Sarah Coakley
Encyclopedia
Sarah Coakley is an Anglican systematic theologian and philosopher of religion with wide interdisciplinary interests.
(now Murray Edwards College), Cambridge (BA, First Class Honours, 1973) and at Harvard Divinity School
(Th.M., 1975), to which she went as a Harkness Fellow. Her Ph.D. on Ernst Troeltsch
is also from the University of Cambridge
(1983). She has taught at Lancaster University
(1976–1991); at Oriel College, Oxford (1991-3); at Harvard University
, in the Divinity School (1993–2007; Mallinckrodt Professor of Divinity, 1995–2007); and has been a visiting Professor of Religion at Princeton University
(2003-4). In 2006, she was elected Norris-Hulse Professor of Divinity
at the University of Cambridge
(the first woman appointed to this chair), and she took up the position in 2007. In 2011 she will become deputy chair of the School of Arts and Humanities, and will serve for 4 years on the General Board of the University.
Her teaching and research interests cover a number of disciplines cognate to systematic theology
, including philosophy of religion
, philosophy of science
, patristics
, feminist theory
, and the intersections of law and medicine with religion. She is currently at work on a four-volume systematic theology, the first volume of which will appear as God, Sexuality and the Self: An Essay 'On the Trinity (Cambridge, CUP, 2011).
From 2005 to 2008 she co-directed, with Martin A. Nowak, the 'Evolution and Theology of Cooperation' project at Harvard University
, sponsored by the Templeton Foundation, out of which has come a co-edited volume, Evolution, Games, and God: The Principle of Cooperation (Harvard UP, forthcoming). An earlier interdisciplinary project on 'Pain and Its Transformations' undertaken with Arthur Kleinman
at Harvard (as part of the 'Mind, Brain, Behavior' Initiative), produced Pain and Its Transformations: The Interface of Biology and Culture (co-ed. with Kay Kaufman Shelemay, Harvard UP, 2007).
Professor Coakley will deliver the Gifford Lectures
in Aberdeen, Scotland, in Spring 2012.
She is an ordained priest of the Church of England
, and has assisted in parishes in Waban, Massachusetts, and in Littlemore, Oxford, England (where she served her title). Her training for the priesthood included spells working in a hospital and a prison. She is now a minor canon of Ely Cathedral
, where she helps with early morning office and eucharist.
She is married to Dr. J.F. Coakley, the Syriac scholar and fine printer. They have two daughters.
Life and work
Her initial training was at New HallNew Hall
New Hall may refer to:* New Hall School, a school in Essex, England* New Hall, Cambridge, a Cambridge University college now known as Murray Edwards College, in Cambridge, England* New Hall , a prison in West Yorkshire, England...
(now Murray Edwards College), Cambridge (BA, First Class Honours, 1973) and at Harvard Divinity School
Harvard Divinity School
Harvard Divinity School is one of the constituent schools of Harvard University, located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, in the United States. The School's mission is to train and educate its students either in the academic study of religion, or for the practice of a religious ministry or other public...
(Th.M., 1975), to which she went as a Harkness Fellow. Her Ph.D. on Ernst Troeltsch
Ernst Troeltsch
Ernst Troeltsch was a German Protestant theologian and writer on philosophy of religion and philosophy of history, and an influential figure in German thought before 1914...
is also from the University of Cambridge
University of Cambridge
The University of Cambridge is a public research university located in Cambridge, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest university in both the United Kingdom and the English-speaking world , and the seventh-oldest globally...
(1983). She has taught at Lancaster University
Lancaster University
Lancaster University, officially The University of Lancaster, is a leading research-intensive British university in Lancaster, Lancashire, England. The university was established by Royal Charter in 1964 and initially based in St Leonard's Gate until moving to a purpose-built 300 acre campus at...
(1976–1991); at Oriel College, Oxford (1991-3); at Harvard University
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
, in the Divinity School (1993–2007; Mallinckrodt Professor of Divinity, 1995–2007); and has been a visiting Professor of Religion at Princeton University
Princeton University
Princeton University is a private research university located in Princeton, New Jersey, United States. The school is one of the eight universities of the Ivy League, and is one of the nine Colonial Colleges founded before the American Revolution....
(2003-4). In 2006, she was elected Norris-Hulse Professor of Divinity
Norris-Hulse Professor of Divinity
The Norris-Hulse Professorship of Divinity is one of the senior professorships in divinity at the University of Cambridge.The Norrisian chair was founded in 1777 by a bequest from John Norris...
at the University of Cambridge
University of Cambridge
The University of Cambridge is a public research university located in Cambridge, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest university in both the United Kingdom and the English-speaking world , and the seventh-oldest globally...
(the first woman appointed to this chair), and she took up the position in 2007. In 2011 she will become deputy chair of the School of Arts and Humanities, and will serve for 4 years on the General Board of the University.
Her teaching and research interests cover a number of disciplines cognate to systematic theology
Systematic theology
In the context of Christianity, systematic theology is a discipline of Christian theology that attempts to formulate an orderly, rational, and coherent account of the Christian faith and beliefs...
, including philosophy of religion
Philosophy of religion
Philosophy of religion is a branch of philosophy concerned with questions regarding religion, including the nature and existence of God, the examination of religious experience, analysis of religious language and texts, and the relationship of religion and science...
, philosophy of science
Philosophy of science
The philosophy of science is concerned with the assumptions, foundations, methods and implications of science. It is also concerned with the use and merit of science and sometimes overlaps metaphysics and epistemology by exploring whether scientific results are actually a study of truth...
, patristics
Patristics
Patristics or Patrology is the study of Early Christian writers, known as the Church Fathers. The names derive from the Latin pater . The period is generally considered to run from the end of New Testament times or end of the Apostolic Age Patristics or Patrology is the study of Early Christian...
, feminist theory
Feminist theory
Feminist theory is the extension of feminism into theoretical, or philosophical discourse, it aims to understand the nature of gender inequality...
, and the intersections of law and medicine with religion. She is currently at work on a four-volume systematic theology, the first volume of which will appear as God, Sexuality and the Self: An Essay 'On the Trinity (Cambridge, CUP, 2011).
From 2005 to 2008 she co-directed, with Martin A. Nowak, the 'Evolution and Theology of Cooperation' project at Harvard University
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
, sponsored by the Templeton Foundation, out of which has come a co-edited volume, Evolution, Games, and God: The Principle of Cooperation (Harvard UP, forthcoming). An earlier interdisciplinary project on 'Pain and Its Transformations' undertaken with Arthur Kleinman
Arthur Kleinman
Arthur Kleinman is a prominent American psychiatrist and is the Esther and Sidney Rabb Professor of medical anthropology and cross-cultural psychiatry at Harvard University, USA. He is well known for his work on mental illness in Chinese culture, was the chair of the Harvard Department of...
at Harvard (as part of the 'Mind, Brain, Behavior' Initiative), produced Pain and Its Transformations: The Interface of Biology and Culture (co-ed. with Kay Kaufman Shelemay, Harvard UP, 2007).
Professor Coakley will deliver the Gifford Lectures
Gifford Lectures
The Gifford Lectures were established by the will of Adam Lord Gifford . They were established to "promote and diffuse the study of Natural Theology in the widest sense of the term — in other words, the knowledge of God." The term natural theology as used by Gifford means theology supported...
in Aberdeen, Scotland, in Spring 2012.
She is an ordained priest of the Church of England
Church of England
The Church of England is the officially established Christian church in England and the Mother Church of the worldwide Anglican Communion. The church considers itself within the tradition of Western Christianity and dates its formal establishment principally to the mission to England by St...
, and has assisted in parishes in Waban, Massachusetts, and in Littlemore, Oxford, England (where she served her title). Her training for the priesthood included spells working in a hospital and a prison. She is now a minor canon of Ely Cathedral
Ely Cathedral
Ely Cathedral is the principal church of the Diocese of Ely, in Cambridgeshire, England, and is the seat of the Bishop of Ely and a suffragan bishop, the Bishop of Huntingdon...
, where she helps with early morning office and eucharist.
She is married to Dr. J.F. Coakley, the Syriac scholar and fine printer. They have two daughters.
Publications
- Christ Without Absolutes: A Study of the Christology of Ernst Troeltsch (1988)
- The Making and Re-Making of Christian Doctrine (co-ed, 1993)
- Religion and the Body (ed., 1997)
- Powers and Submissions: Spirituality, Philosophy and Gender (2002)
- Re-Thinking Gregory of Nyssa (ed., 2003)
- Pain and Its Tranformations: The Interface of Biology and Culture (co-ed, 2007)
- Praying for England: Priestly Presence in Contemporary Culture (co-ed, 2008)
- Re-Thinking Dionysius the Areopagite (co-ed, 2009)
External links
- "God, Providence and the Evolutionary Phenomenon of Coooperation": Faraday Institute Lecture (including video).
- "Sacrifice Regained: Reconsidering the Rationality of Christian Belief": Inaugural lecture as Norris-Hulse Professor of Divinity
- Interview with Sarah Coakley by Rupert Shortt from The Church Times
- Faculty page at Cambridge
- List of Coakley's publications (.pdf)