Working within the overall purposes of our Constitution (see below), TRS-UK is currently working to:
- Increase the pool of undergraduate applicants
- Develop deeper collaboration with RE school teachers
- Enhance the public understanding of religion
Who We Are
Aims
In pursuit of these aims, we are currently
- Producing high-quality videos of TRS graduates demonstrating the variety of valuable jobs and careers to which a degree in TRS can lead;
- Developing an active social-media presence (Twitter; Facebook; Instagram), linked to our new website;
- Creating a close working-relationship with the Religion Media Centre so that academics can better inform public reporting of religion;
- Undertaking surveys and consultations of to develop further collaboration with teachers of RE and their representative bodies;
- Enhancing diversity in this sector by undertaking a research project into the presence and (under-)representation of students and staff in TRS who self-identify as Black and People of Colour and staging national-level webinars to identify the barriers inhibiting diversity in TRS in the UK.
These strategic aims and activities are assessed and continually refreshed through consultation with our members, especially through our Annual General Meeting.
Officers
Opinderjit Kaur Takhar
President
Opinderjit Kaur Takhar is Associate Professor of Sikh Studies and the Director of the Centre for Sikh and Panjabi Studies at the University of Wolverhampton, where she was previously Course Leader for Religious Studies. She was awarded an MBE in 2018 for services to Education and to the community.
Nicholas Adams
Vice-President
Nicholas Adams is Professor of Philosophical Theology in the School of Philosophy, Theology and Religion, University of Birmingham, where he also serves as Head of Global Engagement.He serves on the committee for Christian Systematic Theology at the American Academy of Religion, and on the Faith and Order Commission of the Church of England.
Catrin Williams
Treasurer
Catrin H. Williams is Professor of New Testament Studies at the University of Wales Trinity Saint David (Lampeter campus), having recently completed a two-year period as the Academic Director for Humanities.
Russell Re Manning
Secretary
Russell Re Manning is a Reader in Religions, Philosophies, and Ethics at Bath Spa University, with research and teaching interests in the philosophy of religion, science and religion, and theologies of culture.
Céline Benoit
Céline Benoit is a School Liaison Officer for TRS-UK, and works closely with a variety of external stakeholders to promote the subject and improve the uptake of RE/RS at GCSE and A-Level. She is also Associate Dean for Public Engagement and Senior Teaching Fellow at Aston University.
Susannah Cornwall
Susannah Cornwall is Associate Professor in Constructive Theologies at the Department of Theology and Religion, University of Exeter, UK, and Director of EXCEPT (Exeter Centre for Ethics and Practical Theology).
Patricia Kelly
Patricia Kelly is Honorary Senior Research Fellow in the School of Divinity, St Andrews University, and Website Officer for TRS-UK.
Tim Hutchings
Tim Hutchings is a Schools Liaison Officer for TRS-UK. He is Assistant Professor in Religious Ethics at the University of Nottingham, where he teaches classes on the sociology of religion, interfaith relations and media ethics.
Tim also liaises with the Religion Media Centre for TRS-UK.
Jeremy Kidwell
Jeremy Kidwell is Senior Lecturer in Theological Ethics in the Department of Theology and Religion, University of Birmingham. A former Treasurer of TRS-UK, Jeremy is currently leading a research project on diversity within Theology & Religious Studies in the UK.
Departments of Theology & Religious Studies
34 universities in the UK offer a degree in Theology and/or Religious Studies. Every department is a member of our association and has a representative who works with TRS-UK. The departments are listed below:
Affiliate members
Our affiliate membership consists of the learned societies and professional associations which aim to promote the study of theology and religions in the UK. They are listed below:
