ERMC contributes to conference on practical theology

It’s academic conference season and ERMC’s academic staff are getting their invaluable annual dose of meeting, networking and debating with theological teachers and researchers from the UK and around the world.

Our Director of Pastoral Studies, Lucy Dallas, has just contributed a paper to the July conference of BIAPT – the British and Irish Association for Practical Theology. BIAPT is an active forum for practitioners, teachers and researchers in the broad field of practical theology. It was founded in 1994 and has grown through its broad-based networks and annual conferences to a membership of nearly four hundred in Britain, Ireland and further afield. BIAPT is one of the key sponsors of the journal Practical Theology.

The BIAPT conference this year was on the theme of ‘Flesh and Blood: Practical Theology and Embodiment’. Lucy contributed a paper called ‘My Life the Soap Opera: A Narrative Approach to the Pastoral Care of Chronic Illness Sufferers.’

“It was based on my research into medical narrative ethics, which I applied to the particular challenges faced by people with long-term illnesses, and from there I offered some practical suggestions for pastoral carers. The conclusion was that long term illness requires long term listening,” explains Lucy.

As well as contributing a paper, Lucy also took part in the conference’s Spirituality Special Interest Group. “It was really interesting to hear about people’s academic research and work in a very wide range of areas such as the spirituality of pilgrimage, addiction recovery programmes, adult education and mystical experiences.

“Conference season is very stimulating and it widens my network of research contacts. I enjoy meeting new people, old friends and discussing common interests – and it helps to recharge my batteries after a year of teaching!”

There’s more on this year’s BIAPT conference here.