Divinity Divulged

Faculty of Divinity, University of Cambridge

Welcome to the Divinity Divulged podcast! The first podcast series from the Faculty of Divinity at the University of Cambridge. In each episode we’ll be taking a look at one of the fascinating research projects happening within the Faculty through conversations with the researcher and an expert guest working in their field. Our episodes are aimed at all of those studying and or exploring religion and theology across all levels, and we hope you enjoy!

  1. 1d ago

    14 | Akeem Adagbada – Festival and Sacred Memory

    Welcome to the Divinity Divulged podcast! The first podcastseries from the Faculty of Divinity at the University of Cambridge. In each episode we’ll be taking a look at one of the fascinating research projects happening within the Faculty through conversations with the researcher and an expert guest working in their field. With dialogue aimed at all of thosestudying or exploring religious studies across all levels, you can find details on how this episode relates to A Level and Scottish Highers Specifications as well as a glossary below.   For this episode we are joined by Akeem Adagbada. Akeem is currently a PhD student in the Faculty of Divinity and an Ian Karten Honorary PhD Scholar at the Woolf Institute where his ethnographic research focus is on the Edi Festival in Ile-Ife, Southwest Nigeria. The festival celebrates and memorialises the heroic acts of the 12th Century Queen Moremi. Alongside Prof Jörg Haustein, Akeem talks through his central thesis which argues that Mórẹ̀mí functions as a dynamic and contested site through which actors in Ilé-Ifẹ̀negotiate power, sacred memory, gender, heritage, and theological meaning, revealing how Yorùbá sacred history is continually remade through ritual, politics, and entangled religious identities.   Glossary     Anthropology – the study of humans beings across culture,society, language and human biology.   Kola nut – the seed of a certain species of a plant of thegenus Cola containing caffeine. In Yoruba culture kola nuts (or obi's) are presented to visitors as a traditional sign of welcome, peace, and goodwill.   Decolonisation - the historical, political, and culturalprocess of undoing colonisation and liberating a country or people from foreign rule, domination, and systemic influence   Ethnography - A qualitative research method that involvesthe immersive study of people and cultures in their natural settings.   Homogenisation - Used broadly to describe the blending ofdifferent elements towards them becoming more similar.   Ile Ife – An ancient city in Osun State South WesternNigeria considered by many Yoruba as a holy city.   Independence era – The era of Nigeria beginning afterOctober 1st 1960 when the country gained its independence.   McDonaldisation - The process where a or community societyadopts the fast-food business model of efficiency, calculability,predictability, and control.   Moremi – A lengendary Yoruba queen and folk heroine.   Nollywood – A term fusing Nigeria and Hollywood to refer tothe Nigerian film industry.   Oni - The supreme traditional ruler and spiritual head ofIle-Ife.   Orisha – A divine spirit or deity in traditional Yorubareligion.   Positionality - A person's social and political standing—defined by race, gender, class, and other identity markers—that shapeshow they see and understand the world.   Topia Alabi – Nigerian gospel singer, film music composerand actress.   Yoruba – An ethnic group native to West Africa and modernday Nigeria, Benin and Togo, a region collectively Yorubaland.   A Level Specifications –   Pearson Edexcel Philosophy of Religion   Christianity   6. Religion and society 6.1 Pluralism and diversity   Islam   6. Religion and society 6.1 Pluralism and diversity   OCR 2c Developments in Christian thought Religious pluralism and theology   2c Developments in Islamic thought Religious pluralism and theology

  2. Oct 20

    13 | Dr Judson Greene – The Epistle to the Hebrews and ‘Christly Bodies’

    Welcome to the Divinity Divulged podcast! The first podcastseries from the Faculty of Divinity at the University of Cambridge. In each episode we’ll be taking a look at one of the fascinating research projects happening within the Faculty through conversations with the researcher and an expert guest working in their field. With dialogue aimed at all of those studying or exploring religious studies across all levels, you can find details on how this episode relates to A Level and Scottish Highers Specifications as well as a glossary below. For this episode we are joined by Dr Judson Greene. Dr Greene is Professor and Associate Dean at Redemption Seminary. He has published articles on biblical interpretation and theology, as well as poetry and essays of cultural criticism. His research interests include reception history, Greek lexicography, and the atonement. He currently lives in Wyoming. Alongside Prof David Moffitt, Judson talks about his research into cosmic eschatology and the Epistle to the Hebrews, covering apocalypse, heavens, Christly bodies and much else in between. A Level Specifications –   AQA 2B Christianity:   Sources of wisdom and authority Expressions of religious identity Self, death and afterlife Christianity, migration and religious pluralism   Pearson Edexcel 6 Influences of developments in religious belief   6.1 Views about life after death across a range of religioustraditions   OCR 2c Developments in Christian thought Death and the Afterlife   Scottish Highers Specifications   SQA   Christianity Beliefs  Judgement; Heaven and Hell

  3. Oct 6

    12 | Amen Gashaw – Migration Theology, Hospitality and ‘Home’

    Welcome to the Divinity Divulged podcast! The first podcastseries from the Faculty of Divinity at the University of Cambridge. In each episode we’ll be taking a look at one of the fascinating research projects happening within the Faculty through conversations with the researcher and an expert guest working in their field. With dialogue aimed at all of those studying or exploring religious studies across all levels, you can find details on how this episode relates to A Level and Scottish Highers Specifications as well as a glossary below.   For this episode we are joined by Amen Gashaw. Amen is an MPhil candidate in Christian Theology here in the Faculty of Divinity, where she works on political theologies of migration. Her prior research examined the efficacy of faith-based global development programs and religiosity’s effect on socialbehaviour change outcomes. She is a graduate of Harvard College with degrees in Government on the political economy track and Molecular Biology. Alongside Prof David Fergusson, Amen talks her through her research at the intersections of political economy and theology, sin, religion and law, and humanitarianism, with a focus on migration theology, hospitality and identity, home and theological grass roots.   Glossary   Angelology – The theologicalstudy if angels.   Christian nationalism – A political ideology that looks for explicit expressions of Christianity in civic life and policy.   Comparative Christologies – The study of how different Christian traiditons understand the nature and role of Jesus.   Ecumenical – The promotion of cooperation and unity between denominations.   Great commandment – Jesus’ response recorded in three of the gospels of which rule in the law of God is the most important, first to ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength’ and second to ‘Love your neighbor as yourself’.   Great commission - Jesus Christ's final instruction to His disciples to spread the Christian gospel and make followers of all nations   Heritage churches - individual Christian congregations, movements, or specific denominations that emphasize afoundational, historical, or traditional commitment to historic Christian doctrines and reformed theology.   ICE – United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement. A federal law agency in the US charged with enforcingimmigration and carrying out deportations.   Prelapserian – Existing or occurring before the Fall of Man.   Theologies of migration – Frameworks that interpret human movement and displacement through sacred texts and divine mission.   Unitary executive - A constitutional law concept asserting that the President of the United States possesses absolute authority over the entire executive branch.   Vice signalling - The public expression of controversial, cruel, or socially taboo views to signal loyalty to a specific group, appear tough or authentic, or gain social and political capital.

  4. 11/26/2025

    11 | Dr Emily Qureshi-Hurst - God, Science and 'Many Worlds'

    Emily   Welcome to the Divinity Divulged podcast! The first podcastseries from the Faculty of Divinity at the University of Cambridge. In each episode we’ll be taking a look at one of the fascinating research projects happening within the Faculty through conversations with the researcher and anexpert guest working in their field. With dialogue aimed at all of those studying or exploring religious studies across all levels, you can find details on how this episode relates to A Level and Scottish Highers Specifications as well as a glossary below.   For this episode we are joined by Dr Emily Quereshi-Hurst, Teaching Associate in Theology and Natural Science in the Faculty of Divinity in Cambridge and a research associate at Fitzwilliam College also in Cambridge. Alongsideher is Dr Frederick Simmons, Research Associate in the Faculty of Divinity, the Leverhulme Centre for Life in theUniverse, and Emmanuel College in Cambridge.   Here Emily talks us through her work at the intersection between Christian theology, philosophy, and modernscience. What might it mean for our understanding of God to think about a multi worlds or a multi universe reality?   Emily’s most recent paper on 'many worlds' can be found here - https://apcz.umk.pl/SetF/article/view/57168   Glossary   Astrobiology The scientific study of life in the universe, including its origin, evolution, distribution, and potential existence beyond Earth. Copenhagen Interpretation The traditional interpretation of quantum mechanics stating that physical systems do not have definite properties until they are measured. Determinism The philosophical view that all events, including human actions, are completely determined by previously existing causes. Everettian Relating to Hugh Everett’s interpretation of quantum mechanics, also known as the Many-Worlds Interpretation. Fallenness A theological concept describing the human condition after the “Fall” of humanity through Adam and Eve marked by moral imperfection, alienation from God, or brokenness. Many Worlds A quantum interpretation proposing that all possible outcomes of quantum measurements actually occur in branching universes. Metaphysics A branch of philosophy studying the fundamental nature of reality, including existence, objects, their properties, and causation. Moral Evil Evil or suffering resulting from the intentional actions or decisions of moral agents (e.g., cruelty, murder). Natural Evil Suffering caused by natural processes (e.g., earthquakes, diseases) rather than human actions. Noetic Relating to the mind or intellect; often refers to spiritual or intuitive forms of knowledge. Ontological Relating to ontology—the study of being, existence, and what kinds of things fundamentally exist. Prima Facie A Latin term meaning “at first glance”; refers to something that is accepted as true unless later disproven. Schrödinger Equation The fundamental equation of quantum mechanics describing how the quantum state of a physical system changes over time. Soteriology The branch of theology concerned with salvation. Subatomic Particles Particles smaller than atoms, such as electrons, protons, neutrons, quarks, and neutrinos. Theodicy A theological or philosophical attempt to justify God’s goodness despite the existence of evil. A Level Specifications –   AQA   Philosophy of Religion   Arguments for the existence of God   2b Christianity   God Christianity and Science   Dialogues   The dialogue between Christianity and philosophy   Pearson Edexcel   Philosophy of Religion   1 Philosophical issues and questions   4B Christianity   1.    Religious beliefs, values and teachings   OCR   2.c Philosophy of religion   2.    The existence of God   Scottish Highers Specifications   SQA   Christianity Beliefs   Religious and philosophical questions Origins

  5. 11/12/2025

    10 | Dr Ankur Barua - Cognition, Intuition, Space and Time Travel

    Welcome to the Divinity Divulged podcast! The first podcastseries from the Faculty of Divinity at the University of Cambridge. In each episode we’ll be taking a look at one of the fascinating research projects happening within the Faculty through conversations with the researcher and an expert guest working in their field. With dialogue aimed at all of thosestudying or exploring religious studies across all levels, you can find details on how this episode relates to A Level and Scottish Highers Specifications as well as a glossary below. For this very special episode we went live! Recorded as part of the Cambridge Festival Ideas in 2025 we welcomed Dr Ankur Barua, University Senior Lecturer in the Faculty of Divinity here at Cambridge. Offering us their expertise and their reflections was Dr Alexandra Ilieva, Teaching Associate in Buddhist Studies also in the Faculty of Divinity.   Ankur divulged his connections to considerations around timeand space, cognition and intuition, translations, and, most significantly, time travel films.   Glossary     Atomic theory – Scientific explanation which suggests thatall matter is from small particles called atoms.   Dharma- Sanskrit word generally referring to a path of righteousness or duty in Hinduism and Buddhism. Diachronic – Consideration of the way something,particularly language, has developed over time.   Ethnography – Social scientific descriptions of peoples andcultures through their customs habits and mutual differences through observation.   Existential – The consideration of and ideas relating to existence.   Hermeneutical intent – Attempting to understand a text byseeking to understand the authors meanings and motivations.   Language game – Philosophical concept developed by Ludwig Wittgenstein which refers to simple examples of language and the ideas and actions within them.   Meta philosophy – The philosophical study of the nature,methods, aims and boundaries of philosophy itself.   Metaphysical – Aspects of philosophy that consider thenature of reality and existence beyond the physical world and human perception   Nihilistic – The belief that life is meaningless and arejection of religious and moral principle accordingly   Orientalism – Representations of Asian cultures and peoplesin an stereotyped and essentialised way stemming from and furthering  colonialist attitudes   Syllogistic – A type of log where conclusions are reached byapplying deductive reasoning to two general premises   Synchronic – State of operating or developing according tothe same time scale as something else   Tawheed – The Islamic concept of the oneness of God   A Level Specifications –   AQA   Philosophy of Religion   Religious language Self, death and the afterlife   2a Buddhism   Ultimate reality Buddhism and science   2c Hinduism   Ultimate reality Hinduism and science   Dialogues   The dialogue between Hinduism and philosophy   Pearson Edexcel   Philosophy of Religion   1 Philosophical issues and questions 4 Religious language   4A Buddhism   1 Religious Beliefs values and teachings   4C Hinduism   1 Religious Beliefs values and teachings   OCR   2.c Philosophy of religion   1 Philosophical language and thought 4 Theological and Philosophical Developments 5 Religious Language: Negative, Analogical or Symbolic   2.c Developments in Buddhist thought Foundations Insight   2.c Developments in Hindu thought   Foundations Insight   Scottish Highers Specifications   SQA   Buddhism Beliefs   Hinduism Beliefs

  6. 10/29/2025

    9 | Dr Thomas Graff - Dante and a 'Theology of Incarceration'

    Welcome to the Divinity Divulged podcast! The first podcastseries from the Faculty of Divinity at the University of Cambridge. In each episode we’ll be taking a look at one of the fascinating research projects happening within the Faculty through conversations with the researcher and an expert guest working in their field. With dialogue aimed at all of thosestudying or exploring religious studies across all levels, you can find details on how this episode relates to A Level and Scottish Highers Specifications as well as a glossary below. For this episode Dr Thomas Graff joins the podcast, Bye-Fellowand Director of Studies in Theology, Religion, and Philosophy of Religion at St Edmund’s College in Cambridge. Offering us their expertise is Professor Robin Kirkpatrick, Professor Emeritus of Italian and English Literature at the University of Cambridge.   Thomas talks us through his work studying Italian poet andwriter Dante, developing as he does a ‘theology of incarceration’ in and beyond him. We think about redemption, reconciliation, exile, power discourses and mass incarceration.   Glossary   Dante – Italian poet and writer of the 13thand 14th century, perhaps most famous for his Divine Comedy.   Ghibellines – Political and military factionsupporting the Holy Roman Emperor against the Pope in the Italian city states of central and northern Italy in the Middle Ages.   Guelfs - Political and military faction supportingthe Pope against the Holy Roman Emperor in the Italian city states of central and northern Italy in the Middle Ages.   MLK – Martin Luther King Jr, American civil rightsactivist and Baptist minister.   Panopticon – Circular prison design conceived byUtilitarian philosopher Jeremy Bentham to offer theoretical constant observation of prisoners in order to create a feeling of constant observation and self-regulation of behaviour as a result.   Punitive justice/Retributive justice – A system ofjustice focused on punishment in order to deter future crime.   Purgatory – A stage of the afterlife where sinners areoffered the chance to recompense for sin in order to progress to heaven.   Restorative justice – A process that brings thoseresponsible for and those harmed by crime together in dialogue to attempt to find a shared path forward.     A Level Specifications –   AQA   Philosophy of Religion   Evil and suffering   Ethics and Religion   The application of natural moral law, situation ethics andvirtue ethics to: capital punishment Bentham and Kant   2b Christianity   Dialogue between Christianity and ethics   Pearson Edexcel   Philosophy of Religion   3 Problems of evil and suffering 6 Influences of developments in religious belief   4B Christianity:   1 Religious Beliefs values and teachings   OCR   2.c Philosophy of religion   3 The problem of evil   2.c Developments in religious thought   Christian moral principles   Scottish Highers Specifications   SQA   Christianity Beliefs   Nature of human beings: free will; sin; stewards Judgement; Heaven and Hell   Practices   Christian action; the Christian community

  7. 10/15/2025

    8 | Prof Joseph Webster - Apocalypse & Eschatology amongst Jehovah's Witness Communities in Northern Ireland

    Welcome to the Divinity Divulged podcast! The first podcastseries from the Faculty of Divinity at the University of Cambridge. In each episode we’ll be taking a look at one of the fascinating research projects happening within the Faculty through conversations with the researcher and an expert guest working in their field. With dialogue aimed at all of thosestudying or exploring religious studies across all levels, you can find details on how this episode relates to A Level and Scottish Highers Specifications as well as a glossary below. For this episode we are joined by Prof Joseph Webster, Professor of the Anthropology of Religion in the in the Faculty of Divinity here in Cambridge, to talk through Joe’s ethnographic fieldwork amongst Jehovah’s Witness communities in Northern Ireland and beyond. Joining us alongside him is Loïc Bawidaman, PhD candidate in the Department of Religious Studies at theUniversity of Zurich.   Here Joe talks about how his time cleaning windows andstanding on literature carts has formed his understanding of the moral hermeneutical, and eschatological commitments of JW’s.   Glossary   Eschatology – Theological understandings of the endof this present world and what might lay beyond it.   Ethnography - An anthropological research methodoften involving immersive fieldwork that seeks to understand human culturesfrom the perspective of research participants.   Evangelism – The spreading of the gospel through interpersonalengagement.   Jehovah – A form of the Hebrew name for God thatappears in the Bible.   Ontological – Debates concerned with the nature ofbeing.   A Level Specifications –   AQA   2B Christianity:   Sources of wisdom and authority Expressions of religious identity Self, death and afterlife Christianity, migration and religious pluralism   Pearson Edexcel Philosophy of Religion   6 Influences of developments in religious belief   6.1 Views about life after death across a range of religioustraditions   OCR 2c Developments in Christian thought   Death and the Afterlife   Scottish Highers Specifications   SQA   Christianity Beliefs   Judgement; Heaven and Hell   Practices   Christian action; the Christian community Theme Tune - Terminate the Funk by Dub Terminator. Used under Creative Commons License.

  8. 02/26/2025

    7 | Rob Trenckmann - Knowledge and Illumination within St Augustine

    Welcome to the Divinity Divulged podcast! The first podcast series from the Faculty of Divinity at the University of Cambridge. In each episode we’ll be taking a look at one of the fascinating research projects happening within the Faculty through conversations with the researcher and an expert guest working in their field. With dialogue aimed at all of those studying or exploring religious studies across all levels, you can find details on how this episode relates to A Level and Scottish Highers Specifications as well as a glossary below. For this episode we are joined by Rob Trenckmann, PhD student in the Faculty of Divinity here in Cambridge, as we explore Rob’s research into knowledge and ‘illumination’ in the writings of St Augustine, thinking about what this means for the soul and forms of theological education. Providing their expertise is Professor Simeon Zahl, Professor of Christian Theology also in the Faculty of Divinity. This time round, Rob takes us through Jesus’ use of parables, distinctions between the mind, the body and the soul, and what Rob describes as ‘educational romanticism’. We dearly hope you enjoy! Researcher: Rob Trenckmann Expert Guest: Professor Simeon Zahl Host: Dr Joseph Powell Glossary – Anthropology – In Christianity, the study of how humans relate to God Apologetic – A defence of a faith of a particular aspect of a faith Biblical heart – How the Bible explains the heart as the centre for physical as well as emotional, moral and spiritual faculties Disequilibration – Being off balance, in Christianity referring to the moment before a realisation or awakening of consciousness Dualism – A philosophical concept which sees the mind and body as separate and distinct from each other Ethnography - An anthropological research method often involving immersive fieldwork that seeks to understand human cultures from the perspective of research participants. Falleness – In Christianity, referring to the ‘fall’ of humanity through the sins of Adam and Eve and a subsequent rupturing in the relationship between humanity and God Fideist/Fideism – The view that faith is more important than intellect or reasoning in assessing religious truths Hamartyology – A branch of Christian study that relates to sin Neoplatonist/Neoplatonism – A school of philosophy with Greek origins which has within it ideas including monism, the notion that all reality can be traced back to a single principal or thing Pelagianism – A Christian idea which suggests the Fall did not flaw human nature and that humans can achieve human perfection through the will of God Sanctification – The act of making something holy A Level Specifications – AQA 2B Christianity: Sources of wisdom and authority God Self, death and afterlife Good conduct and key moral principals Expressions of religious identity Christianity and science The dialogue between Christianity and philosophy The dialogue between Christianity and ethics Pearson Edexcel 3 Problems of evil and suffering Problem of evil and suffering Theodicies and solutions to the problem of suffering 6 Influences of developments in religious belief Points for discussion about life after death OCR Philosophy of religion Ancient philosophical influences The nature of the soul, mind and body Arguments about the existence or non-existence of God The challenge for religious belief of the problem of evil Ideas about the nature of God Developments in religious thought Sources of religious wisdom and authority Practices which shape and express religious identity, and how these vary within a tradition Scottish Highers Specifications SQA Christianity Beliefs Beliefs about God Nature of human beings: free will; sin; stewards Beliefs about Jesus Judgement; Heaven and Hell

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Welcome to the Divinity Divulged podcast! The first podcast series from the Faculty of Divinity at the University of Cambridge. In each episode we’ll be taking a look at one of the fascinating research projects happening within the Faculty through conversations with the researcher and an expert guest working in their field. Our episodes are aimed at all of those studying and or exploring religion and theology across all levels, and we hope you enjoy!

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