Intersectionality
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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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Reflections on Body Theology
Bodies matter. They shape how we experience life—through our senses, movements, and our interactions with the world. Yet, our bodies are frequently sites of inequality and violence. In 2025, state-sanctioned war and genocide (in Palestine and Ukraine to name just two places) targets and seeks to erase the bodies of entire communities, both physically and culturally. The COVID-19 pandemic has left lasting physical, mental, and societal scars, with millions facing health challenges like long COVID, deepening inequalities, and strained healthcare systems. Physical and sexual violence, especially gender-based violence, remains a global public health crisis. The bodies of Black people, ethnic minorities, immigrants, and refugees are still treated as though they…
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Growing closer to God through stained-glass windows: A dyslexic autistic perspective
Introduction Over the last few years, through encounters with Christians or churches, I’ve discovered the stained glass of an artist called William Wilson (henceforth WW). I find WW’s stained glass lovely to look at. But it also lets me improve my knowledge of the Bible, and that in turn lets me feel closer to God. By contrast, I’ve had limited success using more “mainstream” means to grow my faith, such as reading the Bible or attending church activities. That’s partly because I’m dyslexic and autistic. Dyslexia and autism are groups of traits or characteristics. So there’s overlap between how they present in different individuals. But there’s also diversity within the dyslexic and autistic communities: each…
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The Practical Reality of Practical Theology
This paper was written collaboratively by postgraduate students and staff at the University of Aberdeen during a research seminar in Practical Theology. Contributors are listed at the end of the piece with a brief summary of their research. Click here for details on studying Divinity at Aberdeen. Introduction The field of Practical Theology (PT) is thriving at the University of Aberdeen. During the postgraduate Practical Theology research seminar in the Autumn term (September to December) of 2022, we, a group of postgraduate students and academic staff, carried out a collaborative writing exercise, seeking to define and understand Practical Theology. This was inspired by our shared reading of Collaborative Practical Theology…
