Thursday, September 19, 2013

Heading North

 A view of the facade of Abbey House. The uniform appearance of this facade is mis-leading, as the remains of older buildings on the site have been incorporated into its construction.
Department of Theology and Religion (Abbey House)
University of Durham

I am pleased to announce that, as of October 1, 2013, I will begin an eleven-month term as as the Michael Ramsey Postdoctoral Fellow in Anglican Studies at the University of Durham. I will be working under the direction of the Van Mildert Canon Professor of Divinity, Mark McIntosh, devoting half of my time to assisting in the development both of the postgraduate and the postdoctoral elements of Anglican Studies and half to my own research.

As part of the terms of this appointment, it has been agreed that, during my tenure as fellow, my public involvement in controversial matters in the Anglican world will be in a personal capacity and will not be considered to reflect the views of Durham University, Durham Cathedral, the Department of Theology and Religion or the Michael Ramsey Programme in Anglican Studies. Any involvement in ongoing legal proceedings will be undertaken in a private capacity, in my own time, and will not involve use of Durham University or Durham Cathedral’s name or resources.

That said, it is my hope that the next year will provide many opportunities for developing a research framework for the program that devotes attention to all aspects of the Anglican world, High, Low and Broad, Global North and Global South. After all, the Twenty-First Century looks likely to be as interesting (in the Chinese sense) an era for Anglicans as was the Seventeenth.

Finally, and on a personal note, it will be a truly blessed opportunity to be working just a short walk from where my father lies buried, although I will not be working in Abbey House, where he had a room overlooking the Nine Altars (the east end of Durham Cathedral), but in 16 South Bailey, which was formerly the home of Michael Ramsey and his wife. Two generations in the same department. It has a nice ring.

2 comments:

bob said...

Dr Bonner, I only just read the obituary of your father. I remember meeting him (and you!) at the Ss. Alban & Sergius conference in Durham in summer 1985. What a fun time that was. I remember especially the talk given by your father on the saints of Northumbria. The best footnote in a paper ever was when he spoke about someone in the talk and walked across the room as he spoke to point out that man's tomb in the floor of the chapel with his foot where we listened.

Jeremy Bonner said...

Bob,

Thank you for the memory, which I will pass on to the rest of the family. My father could always be relied upon to contribute something original. We miss him.