Divinity Divulged

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.

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

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

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

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.

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

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 Susie Triffit, PhD student in the Faculty of Divinity here in Cambridge, to talk through Susie’s ethnographic fieldwork within a Christian church group in Bradford as she looks to explore the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on British Evangelical evangelism and worship. Offering us their expertise this time around is Professor Joseph Webster, Professor of the Anthropology of Religion also in the Faculty of Divinity.

Here, Susie talks us through violence and class barriers, battles between good and evil, and, naturally, Bible stories recreated through wrestling.

We dearly hope you enjoy!

Researcher: Susie Triffit

Expert Guest: Professor Joseph Webster

Host: Dr Joseph Powell

Glossary –

Anthropology/Theology Dialogue – An emerging area of scholarship which seeks to connect the methodologies, forms of knowledge and analysis between anthropology and theology with each other.

Autoethnography – A ethnographic method in which the researcher connects their own experiences to their research topic/subject.

Ethnography – An anthropological research method often involving immersive fieldwork that seeks to understand human cultures from the perspective of research participants.

Theodicy – An argument which attempts to explain the presence of evil in a world created/governed by an all loving God.

A Level Specifications –

AQA

2B Christianity:

Sources of wisdom and authority

Expressions of religious identity

The dialogue between Christianity and philosophy

Christianity, migration and religious pluralism

Pearson Edexcel

2 The nature and influence of religious experience

The nature of religious experience

3 Problems of evil and suffering

Theodicies and solutions to the problem of suffering

OCR

Philosophy of religion

The challenge for religious belief of the problem of evil

Developments in religious thought

Sources of religious wisdom and authority

Practices which shape and express religious identity, and how these vary within a tradition

Ley themes related to the relationship between religion and society

Scottish Highers Specifications

SQA

Christianity

Beliefs

Beliefs about God

Nature of human beings: free will; sin; stewards

Beliefs about Jesus

Judgement; Heaven and Hell

Practices

Living according to the Gospels

Christian action; the Christian community

Welcome to the Divinity Divulged podcast! The first podcast

This time round we are joined by Dr Suf Amichay, Junior

Suf runs us through Plato and Aristotle, definitions of science, light in the so called ‘dark ages’, and the ‘creativity’ of Islamic scholarly endeavour.

We dearly hope you enjoy!

Researcher: Dr Suf Amichay

Expert Guest: Dr Pui Him Ip

Host: Dr Joseph Powell

Glossary

Atomistic – A philosophical concept which suggests the universe is made up from indivisible components called atoms.

Cambridge Platnonists – A group of 17th century Cambridge scholars influenced by the writings of Plato including figures such as Henry More and Ralph Cudworth.

Metaphysics – A branch of philosophy concerned with the structures of reality and concepts like space, time and knowing.

Modality – A mode or form in which something is

A Level Specifications –

AQA

2B Christianity

Christianity and Science

The dialogue between Christianity and philosophy

2D Islam

Islam and Science

The dialogue between Islam and philosophy

Pearson Edexcel

Philosophy of Religion

Influences of developments in religious belief

Paper 4, Option 4B: Christianity

Social and historical developments

Paper 4, Option 4D: Islam

Social and historical developments

OCR

Content of Philosophy of religion

Ancient philosophical influences

Content of Developments in Christian thought

Knowledge of God’s Existence

Content of Developments in Islamic thought

Science and Philosophy

Scottish Highers

SQA

Morality, environment and global issues

Welcome to the Divinity Divulged podcast! The first podcast

For this episode we are joined by Liam Carlton-Jones, PhD

This time round, Liam guides us through Jewish end time

We dearly hope you enjoy!

Researcher: Liam Carlton-Jones

Expert Guest: Dr Kylie Crabbe

Host: Dr Joseph Powell

Glossary –

Apologetic – A defence of a faith of a particular

Eschatology – In religions, the consideration and

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

Scottish Highers Specifications

SQA

Christianity

Beliefs

Beliefs about God

Nature of human beings: free will; sin; stewards

Beliefs about Jesus

Judgement; Heaven and Hell

Welcome to the Divinity Divulged podcast! The first podcast

In this episode we are joined by Michael Habashi, PhD

Here, Michael divulges to us notions of global communions,

We dearly hope you enjoy!

Researcher: Michael Habashi

Expert Guest: Dr Ralph Lee

Host: Dr Joseph Powell

Glossary

Apollinarianism – A theory about the nature of Chris

Arab Invasion/Conquests – A series of military

Arianism – A theory about the nature of Christ which

Christological – The branch of Christian theology

Church Missionary Society – A British Anglican

Filioque– Latin phrase literally meaning ‘and from

Hellenised – To make or to have been made Greek,

Living in Faith and Love Documents – Statements from

Nestorianism – A theory about the nature of Christ

Papal Bull – An official public decree from the Pope

Primacy of Peter – The notion that the Apostle Peter

A Level Specifications –

AQA

2B Christianity

Sources of wisdom and authority

God

The dialogue between Christianity and philosophy

Pearson Edexcel

Paper 4, Option 4B: Christianity

Religious beliefs, values and teachings

Sources of wisdom and authority

OCR

Content of Developments in Christian thought

The person of Jesus Christ

Scottish Highers

SQA

Christianity

Beliefs