Evolving Faith, PhD and Rally Book

There’s lots happening and changing in my life at the moment, and I’m excited to share it with you. Here are three really exciting things to announce.

Evolving Faith 2020 – October 2-3 2020

Evolving Faith, organised by Sarah Bessey and Jeff Chu, is my favourite Christian conference for the way that it seeks out the wanderer and welcomes voices from the margins. It doesn’t simply check off diversity but honours and celebrates all God’s glorious people and genuinely delights in diversity.

It holds questions and doubts as sacred and the speakers bring all of themselves with honesty and love. If you have been hurt by religion or wondering where your place is in church circles, not sure if you belong, YOU NEED THIS CONFERENCE.

Last year I had the privilege of being a keynote speaker, despite being housebound, and it was amazing.

This year, because of Covid-19, the whole conference is online, with talks and discussions delivered in the same way as I delivered my talk last year. If you’ve never been able to attend before because of distance or cost, this could be your year. Be aware that it’s on US time and put the time aside in your calendar.

And the really exciting thing? I’m invited back to speak! I can’t WAIT. See the incredible line-up of speakers, see more about the conference and book here.

(They also have a podcast launching too, which will be particularly loved by progressive Christians or people on the margins of faith.)

PhD Announcement

I have been accepted by Exeter University onto a (very) part-time PhD integrating disability and chronic illness theology with the book of Job, tentatively titled ‘A theological cartography of chronic embodied suffering in the book of Job’. For Theology and Religious Studies, the University of Exeter ranks 4th in the UK, so I’m still pinching myself.

I begin in September. It’s daunting but exciting, and I’m hoping that I can work with my body limitations to get this done.

New book 

Announcing Rally: Communal Prayers for Lovers of Justice and Jesus – ed. Britney Winn Lee. This is an amazing multi-author project which does exactly what it says in the subtitle, and I’m honoured to have contributed a chapter. The authors are incredibly diverse, both in background and across the conservative-progressive Christian spectrum, which makes it an eclectic and rich mix. I’ll be sharing more, but look out for it – it’s coming out in August 2020. Read more about it here. 

I’m doing a series of blog posts to catch you up on my recent antics. Check out the previous three posts here :

1. Broadcasting and speaking
2. TV
3. Newspaper and magazine articles – I’M IN THE NEWS TODAY!
4. Announcements (this one). If you’re reading this in an email then scroll down.

Newsletter

Soon I’ll be sending out a newsletter, which is a more chatty inside scoop in my life and a sneak peek at my upcoming projects. Do sign up and receive my first book in ebook form, Coming Back to God When You Feel Empty.