TRS Chester Religious Studies Webinars Season 4

Is all Buddhism Skilful Means? - 9th May 2023 - Upāya, or skilful means, is a concept found in the central Mahāyāna text of the Lotus Sutra. It suggests that Buddhist teachings are merely provisional; that they are ‘fingers pointing at the moon.’ Wendy will investigate this claim and its significance for Buddhism’s diversity.

The Story of Islam in Britain - 16th May 2023 - What are the origins of Islam in Britain? Many British Muslims' ancestors migrated from the Indian subcontinent and the Middle East in the mid-20th century, but the story of Islam in Britain had already begun a long time before. This webinar explores the background to Islam's emergence and consolidation as a major British faith tradition. 

Sallie McFague and God as Mother - 23rd May 2023 - If sexism remains a feature of the world, do we need to reconsider how we speak about God? In this short talk, Hannah looks at the influential thought of feminist theologian, Sallie McFague, and asks if her call to picture God as Mother succeeds in affirming a diversity of women from different contexts.

Can we talk about God? - 30th May 2023 - In the 20th century, accounts of the limits of language meant that it became impossible to speak meaningfully of God. This talk will explore the history of talking about God, and whether or not it is possible to do so. 

Do Christian theologians read the Bible literally? - 6th June 2023 - It’s not meant to be taken literally!’ What does this criticism of interpretations of the Bible mean and why do people make it? The pros and cons of reading different biblical texts ‘literally’ or ‘according to the letter’ has been controversial in Christian theology from the start. We’ll explore a few examples illustrating what’s at stake in those arguments and what it might mean to read the Bible ‘literally’ or not..

What does Census2021 tell us about religion? - 13th June 2023 - In this webinar, Dawn will explore some of the findings from 2021 Census data to consider what it tells us about changing beliefs, the move towards ‘no-religion’, religious growth and decline, the difficulties in measuring belief, and what this means for understanding contemporary British society.

Did Jesus think he was divine? - 20th June 2023 - By the fourth century, Christians came to believe Jesus was the Second Person of the Trinity. Belief in Jesus’ divinity can be found in earlier Christian writings, including the New Testament. But what did Jesus believe about himself? Paul will explore the earliest beliefs about Jesus’ divine status as well as his own self-understanding.

Reason and the Divine: Sources of Knowledge in Islam - 27th June 2023 - The relationship between human reasoning and divine knowledge is very unique and it has been translated into the accumulated intellectual heritage of Islamic jurisprudence/ law. In this brief, presentation we shall know about the main sources of knowledge in Islam and how the intertwined relationship between reasoning and the divine contributed to Islam’s sustainability.  

Sects and Cults - 4th July 2023 - The terms 'cult' and 'sect' have largely been used as negative descriptions for undesirable or fringe religious groups; particularly those groups that have found themselves in the public eye. In this talk, Steve clarifies and outlines what the two terms refer to and how they are used in contemporary academic work, drawing on specific examples.