Welcome to my website.
In 2009 I retired from teaching Practical Theology in the Department of Theology and Religious Studies at Lampeter University in Wales. Lampeter has an extensive distance learning programme with many international students. I was Programme Director for the MA Theology and DMin courses, taught modules in the DMin programme (Mission in Context, Action-Research for Ministry, and Theological Reflection), and supervised Masters and Doctoral dissertations.
My particular interests are in the interfaces between religion, sociology, politics, economics and culture. These concerns developed over many years spent wrestling with issues of justice, peace, development and liberation first as a parish priest in a deprived area of South London, and then through time spent in community action in Palestine, back in the UK working in community and race relations, and then a long period working for the Roman Catholic Church and the National Council of Churches in New Zealand in development education. You will find these concerns reflected throughout this site and particularly in my interests in Christian Anarchism and my blogging on contemporary issues. While I have always had an interest in teaching, I turned to fulltime academic life late in my career, and regard myself as a practitioner rather than an academic.
In my retirement I am working on several books I’ve been meaning to complete and under the umbrella of the Oxford Educational Trust I engage in international consultancies on the design, development and delivery of innovative programmes of theological education. I also serve on the Establishing Group of the Chapel of the Lone Pilgrim, envisioned as a place of beauty and tranquillity where seekers after enlightenment can pursue that quest free from the constraints of any dogmatic religious tradition.
I am a member of a religious community, the Brotherhood of St Gregory, which is a community in the active rather than contemplative tradition, with its members committed to working and witnessing in local situations.
This site is continually being developed, so please visit again.
Michael.
