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Staff profile

staff list  BackDr Ralph Norman

  • Job title: Acting Head of Department
  • Dept: Theology and Religious Studies
  • Tel: 01227 782910
  • Campus: Canterbury
Dr Ralph Norman

Senior Lecturer in Theology
Acting Head of Department 

Personal

BA (Birmingham), MA (Birmingham), PhD (Birmingham)

Ralph Norman came to Canterbury Christ Church in 2001, having previously held the Stephenson Fellowship at the University of Sheffield. He teaches his students:

  • Occidental Philosophy of Religion
  • Early Christian Thought
  • Christian Mysticism
  • Christian Reformation

His doctoral dissertation was on the doctrine of Christ's ascension to heaven, and he has subsequently maintained a strong interest in Christology. He also has particular interests in theological method, in theological education, and in the Church of England.

Publications

Amongst others, recent publications include:

  •  'Jouissance, Generation and the Coming of God' in Theology and Sexuality, Vol. 14, no. 2, January 2008, pp. 153-80.
  •  'Sexual Symbolism, Religious Language, and the Ambiguity of the Spirit: Associative Themes in Anglican Poetry and Philosophy' in Theology and Sexuality, Vol. 13, no. 3, May 2007, pp. 233-56.
  •  'Abelard's Legacy: Why Theology is not Faith Seeking Understanding' in Australian EJournal of Theology, Pentecost 2007, Issue 10.
  •  Book Review of 'Christ and Culture - By Graham Ward' in International Journal of Systematic Theology, Vol. 9, no. 2, April 2007, pp. 242–245.
  •  'Methodius and Methodologies: Ways of Reading Third-century Christian Sexual Symbolism' in Theology and Sexuality, Vol. 13, no. 1, September 2006, pp. 79-100.
  •  'The Rediscovery of Mysticism' in G. Jones (ed), Blackwell Companion to Modern Theology (Oxford: Blackwell, 2003), pp. 449-65.
  • 'How Theology Can Be Made Simpler' in New Blackfriars, Vol. 83, no. 982, December 2002, pp. 556-573. 
  •  'Beyond the Ultimate Sphere: The Ascension and Eschatology' in Modern Believing Vol. 42, no. 2, April 2001, pp. 3-15. 
  •  'Problems for the "Social Trinity" - Counting God' in Modern Believing Vol. 41, no. 3, July 2000, pp. 3-13. 

Research Interests

Dr Norman is currently writing a book on sexual language in Christian theology. Present writing commitments also include a collaborative project on theological method and dialogue. Longer-term plans include a study of distinctive theological themes in the Church of England.

Dr Norman is presently supervising a Ph.D. student writing a thesis on the use of analogy in theological language. He would welcome inquiries from anyone thinking of postgraduate research in the following areas: history of Christian theology, the Church of England, theology and sexuality.