empirical Research Methods. Prior to this, she worked as a postdoctoral research associate for Equipping Christian Leaders in an Age of Science and as a mixed methods researcher for Theos Think Tank where she examined the landscape of science and religion. Hannah has worked as a consultant researcher for charities examining mental health and church practice, and continues to contribute to the ongoing work of Sanctuary Mental Health Ministries. The cross section of psychology and theology has always been an area Hannah has been extremely passionate about, and is excited about the possibilities and connections this fellowship will bring. Together with Nick Spencer (Senior Fellow at Theos), Hannah has recently co-authored a book titled, Playing God: Science, Religion, and the Future of Humanity, which has been reviewed by the Church Times.

Jahdiel Perez is a Postdoctoral Fellow in the Department of Humanities at Villanova University. He recently completed his D.Phil in Theology and Literature at the University of Oxford. Perez’s dissertation, supervised by Dr. Alister McGrath and Dr. Michael Ward, analyzed how C.S. Lewis reconciled joy and sorrow throughout his theological writings. While at Oxford, he was President of the Oxford C.S. Lewis Society and a Doctoral Fellow with the OCCA Oxford Centre for Christian Apologetics.
In his research and teaching, Perez integrates theology, philosophy, and literature to show how Christian insights can respond to some of the most pressing questions of our time. Before attending Oxford, Perez earned his BA in Philosophy from University of Massachusetts in Boston and his M.Div in Christian Theology from Harvard University. His research interests range from analytic and continental philosophy of religion to modern theology and English literature. Perez lives near Philadelphia, PA with his wife Wendy and 2-year-old son Jezekiel.

Jasmine Hieronymi-Suhner is currently serving as the Co-Principal Investigator of the interdisciplinary research project titled "Interreligious Challenges and Learning in Digital Society," which is part of the University Research Focus "Digital Religion(s): Communication, Interaction and Transformation in the Digital Society" at the University of Zurich (www.digitalreligions.uzh.ch).

Additionally, Hieronymi-Suhner holds a position as a Lecturer in (Inter-)Religious Education, Psychology, and Leadership at the University of Lucerne, Switzerland.

She completed her doctoral dissertation on the interplay between human rights, (public) education, and religion. Her research spans multiple disciplines, including interreligious learning, digital society, embodiment in religious education, and the psychology and philosophy of religion. She has studied music (guitar) and has spent several years working as a dancer (tango argentino).

Keith Dow is a visiting researcher with Martin Luther University College (Waterloo) and serves as pastor and theologian on the Organizational and Spiritual Life team at Karis Disability Services. He has worked in various capacities with people with intellectual disabilities and their support teams over the past eighteen years.

After completing his PhD in caregiving ethics through Vrije Universiteit, Amsterdam under the supervision of Hans Reinders (2019), he authored Formed Together: Mystery, Narrative, and Virtue in Christian Caregiving (Baylor, 2021). He is the current president of the Religion & Spirituality Interest Network of the American Association on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities. Keith lives in the woods just South of Ottawa, Ontario (Canada) with his family and stereotypically enjoys wearing flannel, making maple syrup, and playing ice hockey.

Lynne is Jack Somerville Senior Lecturer in Pastoral Theology at the University of Otago in Dunedin, New Zealand. Her PhD (2017, Flinders University of South Australia) explored why previously unchurched Australians become Christians today, and she continues to be curious about how God is at work in the world (and how that is perceived and experienced). Lynne’s recent research investigates churches’ responses to the Covid-19 pandemic, exploring their mission, ministry, and pastoral care practices. Overall, her research is broadly focused on human flourishing, considering how chaplains, churches and Christians can support the holistic wellbeing of careseekers, congregations and wider communities. Prior to (and in conjunction with) her academic role, Lynne has worked and volunteered in pastoral ministry, and engaged in congregational and denominational research. She is married to Steve and they have two young-adult daughters.

Man-Hei Yip is Assistant Professor of Systematic Theology at Wartburg Theological Seminary in Dubuque, Iowa, U.S.A. She holds a PhD in Theology of Mission at the Lutheran Theological Seminary at Philadelphia (now United Lutheran Seminary). Her appointments have included Visiting Researcher at Boston University School of Theology in connection with the Center for Global Christianity and Mission, and work for the offices of the Lutheran World Federation in Geneva, Switzerland and Phnom Penh, Cambodia. She is author of Interrogating the Language of “Self” and “Other” in the History of Modern Christian Mission: Contestation, Subversion, and Re-imagination (2020). She is also a contributor to Global Lutheranism: Vitality and Challenges (2018) and Luther’s Small Catechism: An Exposition of the Christian Faith in Asian Contexts and Cultures (2019).

Dr Pavlína Kašparová is the Director of Studies at The Faraday Institute and The Cambridge Centre for Christianity Worldwide. Her academic journey includes a PhD in Fine Art and Theology from Anglia Ruskin University and The Margaret Beaufort Institute of Theology, where she has been a Research Associate since 2022. Since April 2024, she has also held the position of Post-doctoral Research Associate at St. Edmund's College in Cambridge. Pavlína holds two MA degrees in Catholic Theology and Art Theory and History and a BA in Design.

Pavlína's research focuses on the intersection of art practice and theological scholarship, exploring how visual expression can enhance our understanding of complex theological concepts. As a practising artist, she pioneers innovative research methodologies that blend practice-based approaches with theological reflection, pushing the boundaries of traditional linguistic frameworks to uncover new realms of knowledge and understanding.

Through her long-term research, drawing on feminist theology, she explores the expression of religious identity through physical appearance. Her research employs photography, collages, and video to create a visual diary that conveys people's perceptions of their bodies. The artist's perspective is to investigate how women view and represent other women. She uses a practice-based research methodology to examine how individuals communicate their self-awareness and identity through visual narratives.

Peter Kline is Associate Professor of Systematic Theology at St Francis College, University of Divinity. He received his PhD from Vanderbilt University as part of their Theology and Practice program, and his first book is titled Passion for Nothing: Kierkegaard’s Apophatic Theology (Fortress Press, 2017). Peter’s current research is at the intersections of psychoanalysis and religion. He is currently working on a monograph with the provisional title Infinite Seduction: Religion and the Sexual Unconscious, which seeks to offer a psychoanalytic account of religious subjectivity in conversation with Jean Laplanche. The research aims to use Laplanche’s “general theory of seduction” as a framework to explore sexuality, alterity, and trauma in the construction and deconstruction of theological meaning. The core thesis of the book is that religion (its practices and theories) variously stages and works on “the originary relation to the enigma of the other” (Laplanche). Rather than simply explain religion by way of psychoanalysis, the book will venture a theology of the unconscious that thinks God under the name “infinite seduction.”

I am a Research Fellow at the Queen’s Foundation for Ecumenical Theological Education in Birmingham. I have a PhD in Theology and for most of my academic career have worked as a Research Fellow at the Institute for Textual Scholarship and Electronic Editing (ITSEE) at the University of Birmingham, working on various ancient Greek manuscripts of the Bible.

In recent years, my research interests have returned to the subject of Christian mysticism, the roots of which formed the subject of my PhD. My main research interest at present is the ambivalence within Christianity about the human body, particularly within Christian mystical theology. Employing the psychological framework of embodied cognition, I am exploring the relationship between mystical experience and the experience of the body in first-hand accounts of religious and spiritual experiences in the Alister Hardy Religious Experience Research Centre archive.

I am also a self-employed teacher of the Alexander Technique, a body/mind discipline that encourages a contemplative or mindful attitude to everyday living. I live in Worcester, UK, with my husband and have two adult children and a granddaughter.

I’m currently an Early Career Fellow in Science and Religion at Harris Manchester College, University of Oxford. My graduate research focused on theological engagements with ‘embodied cognition’, a new paradigm in the cognitive sciences. I considered the way in which various hypotheses in embodied cognition posed interesting questions for theology: Are theological concepts grounded in embodied experience? How do the cognitive effects of religious rituals and liturgies contribute to the theological meaning of these embodied practices? And do we scaffold or offload parts of our cognition onto religious material culture? I proposed the principle of divine accommodation (from Christian and Jewish theology) as a theological framework for this engagement: if theological understanding is accommodated to limited human understanding, then cognitive science ought to be helpful in delineating the kinds of human cognitive profiles to which this understanding is accommodated. (If you’d like to more, I’ve published this work in Corporeal Theology (OUP, 2023) and ‘Accommodating Embodied Thinkers’ in Modern Theology). I’m currently working on spin off projects on embodiment, and am in the early stages of devising future projects on how psychology could be helpful for ecotheology, and a science-engaged theology of sleep.

Aizaiah G. Yong serves as Associate Professor of Spirituality at the Claremont School of Theology located in Los Angeles, California. He is a practical theologian, contemplative educator, international lecturer, and an award-winning author of numerous books including, Multiracial Cosmotheadrism: A Practical Theology of Multiracial Experiences (Orbis Books, 2023) and The Pulse of Life: Exploring the Power of Compassion in Transforming the World (Claremont Press, 2023). Aizaiah also serves as co-founder of Spirited Renewal and as co-director of the Center for Engaged Compassion which is devoted to co-repairing the world through the teaching, study, and cultivation of compassion across diverse traditions.

Since December 2023 Alison has been Ludlow Lead Tutor for Cuddesdon Gloucester Hereford, a training pathway of Ripon College Cuddesdon for ordinands and lay readers in the Church of England training part-time in the Dioceses of Gloucester and Hereford. She has pastoral and tutorial responsibility for the students training at the Ludlow centre, and teaches Doctrine, Christian Ethics, as well Spirituality and Church History. Her PhD research offers a critical assessment of the Anglican parish in the Church of England, engaging with a theology of race and place to discern whether the parish and parish church can be a place of joining and belonging in the face of social exclusion, racism, and territorial claims on the parish. Part of this work was recently published in Studies in Christian Ethics under the title 'Resisting the Building Project of Whiteness: A Theological Reflection on Land Ownership in the Church of England.' She is an ordained priest in the Church of England.

I am a Research Fellow at the Queen’s Foundation for Ecumenical Theological Education in Birmingham, UK. Since 2021, my primary research has been as Director of the Doctoral Support Project (DSP), which offers a programme of holistic one-to-one and peer group support to women undertaking doctoral level research in theology. Intentionally addressing the intersectionality of the women's area of research, their personal narrative and their faith journey, I am investigating how the DSP's additional support contributes to the women's academic, spiritual and personal flourishing.

As a feminist practical theologian, I received a PhD from the University of Birmingham for my research into the role, value and construct of chosen practices of silence in the faith lives of contemporary Christian women. This was published as Women Choosing Silence: Relationality and Transformational Practice (London: Routledge, 2019). In response to its findings, I established the Seeds of Silence project which supports, resources and signposts people who are developing a practice of silence as a spiritual discipline. Through engagement with the Sabbath poetry of Wendell Berry, my recent writing in From the Shores of Silence: Conversations in Feminist Practical Theology (London: SCM Press, 2023) explores this discipline as an entry point into the apophatic, and the self's journeying away from egoic self-consciousness towards nondual awareness and the mystical relationality of divine union. I am additionally interested in the role of silence in qualitative interviews and their transcription, and the process of qualitative research conceived as spiritual practice.

During Covid, I moved from Yorkshire to live in the Scottish Borders, where I co-established and co-facilitate the Scottish Spiritual Direction Network. Prior to our move, for more than two decades I was a Music Therapist working with children, young people and adults with complex learning difficulties and autism.

Allen G. Jorgenson holds the William D. Huras Chair in Ecclesiology and Church History at Martin Luther University College at Wilfrid Laurier University in Waterloo, ON. In addition to work with Schleiermacher and Luther, Allen's recent research has been guided by the question "What might Christians learn from Indigenous Spiritualities and Worldviews?" Recently, with Laura McGregor, he completed a qualitative research project on the experiences of parents of children with disabilities. His latest academic book publication is The Crux of Theology: Luther's Teachings and our Work for Freedom, Justice, and Peace (Lexington, 2022) co-edited with Kristen E. Kvam. Allen and his wife Gwenanne have three adult daughters. Curling and sailing occupy his winters and summers, respectively.

I have just submitted my doctoral thesis with the Centre for Catholic Studies at Durham University in constructive theology with a specialist interest in psychology. My doctoral work involves a critical reflection on Pope John Paul II's theological anthropology on self-giving as human flourishing using Carl Jung's psychoanalytical theory and positive psychology. The thesis explores human flourishing through the lens of wholeness. I hold a Master's degree in Philosophical Theology from the University of Nottingham, and a BSc in Psychology with Criminology from Nottingham Trent University. Before earning my BSc, I spent seven years as a Substance Misuse Practitioner for the Criminal Justice System.

My research interests are diverse and led by an overarching interest in developing integrated approaches to human flourishing. Theological specialist interests include theological anthropology, Thomistic personalism, Catholic doctrinal teaching and the mystics. From psychology, my interests include social psychology, positive psychology, and psychoanalytical theory. I am a research associate for The Institute for the Impact of Faith in Life. I live in Derby where I also teach Sankhya philosophy and human realisation on a yoga teacher’s training programme.

Ann Gillian Chu (PhD, FHEA, FCCA) is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Religion and Philosophy at Hong Kong Baptist University, and a Visiting Research Fellow at the Centre for Religion and Public Life at the University of Leeds. Dr Chu received her Doctor of Philosophy from the School of Divinity at the University of St Andrews (UK), her Master of Divinity from Regent College (Canada), and her Master of Arts (Honours) in English Language from the University of Edinburgh (UK). Dr Chu's doctoral thesis is titled "A Democracy by Any Other Name: Christian Perspectives of Civic and Faith Identity under Non-Democratic Governments Based on Church Discussions in Post-Umbrella Movement Hong Kong," for which she won the Best Doctoral Thesis Award from Rev. Dr. Lien-Hwa Chow Memorial Foundation in 2023. A sociologist of religion, Dr Chu's research focuses on studying Hong Kong Christianities using sociological methods, with her most recent research project being on the "left-behind" older adults whose adult children migrated to the United Kingdom, and how faith-based organizations are able to support them through this loss. Her current research interests include lived theology, Hong Kong studies, migration studies, trauma theory, and gerontology. Prior to her academic career, Dr Chu worked as a chartered accountant for over a decade.

Revd Dr Carlton Turner is tutor in Contextual Theology and Mission Studies, as well as Deputy Director of Research, at the Queen's Foundation, Birmingham. He self-defines as a Caribbean Contextual and Practical Theologian and engages in further research into the intersections of Christian theology and decoloniality, particularly within the British imperial history and context. His first book, Overcoming Self-Negation explores the identity and church practices within the Anglophone African Caribbean, and his most recent book, Caribbean Contextual Theology: An Introduction,  is the latest iteration of a Caribbean theological reflection. Carlton is a Bahamian Anglican priest and theologian who sits on both the Faith and Order Commission of the Church of England as well as the Faith and Order Commission of the World Council of Churches. He is often lecturing or presenting on issues around reparations, decolonisation, racial inequality, and colonial oppression and believes that theological explorations into these issues require deep psychological insights.

I am Professor of Ethics and Humanities at Husson University in Bangor, Maine where I teach courses in ethics, philosophy, and religious studies. I received a Ph.D. in Theology at Emory University, a M.Div. at Candler School of Theology, and a BA at Duke University. My recent research and writing have focused on moral psychology, smart technology, and persuasion.

Dr Danielle Jansen recently received her PhD at the University of St Andrews. Her thesis is entitled "Beautifully Tortured? The Problem of Divine Wrath in the Atoning Work of Christ" and argues that divine wrath is wrongly thought to be a divine attribute when, in fact, it is a kind of conceptual placeholder that communicates God’s evaluative judgment of sin. Her areas of specialties include the doctrine of God, the doctrine of atonement, contemporary penal theory, and cognitive theories of emotion. A revised version of her thesis is currently under review with T&T Clark Studies in Systematic Theology series.

Dr Hannah James is a graduate from the University of St Andrews. She wrote her dissertation on Karl Barth's doctrine of reconciliation and its application for restorative justice practices. In addition to her theological research interests of reconciliation, accountability, and restorative justice, she is now pursuing work on the issue of religious trauma from both psychological and theological perspectives.

I have completed a PhD on "Cosmopsychism and the metaphysics of original sin" at the University of St Andrews, under the supervision of Joanna Leidenhag and Oliver Crisp. Whilst a significant portion of my research has explored the theological implications of cosmopsychism, I have also endeavoured to bring Dissociative Identity Disorder into theological discussions. My project on the fellowship will help me to continue developing my research on Dissociative Identity Disorder.

Janice McRandal is an Australian feminist theologian whose work traverses theory, systematic theology, politics, and popular culture. She is currently the Lead Investigator in the research project Figuring the Maternal in Political Theology, a winning grant that follows on from her previous grant project, Figuring the Enemy. Along with her academic writing, Janice supervises numerous research projects and students, and enjoys teaching as regularly as time allows.

Dr Kevin Muriithi Ndereba holds a PhD in Practical Theology from the University of South Africa and currently serves as Head of Department and Lecturer in the Department of Practical Theology at St. Paul’s University, Kenya. He is an affiliated Research Fellow at Stellenbosch University. He initially trained and worked as an Electrical Engineer before pursuing theological studies and pastoral ministry in the Presbyterian Church of East Africa. He is the general editor of the book Apologetics in Africa: An Introduction, recently published by Langham Publishers (2024). He sees theological reflection as vital for the transformation of religious institutions and society, thus stimulating his research interests in the fields of practical theology, youth lived religion and non-religion, apologetics, and faith and science, and is affiliated with various academic societies in these fields. In the Psychology Cross-Training Programme, he will further develop his research on Social Cognition for Resilience in Emerging Adulthood: An African Theological Analysis. He is married to Jessica and father to Noah.

Rebecca Watson is Tutor in Old Testament and Director of Studies at the Eastern Region Ministry Course, Cambridge and Senior Tutor for the Christian, Rural and Environmental Studies (CRES) Programme, based at Ripon College, Cuddesdon. Since completing her doctorate at Oxford, she has spent many years in theological education, preparing people for ordained ministry, mainly in the Church of England, and has held research fellowships at Derby and Cambridge Universities. Her research interests centre around interdisciplinary and dialogue. This includes exploration of the relation between Canaanite and biblical religions, in her latest book, executed through debate between scholars with contrasting views; ecological criticism of the Bible, especially as concerns the sea and its creatures; and psychological approaches to the Psalms.

Sarah Moerman is a research fellow in the Institute for Theology, Imagination and the Arts at the University of St Andrews, where she specializes investigating various intersections of music, theology, and psychology. She is especially interested in the role music (both liturgical and extra-liturgical) plays in perception and cognition of faith and spiritual formation. She holds a PhD in Theology and the Arts from the University of St Andrews. Previously, she received her M.Mus in Sacred Music and Choral Conducting from Westminster Choir College (Princeton NJ) and her B.Mus in Violin Performance from Mount Allison University (Sackville, New Brunswick, Canada). More recently, she was co-investigator of a research project titled 'The Most Spiritual of the Arts: An Empirical Approach to the Relationship Between Music and Spiritual Realities', funded by the Templeton Religion Trust, and which engaged with the interfaces between music, theology, psychology, and cognition. She is co-editor of the forthcoming volume Music and Spirituality: theological approaches, empirical methods, and Christian worship practices (2024, Open Book Publishing); and is currently preparing a version of her doctoral thesis, Composing Christ’s Passion: Musical and Theological Approaches in the Passion Settings by James MacMillan, Arvo Pärt, and John Adams, for publication.

Scott Donahue-Martens earned a Ph.D. in practical theology from Boston University. He developed a critical correlation narrative homiletic utilizing the phenomenology of Paul Ricoeur in conversation with liberation theology. His dissertation especially addressed the color-blind approach to preaching as theologically, hermeneutically, and racially troubling, partly by proposing a more interculturally competent approach. Some of his other research interests are at the intersections of popular culture and theology, trauma theory, postcolonial theology, and the Hebrew Bible. He has co-edited works on popular culture and dystopia as well as popular culture and Dungeons & Dragons. Scott is an ordained minister and a board-certified clinical chaplain. He and his family enjoy hiking in the Pacific Northwest of the United States, where they reside.

I'm Rev Dr Steve Taylor and I live in Dunedin|Ōtepoti in Aotearoa New Zealand. I'm married to Dr Lynne Taylor, who really appreciated the first round of Psychology Cross-Training for Theologians in 2023. Together we enjoy two young adult daughters, one who lives in Oxford, England and the other in Te Wai Pounamu. I am Director of AngelWings Ltd and offer empirical research and educational consultancy to organisations seeking to navigate change. I maintain academic connections to Flinders University, South Australia and University of Otago | Ōtākou Whakaihu Waka. I research in practical theology and missiology and have a range of publications in church, change and innovation. Current projects include digital activism as justice-making, public acts of craftivism and a re-appraisal of the role of Western mission in the history of Pacific blackbirding. I'm looking forward to strengthening my interdisciplinary research skills and building networks.

Wen-Pin Leow is the Director of the Centre for Disability Ministry in Asia (CDMA), Koinonia Inclusion Network (KIN), a charity that helps faith communities include people with disabilities. He has written several books in the areas of biblical studies and/or practical theology. He is book review editor of the Journal of Disability and Religion, and the series editor for the Disability Ministry in Asia (DMA) series and the Asian Resources for Ministry (ARM) series. He is also a Fellow of St Luke’s Eldercare in the area of dementia and spirituality. For more information, see www.leowwenpin.com.

Xi Li is a Research Fellow in Biblical Studies and Moral Theology at Shandong University in China. He has a background in Biblical Studies (MDiv, PhD), Philosophy (PhD), and Medicine (BA, MM). His research focuses on interpreting biblical texts through the lens of trauma studies and examining the philosophical theories behind narratives about resurrection, theodicy, and free will in biblical texts. Within the Psychology of Religion, Xi Li is interested in the psychological rationale and function of religious faith. For instance, he is curious how religious faith relates to the emotions of awe, fear, anxiety, guilt, shame, or others and whether or how religious faith may contribute to mental or physical health.