About the Organising Committee
Naomi Billingsley's research focuses on the roles of Christ in the visual works of the painter-poet William Blake (1757-1827), exploring how he uses images as a means of expressing his unique religious vision.
Beyond taking specific material images as the subject of her research, Naomi's interests in notions of shaping, making and breaking images (in relation to Blake specifically and more broadly) include word-image dynamics, Christ as image, and the possibilities of iconoclastic image-making.
Beyond taking specific material images as the subject of her research, Naomi's interests in notions of shaping, making and breaking images (in relation to Blake specifically and more broadly) include word-image dynamics, Christ as image, and the possibilities of iconoclastic image-making.
Rosie Edgley works on Sanskrit-English translation and researches the work of Madhusūdana Sarasvatī, a 16th century Indian philosopher who belongs to the school of Advaita Vedānta (non-dualism). Her thesis examines Madhusūdana’s philosophy of personhood and self.
Rosie is also specifically interested in images of bhakti (devotion) and the visual representation of Sanskrit texts in the Hindu tradition.
Rosie is also specifically interested in images of bhakti (devotion) and the visual representation of Sanskrit texts in the Hindu tradition.
Scott Midson works from an interdisciplinary perspective at the intersection between theology and technology. More specifically, he looks at posthumanism, in considering and exploring the challenges and opportunities that it poses for theology.
Scott's interest in images, icons and idols stems from an engagement with theological anthropology and anthropogeny, as well as an exploration of images of the technologised human in popular culture, ranging from sci-fi cyborgs and others, to celebrity idols in the more 'everyday' sense.
Scott's interest in images, icons and idols stems from an engagement with theological anthropology and anthropogeny, as well as an exploration of images of the technologised human in popular culture, ranging from sci-fi cyborgs and others, to celebrity idols in the more 'everyday' sense.
Charlie Pemberton is interested in the production of the person in discourse, praxis and interpersonal participation. HIs current research, into charities that work with homeless people, frames these questions in critical dialogue with the Liberation Theology of Gustavo Gutierrez and the Radical Orthodoxy of John Milbank - moving between theological anthropology, questions in philosophical ontology and contemporary social theory.
Charlie is looking forward to Images, Icons and Idols, a chance to learn more about figurative representations of the person, and hopes it will provide the opportunity to think critically and constructively about the engagement of culture and theology.
Charlie is looking forward to Images, Icons and Idols, a chance to learn more about figurative representations of the person, and hopes it will provide the opportunity to think critically and constructively about the engagement of culture and theology.
The image above is a detail from the Beatus Super Apocalypsim by Beatus of Liébana (ca. 750-798; Latin MS 8, John Rylands Library) and is reproduced by courtesy of the University Librarian and Director, The John Rylands Library, University of Manchester.