Theology and Race

Theology, Race and SST

The SST is seeking to address, within the scope of its life, the marginalisation in UK academia of black and minority ethnic people and their perspectives, and the narrowing of scholarship that goes with it around the concerns and interests of those racialised as white. This is an important aspect of our ongoing efforts to promote equality and inclusion in the Society. We seek to make SST a community for all scholars and students of theology, and its annual conference a forum where a diverse breadth of backgrounds, experiences, traditions, theological questions, topics, and ways of pursuing them are welcomed.

Theology and Race Report

The Society’s Executive Committee established a subgroup on Theology and Race in June 2016, convened by Dr. Ben Fulford, following challenges to address lack of diversity in the Society’s members and conference from Professor Robert Beckford in his plenary paper in April 2014, and Professor Anthony Reddie and other members of plenary panel on Race in April 2016. It produced a report in April 2017, informed by conversations with BAME scholars and others. On that basis the report offers an analysis of contributing factors to this lack of diversity. It also set out a series of recommendations for the Society to act on, covering an advisory body, structural change, diversifying culture, promoting reflexivity, outreach and dialogue, facilitating participation and how to sustain change.

That report was presented to the Society’s Annual General Meeting in April 2018. With its support, the Executive Committee is committed to carrying out its recommendations. You can download the report below, where you can also find a summary of its recommendations.

Advisory Group

In June 2018, the Executive Committee established an Advisory Group to provide feedback, accountability and guidance to the Committee in taking the Society in this direction. The current members of the group are:

  • Dr Adesola Akala (St John’s College, Durham University)
  • Dr Anderson Jeremiah (Lancaster University)
  • Rev. Israel Olofinjana (Pastor of Woolwich Central Baptist Church, Director of the Centre for Missionaries from the Majority World, Honorary Research Fellow at The Queen’s Foundation, Birmingham).
  • Rev Dr Evie Vernon (Ministry Team Leader for Catholics for AIDS Prevention and Support)

Subgroup on theology and race

The Executive Committee’s subgroup on Theology and Race takes a lead on taking this area of our work forward, and we continue to listen to and dialogue with BAME scholars and church leaders about how best to do that. The current members of the subgroup are:

  • Anupama Ranawana (convenor)
  • Anthony Reddie
  • Dulcie McKenzie
  • David Clough
  • Calida Chu
  • Gifford Rhamie

Updates

Each year, we report to the AGM on the progress we have made in this area. You can find summaries of these reports below.

Contact

If you have any queries or would like further information about this area of our work, and would like to contribute in some way, please get in touch with the Assistant Secretary (Theology and Race), Anupama Ranawana at a.m.ranawana@outlook.com 

 

Documents