Latest updates from around the School School of Divinity news and events For more news and events from the School of Divinity visit our main website. School of Divinity news and events 2024 News Global Top Ten RankingIn the QS World University Rankings 2024, New College was ranked 10th in the world for Theology, Divinity, and Religious Studies. Head of School Professor Jeremy Carrette comments: “We strive to provide students with an outstanding education as well as to produce world-leading research. We're delighted to see this recognised in the QS ranking, which places us alongside faculties like Harvard, Chicago, Oxford and Cambridge.” RSE Grant successProfessor Helen Bond and Dr Linden Bicket have been awarded research grants by the Royal Society of Edinburgh. In ‘Crafting Lives of Jesus: Ancient and Modern Retellings,’ Professor Bond will work with Professor Heike Omerzu (University of Copenhagen) and Professor Catrin Williams (University of Wales) to examine constructions of the life of Jesus in early, medieval, and modern settings. Dr Bicket’s project, ‘Catholic Women Writers in Scotland and Beyond,’ involves collaboration with academics from Cambridge, Warwick, and Maynooth, and will culminate in a symposium and exhibition at the National Library of Scotland. Professor Helen Bond – RSE Grant Success Dr Linden Bicket – RSE Grant Success (Left to Right) Professor Helen Bond and Dr Linden Bicket New Role for Dr RahemtullaSenior Lecturer in Islamic Studies Dr Shadaab Rahemtulla has taken up the role of Chair of the University’s Staff BAME Network. FestschriftsTwo distinguished members of the New College community have been honoured with Festschrifts—books produced by colleagues in recognition of sustained outstanding academic achievements. Professor Emeritus Stewart J. Brown received Social Christianity in Scotland and Beyond, 1800-2000 (Edinburgh University Press), edited by New College alumni Dr Laura Mair and Dr Andrew Kloes. Another alumnus, Professor Stephen Pattison (PhD 1982, DLitt 2001) received Future Faith: Public and Practical Theologies for the Contemporary World (Routledge). Stewart J Brown New College videosWhat’s it like to study at New College as an undergraduate or postgraduate student? Head over to our YouTube channel to watch new videos highlighting students from across our degree programmes. Undergraduate Study – The School of Divinity Postgraduate Study – The School of Divinity Islamic Colloquia EdinburghThis summer, Dr Shoaib Ahmed Malik, Lecturer in Science and Theology, will launch the Islamic Colloquia Edinburgh—a series of annual events dedicated to fostering interdisciplinary dialogue and research on Islamic theology, philosophy, and the relationship between Islam and science. Call for Papers – Islamic Colloquia of Edinburgh (ICE) 2025 Call for Papers – Islamic Colloquia of Edinburgh (ICE) 2026 CTPI ConferenceIn January 2025, the Centre for Theology and Public Issues hosted a two-day conference, ‘Whose Christianity Anyway? Theological Contestations in the Public and Political’. Featuring public lectures from Professor Jan-Werner Müller (Princeton University, pictured above) and Dr Marietta van der Tol (Cambridge), the conference explored Christian nationalism, law, constitutional intolerance, and politics. Professor Jan-Werner Müller Cornel WestThe School was delighted to host Professor Cornel West (Union Theological Seminary, New York), one of America’s leading public intellectuals, during his Gifford Lectures: ‘A Jazz-soaked Philosophy for our Catastrophic Times: From Socrates to Coltrane.’ 2023 News New Head of SchoolProfessor Jeremy Carrette has joined as Head of School and as Professor of Philosophy, Religion and Culture. He joins from the University of Kent, where he held the same professorial title and was Dean for Europe. Read the full story Welcome to the new Head of School Significant departuresTwo longstanding members of the New College faculty have moved on to new roles elsewhere. Professor Matthew Novenson has been appointed Helen H.P. Manson Professor of New Testament at Princeton Theological Seminary, and Professor Jolyon Mitchell is now Principal of St John’s College, Durham. We thank them both for many years of outstanding service to the school. (Left to Right) Professor Matthew Novenson and Professor Jolyon Mitchell Audience with Pope FrancisAs part of a group of scholars and artists including the celebrated filmmaker Martin Scorsese, Dr Linden Bicket was received in a private audience with Pope Francis in May 2023. Essay prizesPostdoctoral research fellow Dr Ximian (Simeon) Xu was one of six winners in Stanford University’s AI100 Early Career Essay Competition. PhD student Edward DeLaquil’s essay ‘By what measure? A signpost theory of doctrine’ won the Theology Meets Philosophy essay prize organised by SET Foundations—a programme in science engaged theology hosted by Loyola University Maryland. Read about Ximian's winning essay Read about Edward's winning essay (Left to Right) Dr Ximian (Simeon) Xu and Edward DeLaquil People of CAHSS AwardsThis year, a record number of Divinity staff were nominated for the People of CAHSS Awards – an award from the College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences (CAHSS) that recognises colleagues for their contributions in leadership, inclusion, teamwork, and inspiring others. Congratulations to our most nominated colleagues Julie Robertson, Rory Dunlop, and Roisin O'Fee. Read about our shortlisted staff Major research grantDr James Eglinton has been awarded a grant of £195,000 by the John Templeton Foundation. From 2024-26, he and Dr Thomas Bak (Reader in Cognitive Neuroscience, Edinburgh) will work on the relationship of bilingualism to theological ethics. Their project is part of a larger project, God, Language and Diversity, which was awarded £1.5 million. Buddhist StudiesProfessor Naomi Appleton has been elected to the board of the International Association of Buddhist Studies. New appointmentsDr Quan (Luke) Li has joined the school as a British Academy postdoctoral fellow to work on Karl Barth and Chinese public theology. Dr Upali Sraman has been appointed Lecturer in Buddhist Languages. 2022 News Principal JackProfessor Alison Jack has been inducted as Principal of New College, succeeding Professor David Fergusson. Her installation was presided over by the Moderator of the Presbytery of Sterling, with our own Professor Susan Hardman Moore serving as preacher. AHRC SuccessDr Arkotong Longkumer has received a major grant from the Arts and Humanities Research Council for a multiple-year project on ‘Decolonising the Museum.’ This award, in excess of £1 million, will explore items taken from Nagaland and now housed in the Pitts Rivers Museum, in Oxford. Tutor of the YearFinal year PhD student Stephen Dolan won the Student Teacher of the Year at the 2022 EUSA Teaching Awards. This is the second year in a row in which a New College PhD student has won this award. Read the full story Watch Stephen's acceptance speech Science and TheologyProfessor Mark Harris has been elected president of the European Society for the Study of Science and Theology—one of the longest-running and most distinguished international scholarly societies for the study of the relationship of the natural sciences and theology. British Academy FellowshipDr Anja Klein has been awarded a £100k Mid-Career Fellowship by the British Academy. This award will enable her to work on ‘Theology born from Crisis: Resilience Discourse in the three Major Prophets.’ Black HistoryThis year’s New College Black History Month Lecture was given by Imam Mustafa Briggs, on ‘Beyond Bilal: Black History in Islam,’ and was jointly sponsored by the School of Divinity, the University of Edinburgh Islamic Society, Race.Ed, and the Edinburgh Race Equality Network. Watch the lecture This article was published on 2026-02-06
