Christianity
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From ‘the salt of the earth’ to ‘the powers that be’: the impact of biblical language in culture
Introduction What is the impact of biblical language in culture today? And why and how does this matter to practical theologians? Twenty-five delegates met to delve into these questions in December 2025 at a symposium held at the historic Launde Abbey in Leicestershire, England. This article offers some reflections on the symposium by one of the convenors (Andrew) and three delegates who kindly agreed to put fingers to keyboard after the event.[i] The particular prompt for the symposium theme and for the meeting at this time was the 500th anniversary of William Tyndale’s 1525-26 translation of the New Testament into English – from the Greek and in printed form for…
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Theory That Can Be Lived: In Conversation about (with) Lived Experience
Heather Walton’s recent Practical Theology Beyond the Empirical Turn presses practical theology to rethink what counts as theory.[1] Rather than treating theory as an abstract system or a critical tool applied from outside, she invites us to see it as something that condenses and circulates through shared stories, images, practices, and felt worlds. She argues that practical theology has overlooked the way that theory functions as “collective sentiment” and “shared narrative”.[2] Taking that provocation seriously, we place our research projects into conversation. One of us (Chris) works on liturgy and symbolic action. The other (Giorgio) studies LGBTQ+ Catholic identity. In both contexts, lived experience is treated not as illustrative material…
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Can men do feminist theology?
Summary: This conversation explores how men might responsibly engage with feminist theology and how women can encourage men’s involvement in this vital area of work towards justice. Sarah: Feminist theology has always challenged and reimagined theological thought. Grounded in the wider feminist movement of the 1950s and 1960s early feminist theologians sought to push back against what was a very masculine-centric theological world. Instead, they demanded the experiences and perspectives of women were worthy of theological consideration. Working collaboratively and creatively, often in discussion with one another, they wrote from their own personal experiences. Not content with only challenging the content of theology, they argued for breadth and variety in…
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From Discipline to Leverage: The Marketisation of Fasting and Prayer
This essay examines how fasting and prayer are increasingly instrumentalised inNigeria—politically and ecclesially—and argues for a recovery of asceticism as formation incompassion rather than a technique of leverage. Introduction In June 2025, reports emerged from Nigerian media indicating that the Nigerian Ministry of Agriculture issued a nationwide call for prayer and fasting to address the issue of famine within the country. This appeal for prayer and fasting provoked significant controversy, as numerous Nigerians utilised social media platforms to accuse the government of attempting to divert attention from its fiduciary responsibilities.[1] Critics contended that the government was neglecting critical issues such as inflation and the escalating poverty levels by promoting national…
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Silence and Survival: Re-Reading Bathsheba Through Womanist and Feminist Lenses
The story of Bathsheba, found in 2 Samuel 11-12 and 1 Kings 1-2, has long been one of the most contested narratives in biblical interpretation. The focus of dominant hegemonic readings has often fallen on David as king, focusing on his sin, repentance, and eventual restoration. Hegemonic readings have arguably sanitized David’s actions, interpreting them as a lapse in moral judgment, rather than an abuse of royal power. This attention on David has led to Bathsheba’s perspective becoming silenced or distorted. Such readings not only obscure the violence of the act but also perpetuate a theological culture that normalizes male dominance and female passivity. Bathsheba is frequently reduced to a…
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Right Now The Best
In his 2022 album American Heartbreak, Zach Bryan (an American multi-award-winning country/rock singer-songwriter) presents a compelling critique of the prevalent ‘what is next’ culture. A culture that is focused on the future and is never satisfied with the present. In this context, people are always looking to and striving for the next thing, whether that be in a person’s career, personal life, social life, or material possessions. Bryan delves into the societal emphasis on the future, revealing how it comes at the expense of the present moment. This is one of the most honest songs that gets at one of the most corrosive effects of the current culture. Bryan (2022)…
