Current Doctoral Students
Richard Benda is a third year doctoral student in the Centre for Religion and Political Culture at the University of Manchester studying under Dr. Michael Hoelzl. The working title of his thesis is "Weighed and Tested: Christian and Muslim Communities and the Rwandan Genocide." His research will address key questions in relation to religious authority and the role of faith in response to the complexity of African identity-based conflicts, of which the Rwandan genocide is an extreme case. This research is designed to be an invaluable academic contribution to the process of peace building and reconciliation for the people of Rwanda. In the context of the increasing visibility of religion in the public arena and in international politics especially, the project will assess the political potential of Christianity and Islam in Rwanda both as agents of conflict and actors in peacemaking. Before arriving in Manchester Richard was half-way through his first year of Law School when the Rwandan Genocide happened and life as he knew it ceased to exist. It took him three years to realize that despite personal abyssal loss, national moral collapse and a future without dreams, life had to go on for those who survived! So he returned to Law School and graduated with a Masters Degree. He then went on to study for a BA and MA in Religions and Theology at the University of Manchester which has led him to his current doctoral work. He can be contacted at: richard.benda@postgrad.manchester.ac.uk
Kyle Gingerich-Hiebert is currently a second year PhD student working under the supervision of Professor Graham Ward in the Centre for Religion and Political Culture at the University of Manchester. Broadly conceived, his doctoral work is an inquiry into the extent to which contemporary debates in political theology end up compromising the harmonious blending of differences rightly sought by employing a rhetorical violence that reduces non-Christian others to the wastebasket of nihilism. He holds a M.A. (by Research) in Philosophical Theology (Distinction) from the University of Nottingham, a H.B.A. in Philosophy (High Distinction) from the University of Toronto and a B.Th. in Theology and Ethics from Canadian Mennonite Bible College. His research is supported by the Higher Education Funding Council for England and the University of Manchester. He can be contacted at: kyle.gingerichhiebert@postgrad.manchester.ac.uk
Clare Greer is currently a PhD candidate in her writing up year, under the supervision of Professor Graham Ward in the Centre for Religion and Political Culture at the University of Manchester. Her doctoral work explores the significance of the Hegelian philosophy of Gillian Rose (1947-1995) for contemporary orthodox political theology, particularly her interaction with John Milbank. She holds an MA in Religion, Culture and Society (Distinction) and BA in Religions and Theology (First Class) both from the University of Manchester. Her research is supported by the Arts and Humanities Research Council. She can be contact at: clare.a.greer@postgrad.manchester.ac.uk
Joseph Duggan is currently a doctoral candidate in his writing up year, under the supervision of Dr. Peter Scott in the Lincoln Theological Institute at the University of Manchester. His dissertation is entitled "Whole and Parts in Ecclesiology: A Critical, Postcolonial Theological Analysis." This research has proved crucial for his other research endeavors. He is a principal coordinator for the Lincoln Theological Institute's multi-year collaborative research network project, Divinity After Empire. His recent publications include "The Postcolonial Paradox: Becoming Less than Whole(s) Producing Parts that Exclude Other Parts," Journal of Anglican Studies, vol. 7.01, May 2009, pp 67-77. He can be contacted at the Facebook Postcolonial Theology Network and at: joseph.duggan@postgrad.manchester.ac.uk.
Ruth Hadley’s undergraduate degree was conducted in Religious Studies at Lancaster University. Since then, she has returned to her native city of Manchester to pursue her particular interest in the contemporary interrelation between religion and politics at the Centre for Religion and Political Culture for both her MA and now PhD degrees. She is studying under Dr. Michael Hoelzl, and her research focuses on the concept of tolerance under the working title, "The Intolerance of Tolerance." It challenges the validity of the contemporary promotion of tolerance as the long term solution to the "dilemma of difference;" the question of how people with different and even opposing value-belief systems might peacefully co-exist.The research undertakes a genealogical survey of tolerance from its Latin origins in the term "tolerare" to "tolerance" as promoted in the 1995, UNESCO sponsored, "Year of Tolerance." It also examines the contemporary academic arguments for and against a public political policy of tolerance. The aim is to situate tolerance firmly within the historical process; expressive of particular historical values and particular historical interests. The question is ultimately addressed whether alternative solutions to the ‘dilemma of difference’ ought perhaps to be upheld and what, if necessary, abandoning the current policy of tolerance might entail? She can be contacted at: ruth.hadley@postgrad.manchester.ac.uk.
Samson Heilegiorgis is a doctoral candidate in his writing up year and is supervised by Dr. Peter Scott in the Lincoln Theological Institute at the University of Manchester. His research topic is, "Unity amongst the Evangelical Churches of Ethiopia: A Theological and Empirical Study." The Ethiopian evangelical churches, although less than seventy years old, are growing at an average rate of 15% per year, and at present have nearly 11 million members, organised in nearly fifty denominations. The mushrooming of new churches is considered by some as part of church growth and by others as dividing the Body of Christ, a scandal. Prominent ministers leaving the local church and establishing their own has become a widely practiced phenomenon, and the majority have no visible unity amongst them. This has created confusion among the believing community and is a stumbling block to our evangel- ism. As a minister in this country, I have committed myself to searching for evidence with regard to church structure and unity. The lack of interdenominational networking is one of the major weakness of the Ethiopian churches, and working more on it will bring a significant impact in the country, and God’s kingdom at large. The research will involve data collection from individual churches in Ethiopia, using questionnaires, interview, focus group discussion, and analysing statements of faith, basic doctrines and organisational structures. A medical doctor by background, Samson is also active in leadership in the Mennonite Church of Ethiopia, has an MTh from the Ethiopian Graduate School of Theology and an MSc in Population Health Economics from Manchester University. He can be contacted at: samson.heilegiorgis@postgrad.manchester.ac.uk.
Anchu Tee is a doctoral student in her writing up year supervised by Dr. Michael Hoelzl. Before arriving in Manchester, she studied for an undergraduate degree in Chinese literature, which she followed up with a Master’s degree in Western Philosophy. Her current thesis is based on the development of Christianity, and the Christian movement, in China. This particular topic has arisen from a number of factors, but the predominant pair relate to her own personal life. Firstly, her grandparents were born and raised in China, so the country has a personal resonance in her life, and work. Secondly, she have been a Christian for a number of years, now, and the rise of a significant world religion in a rising global force is significant for her. More specifically, her work focuses upon Bishop K. H. Ting, as he has proven to be the most significant Christian in what some term "new China." She also has interests within the interplay of Marxism and religion, as her Master’s thesis was based on the philosophy of Marx. As China becomes more overtly involved with the global economy, the development of religion and religious movements within China is of global interest. Furthermore, the development of Chinese religion within a pseudo-Marxist framework will be of significant impact to global philosophy and theology in particular. She can be contacted at: an.tee@postgrad.manchester.ac.uk
Theodros Assefa Teklu is a second year doctoral student in Religions and Theology at the University of Manchester studying under Professor Graham Ward. Before coming to Manchester he completed two postgraduate programmes: MA in Biblical and Theological Studies (2003-2005) and PGDip in HIV and AIDS in Relation to Theological Studies (2006) at the Ethiopian Graduate School of Theology (EGST). Before that, he received a BSc in Biology (1991) from Addis Ababa University, Ethiopia. He served as a Registrar and HIV Course Leader (August 2007-January 2009) at EGST. Prior to that, he has had experience as a school-teacher, church minister (at different capacities mainly teaching and administration/leadership) and also as a Documentation Officer for a Faith-based Organisation (FBO) working on Prevention of Mother-to-Child Transmission of HIV (PMTCT) programme. The topic of his PhD research is "Towards a Theology of Ethnic Justice: The Case of Ethiopia." He can be contacted at: theodros.teklu@postgrad.manchester.ac.uk
Qi Zheng is a doctoral student in her writing up year in the School of Law. She is supervised by Dr. Michael Hoelzl, and her research topic is "Carl Schmitt and Chinese Constitutionalism." In her dissertation, she explores two basic but important questions: 1) why has Carl Schmitt's political theory gained so much attention among Chinese scholars since the beginning of the twentieth century? and, 2) what is the link between Carl Schmitt's political theory and the modernization of Chinese constitutionalism? She can be contacted at: qi.zheng@postgrad.manchester.ac.uk