Jenny Taylor
Encyclopedia
Jenny Taylor is a cultural analysist and journalist and founder of Lapido Media, a consultancy specialising in religious literacy
in world affairs. She has travelled widely, especially in the Islamic world, visiting the South Asian headquarters of Muslim
groups settled in Great Britain, and writing and commenting on the work of civil society organisations all over Asia and Africa. She is an expert on the connection between faith
and culture
, on which she has addressed parliamentary and Commonwealth
gatherings. Her doctorate
is from SOAS in London
on Islam
and secularisation. She is an advisor to the Relationships Foundation
and a former Whitefield Institute grantee. She is the author of A Wild Constraint: the Case for Chastity.
n community founded by the Quakers to settle Sunderland
miners on the land after the 1st World War, where they could grow vegetables and recover their health. Her father was part of a subsequent wave of settler
s back home from the British colonies in the 1950s
. Her family managed to eke a living off the proceeds of four acres of glasshouses which her father built by hand. They grew lettuces and tomatoes for 40 years until the European Economic Community
destroyed their market and the Land Settlement Association went bust. She attended Christ's Hospital
before going on to study an Honours degree in English Literature
and Politics
at Durham University
. Later, Taylor studied for a doctorate in the sociology of religion
at the School of Oriental and African Studies
, London University and has published many articles, papers and chapters on Islam
and Christianity
in Great Britain
.
reporter with The Goole Times, part of the Yorkshire Post
Group, where she was elected Mother of the Chapel. Two years later she moved to Swindon as a newly qualified Senior Reporter with the Evening Advertiser. Following nationwide 1981 England riots
she became Westminster Press's first Race Relations Correspondent.
Between 1988-1990 she was the National Launch Press Officer for Christmas Cracker, gaining nationwide media coverage for a new concept in fund-raising and originating and launching The World's Biggest Christmas Cracker on London's South Bank
. During her six years as Editor and Press Officer for international charity, http://www.interserve.org.uk/ Interserve UK,(from 1988), she redeveloped GO magazine, doubling its circulation including securing a readership for it in the USA. She also devised and researched Nambikkai
for BBC2's See Hear
, which was later broadcast several times as part of the successful campaign to release the deaf charity worker, Ian Stillman .
In 1991-1992, she was Communications Officer for the British Council of Churches' The Gospel & Our Culture programme. She was also responsible for the Westminster
launch of The Gospel in Contemporary Society, which topped religious best-seller lists, and a self-funding video study pack, It’s No Good Shouting, which was adopted as core material in at least two degree courses.
As Associate Editor for Third Way Magazine
, high profile interviewees included Shadow Secretary of State for Education Michael Gove
; novelist Fay Weldon
; Sir Iqbal Sacranie
, General Secretary of Muslim Council of Britain
; Sir John Stevens, former Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police Service
.
She undertook various research and communication contracts including in 2001, a four-year contract as Head of Media for the Church Mission Society
in London. Her responsibilities included setting up and running a new CMS Media and Public Affairs Unit. She devised and led CMS’ Break the Silence Campaign to end war in Northern Uganda, which was commended in the British parliament in 2004. This work resulted in the tripling of United Nations
aid to Northern Uganda and contributed to a reduction in hostilities and break-up of Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camps. She also managed the news pages of the CMS website and edited a monthly supporters' radio programme which was presented by Caroline Swinburne.
Taylor reported from Sudan, Uganda, Sierra Leone and South Africa, and acted as a media spokesperson on BBC's Woman's Hour
, The World Today
, Heart & Soul and Channel News Asia. A freelance since 1994, Taylor's articles have appeared in the London Evening Standard, the Daily Telegraph, The Guardian
, The Spectator
and European and church press.
in world affairs. She now works with journalists to improve the coverage of the social and political impact of religion and provides education and training for opinion formers in political religion
. She undertakes research and writes about the religious reinforcement of human rights
and human rights abuse and provides consultancy on campaigns and media strategy for faith-based charities working outside of the UK.
• http://www.themediaproject.org/article/uk-secularists-see-anti-defamation-laws-ruses-avoid-criticism 2010 ‘Defamation of Religion: UK Atheists lead the fight against the OIC campaign’ at The Media Project Conference, Defamation of Religion Versus Press Freedom, 8 – 13 August.
Religious literacy
Religious literacy is the knowledge of, and ability to understand, religion. The importance of being religiously literate is increasing as globalisation has created greater links and migration between societies of different faiths and cultures...
in world affairs. She has travelled widely, especially in the Islamic world, visiting the South Asian headquarters of Muslim
Muslim
A Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...
groups settled in Great Britain, and writing and commenting on the work of civil society organisations all over Asia and Africa. She is an expert on the connection between faith
Faith
Faith is confidence or trust in a person or thing, or a belief that is not based on proof. In religion, faith is a belief in a transcendent reality, a religious teacher, a set of teachings or a Supreme Being. Generally speaking, it is offered as a means by which the truth of the proposition,...
and culture
Culture
Culture is a term that has many different inter-related meanings. For example, in 1952, Alfred Kroeber and Clyde Kluckhohn compiled a list of 164 definitions of "culture" in Culture: A Critical Review of Concepts and Definitions...
, on which she has addressed parliamentary and Commonwealth
Commonwealth
Commonwealth is a traditional English term for a political community founded for the common good. Historically, it has sometimes been synonymous with "republic."More recently it has been used for fraternal associations of some sovereign nations...
gatherings. Her doctorate
Doctorate
A doctorate is an academic degree or professional degree that in most countries refers to a class of degrees which qualify the holder to teach in a specific field, A doctorate is an academic degree or professional degree that in most countries refers to a class of degrees which qualify the holder...
is from SOAS in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
on Islam
Islam
Islam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
and secularisation. She is an advisor to the Relationships Foundation
Relationships Foundation
The Relationships Foundation is a British-based think tank which aims to change the way society approaches social, economic and political issues by balancing the needs of economics and relationships.- About Relationships Foundation :Their website says:...
and a former Whitefield Institute grantee. She is the author of A Wild Constraint: the Case for Chastity.
Background
Taylor grew up in a UtopiaUtopia
Utopia is an ideal community or society possessing a perfect socio-politico-legal system. The word was imported from Greek by Sir Thomas More for his 1516 book Utopia, describing a fictional island in the Atlantic Ocean. The term has been used to describe both intentional communities that attempt...
n community founded by the Quakers to settle Sunderland
City of Sunderland
The City of Sunderland is a local government district of Tyne and Wear, in North East England, with the status of a city and metropolitan borough...
miners on the land after the 1st World War, where they could grow vegetables and recover their health. Her father was part of a subsequent wave of settler
Settler
A settler is a person who has migrated to an area and established permanent residence there, often to colonize the area. Settlers are generally people who take up residence on land and cultivate it, as opposed to nomads...
s back home from the British colonies in the 1950s
1950s
The 1950s or The Fifties was the decade that began on January 1, 1950 and ended on December 31, 1959. The decade was the sixth decade of the 20th century...
. Her family managed to eke a living off the proceeds of four acres of glasshouses which her father built by hand. They grew lettuces and tomatoes for 40 years until the European Economic Community
European Economic Community
The European Economic Community The European Economic Community (EEC) The European Economic Community (EEC) (also known as the Common Market in the English-speaking world, renamed the European Community (EC) in 1993The information in this article primarily covers the EEC's time as an independent...
destroyed their market and the Land Settlement Association went bust. She attended Christ's Hospital
Christ's Hospital
Christ's Hospital is an English coeducational independent day and boarding school with Royal Charter located in the Sussex countryside just south of Horsham in Horsham District, West Sussex, England...
before going on to study an Honours degree in English Literature
English literature
English literature is the literature written in the English language, including literature composed in English by writers not necessarily from England; for example, Robert Burns was Scottish, James Joyce was Irish, Joseph Conrad was Polish, Dylan Thomas was Welsh, Edgar Allan Poe was American, J....
and Politics
Politics
Politics is a process by which groups of people make collective decisions. The term is generally applied to the art or science of running governmental or state affairs, including behavior within civil governments, but also applies to institutions, fields, and special interest groups such as the...
at Durham University
Durham University
The University of Durham, commonly known as Durham University, is a university in Durham, England. It was founded by Act of Parliament in 1832 and granted a Royal Charter in 1837...
. Later, Taylor studied for a doctorate in the sociology of religion
Sociology of religion
The sociology of religion concerns the role of religion in society: practices, historical backgrounds, developments and universal themes. There is particular emphasis on the recurring role of religion in all societies and throughout recorded history...
at the School of Oriental and African Studies
School of Oriental and African Studies
The School of Oriental and African Studies is a public research university located in London, United Kingdom and a constituent college of the University of London...
, London University and has published many articles, papers and chapters on Islam
Islam
Islam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
and Christianity
Christianity
Christianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus as presented in canonical gospels and other New Testament writings...
in Great Britain
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
.
Career
In 1978, Taylor became an indenturedApprenticeship
Apprenticeship is a system of training a new generation of practitioners of a skill. Apprentices or protégés build their careers from apprenticeships...
reporter with The Goole Times, part of the Yorkshire Post
Yorkshire Post
The Yorkshire Post is a daily broadsheet newspaper, published in Leeds, West Yorkshire, England by Yorkshire Post Newspapers, a company owned by Johnston Press...
Group, where she was elected Mother of the Chapel. Two years later she moved to Swindon as a newly qualified Senior Reporter with the Evening Advertiser. Following nationwide 1981 England riots
1981 England riots
In 1981, the United Kingdom suffered serious riots across many major cities in England. They were perceived as race riots between communities, in all cases the main motives for the riots were related to racial tension and inner-city deprivation. The riots were caused by a distrust of the police...
she became Westminster Press's first Race Relations Correspondent.
Between 1988-1990 she was the National Launch Press Officer for Christmas Cracker, gaining nationwide media coverage for a new concept in fund-raising and originating and launching The World's Biggest Christmas Cracker on London's South Bank
South Bank
South Bank is an area of London, England located immediately adjacent to the south side of the River Thames. It forms a long and narrow section of riverside development that is within the London Borough of Lambeth to the border with the London Borough of Southwark and was formerly simply known as...
. During her six years as Editor and Press Officer for international charity, http://www.interserve.org.uk/ Interserve UK,(from 1988), she redeveloped GO magazine, doubling its circulation including securing a readership for it in the USA. She also devised and researched Nambikkai
Nambikkai
Nambikkai Foundation is a charitable trust providing vocational training for adult deaf in South India.The word Nambikkai means 'Hope' in Tamil....
for BBC2's See Hear
See Hear
See Hear is a weekly magazine programme for deaf and hard of hearing people in the UK, broadcast on Wednesday afternoons at 1pm. The programme focuses on the British and the worldwide deaf community and covers a broad range of topics from areas such as education, deaf people's rights, technology...
, which was later broadcast several times as part of the successful campaign to release the deaf charity worker, Ian Stillman .
In 1991-1992, she was Communications Officer for the British Council of Churches' The Gospel & Our Culture programme. She was also responsible for the Westminster
Westminster
Westminster is an area of central London, within the City of Westminster, England. It lies on the north bank of the River Thames, southwest of the City of London and southwest of Charing Cross...
launch of The Gospel in Contemporary Society, which topped religious best-seller lists, and a self-funding video study pack, It’s No Good Shouting, which was adopted as core material in at least two degree courses.
As Associate Editor for Third Way Magazine
Third Way Magazine
Third Way Magazine is a UK current-affairs magazine written from a Christian perspective. It is distinctively biblical, fairly highbrow and culturally aware...
, high profile interviewees included Shadow Secretary of State for Education Michael Gove
Michael Gove
Michael Andrew Gove, MP is a British politician, who currently serves as the Secretary of State for Education and as the Conservative Party Member of Parliament for the Surrey Heath constituency. He is also a published author and former journalist.Born in Edinburgh, Gove was raised in Aberdeen...
; novelist Fay Weldon
Fay Weldon
Fay Weldon CBE is an English author, essayist and playwright, whose work has been associated with feminism. In her fiction, Weldon typically portrays contemporary women who find themselves trapped in oppressive situations caused by the patriarchal structure of British society.-Biography:Weldon was...
; Sir Iqbal Sacranie
Iqbal Sacranie
Sir Iqbal Abdul Karim Mussain Sacranie, OBE served as General Secretary of the Muslim Council of Britain until June 2006. He arrived in UK in 1969. He was founding Secretary General of the Muslim Council of Britain , and served four further years as Secretary General from 2002 to 2004 and 2004 to...
, General Secretary of Muslim Council of Britain
Muslim Council of Britain
The Muslim Council of Britain is a self-appointed umbrella body for national, regional, local and specialist organisations and institutions from different ethnic and sectarian backgrounds within British Islamic society. It was established in 1997 to help Muslims, to increase education about the...
; Sir John Stevens, former Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police Service
Metropolitan Police Service
The Metropolitan Police Service is the territorial police force responsible for Greater London, excluding the "square mile" of the City of London which is the responsibility of the City of London Police...
.
She undertook various research and communication contracts including in 2001, a four-year contract as Head of Media for the Church Mission Society
Church Mission Society
The Church Mission Society, also known as the Church Missionary Society, is a group of evangelistic societies working with the Anglican Communion and Protestant Christians around the world...
in London. Her responsibilities included setting up and running a new CMS Media and Public Affairs Unit. She devised and led CMS’ Break the Silence Campaign to end war in Northern Uganda, which was commended in the British parliament in 2004. This work resulted in the tripling of United Nations
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
aid to Northern Uganda and contributed to a reduction in hostilities and break-up of Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camps. She also managed the news pages of the CMS website and edited a monthly supporters' radio programme which was presented by Caroline Swinburne.
Taylor reported from Sudan, Uganda, Sierra Leone and South Africa, and acted as a media spokesperson on BBC's Woman's Hour
Woman's Hour
Woman's Hour is a radio magazine programme broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in the United Kingdom.-History:Created by Norman Collins and originally presented by Alan Ivimey the programme was first broadcast on 7 October 1946 on the BBC's Light Programme . It was transferred to its current home in 1973...
, The World Today
The World Today
BBC World News is the standard news bulletin featuring the latest international news broadcast throughout most of the day on BBC World News. Some editions also feature brief business and sport reports as well...
, Heart & Soul and Channel News Asia. A freelance since 1994, Taylor's articles have appeared in the London Evening Standard, the Daily Telegraph, The Guardian
The Guardian
The Guardian, formerly known as The Manchester Guardian , is a British national daily newspaper in the Berliner format...
, The Spectator
The Spectator
The Spectator is a weekly British magazine first published on 6 July 1828. It is currently owned by David and Frederick Barclay, who also owns The Daily Telegraph. Its principal subject areas are politics and culture...
and European and church press.
Lapido Media
Taylor founded Lapido Media in 2005, a consultancy specializing in religious literacyReligious literacy
Religious literacy is the knowledge of, and ability to understand, religion. The importance of being religiously literate is increasing as globalisation has created greater links and migration between societies of different faiths and cultures...
in world affairs. She now works with journalists to improve the coverage of the social and political impact of religion and provides education and training for opinion formers in political religion
Political religion
The theory of political religion concerns governmental ideologies whose cultural and spiritual aspect is so strong that it takes an overwhelming hold of peoples lives that can be only considered as religious...
. She undertakes research and writes about the religious reinforcement of human rights
Human rights
Human rights are "commonly understood as inalienable fundamental rights to which a person is inherently entitled simply because she or he is a human being." Human rights are thus conceived as universal and egalitarian . These rights may exist as natural rights or as legal rights, in both national...
and human rights abuse and provides consultancy on campaigns and media strategy for faith-based charities working outside of the UK.
Publications
Taylor's writings include the following:- ‘A Media Friendly Cracker’ in The Christmas Cracker Manual Kingsway: 1990
- ‘Faith and Power: Christianity and Islam in 'Secular' Britain (with Lesslie Newbigin & Lamin Sanneh), London: SPCK, 1998.
- ‘Newbigin’s Understanding of Islam’ in A Scandalous Prophet: Newbigin’s Mission Revisited ed. Prof. Werner Ustorf (Eerdman’s: 2002)
- http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0SOR/is_2_66/ai_n14817993/‘After Secularism: Governance and the Inner Cities’ in Predicting Religion: Margins and Mainstream in the West (Ashgate: 2003)
- http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=User:AlithM/Jenny_Taylor&action=edit§ion=4/‘It’s Establishment but not as we know it’ in Political Theology Journal (Continuum: 2004)
- http://www.lapidomedia.com/sites/default/files/downloads/Commonwealth-Institute-Journal_Taking-Spirituality-Seriously.pdf/‘Taking Spirituality Seriously: Northern Uganda and CMS’ Break the Silence Campaign’ in Round Table – Commonwealth Journal of International Affairs 382, pp. 559 –574 (Routledge: October 2005) ISSN: 0035-8533
- http://assr.revues.org/20927 Faith and Power: Christianity and Islam in ‘Secular’ Britain Co-authors: Lesslie Newbigin, Prof. Lamin Sanneh (Wipf & Stock, Oregon USA: 2005) ISBN 1-597522-228-7
- http://www.continuumbooks.com/books/detail.aspx?BookId=124060&SearchType=Basic A Wild Constraint:the Case for Chastity (Continuum: 2009)ISBN 0826487122
Lectures and presentations
- 1996 ‘Islam in Britain’ at Guthrie Centre for Islamic Studies, London Bible College, Northwood Summer School.
- http://www.fulcrum-anglican.org.uk/page.cfm?ID=284 1997 ‘Dilemmas for the Law in Multicultural Britain’ at de Bron Consultation, London Faith and Power: Christianity and Islam in ‘Secular Britain’.
- 2000 ‘Kenosis or Conflict? Discourses of Power in the Inner Cities Religious Council’ at Tyndale Conference, Nantwich God’s Unfolding Purposes.
- 2000 ‘After Secularism: Governance and the Inner Cities’ at Exeter University British Sociological Association Sociology of Religion Study Group 25th Anniversary Conference Prophets and Predictions.
- 2001 ‘Faiths and Government: Who’s Using Whom?’ at Edmonton Diocesan Conference, Catalysts for a Change, organized by Revd Chris Beales.
- 2004 The Global Dimension of Women Trafficking – to Women on the Move Group, at The Commonwealth Institute, Northumberland Ave, 16 June.
- 2005 ‘Reporting Islam’ to Gegrapha – Christians in Journalism Fellowship, St Michael’s Chester Square, London on 7 October.
- 2005 Guest preacher at Evensong, Jesus College, University of Cambridge. 9 October.
- 2006 ‘The Commonwealth, multiculturalism, faith and tolerance’ to The Round Table – The Commonwealth Journal of International Affairs The Commonwealth after Valetta Conference, Cumberland Lodge, 5–6 January.
- http://www.lapidomedia.com/downloads/God_talk_lapidomedia.pdf 2006 ‘The Need for a new Religious Political Discourse’ at Bible SocietyBritish and Foreign Bible SocietyThe British and Foreign Bible Society, often known in England and Wales as simply as Bible Society, is a non-denominational Christian Bible society with charity status whose purpose is to make the Bible available throughout the world....
Parliamentary Symposium on Faith, Politics and the Media, Doing God and Finding the Language, Portcullis House, Westminster, 9 May - 2006 Inaugural Lesslie Newbigin Memorial Lecture ‘RIP Secularism 7 July: Lesslie Newbigin and the London Bombings’ at Christian Resources Exhibition, Sandown, 12 May.
- 2008 ‘Islam, religious freedom and the media in Britain’, at Oxford Centre for Religion in Public Life Conference, Understanding and Reporting on Religion, Prague, Czech Republic, 11 – 14 June.
- http://blog.lapidomedia.com/religious-illiteracy-in-the-clash-of-values 2008 Plenary paper, ‘The Role of Religious Illiteracy and the Clash of Values’ at Think Tank Thurgau Symposium for Future Leaders, Stein am Rhine, Switzerland, 29 September.
- http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/belief/2010/may/02/sharia-law-islam-immigration 2010 The Numbers Game: Britain’s Changing Demographic and its Implications for Christian-Muslim Relation at Centre for Islamic Studies, London School of Theology, 24 April.
• http://www.themediaproject.org/article/uk-secularists-see-anti-defamation-laws-ruses-avoid-criticism 2010 ‘Defamation of Religion: UK Atheists lead the fight against the OIC campaign’ at The Media Project Conference, Defamation of Religion Versus Press Freedom, 8 – 13 August.