Dr Lynne Taylor is looking forward to the interdisciplinary insights and collaboration opportunities she will gain during the Fellowship.
Dr Lynne Taylor has been accepted into a Psychology Cross-training Fellowship Programme for Theologians, which is run by Birmingham University with funding from the John Templeton Foundation.
The programme will bring together a total of 30 theologians from across the globe in two cohorts, with the aim of building bridges between theology and psychology.
These Fellows will have the opportunity to break down disciplinary barriers and engage more deeply with psychological research to further theological exploration and practice.
Dr Taylor is a practical or pastoral theologian which means that she is particularly interested in the interface between theology and the world.
“There's a two-way conversation that goes on for me all the time. What does theology have to say about how we might live in the world; and how can human experience, and insights from beyond theology also contribute to theological understandings and Christian practice. Because the world's not static. We need to be attentive to current realities,” says Dr Taylor.
“My overarching interest is in human flourishing; how can Christians and the Church and chaplains contribute to human flourishing?”
She can see huge potential in the expertise she will gain from psychologists during this Fellowship.
“Practical theology is all about connections and the interdisciplinary space is really important for me. I regularly draw on insights from other disciplines including psychology and sociology to help me answer the research questions I'm exploring.
“As well as my existing interests, the Fellowship opens up potential collaboration with scholars in different parts of the world.”
“I anticipate the things that I learn from the Fellowship and the relationships I form will greatly enhance my academic career.”
Dr Taylor will travel to Birmingham three times, twice for on-site residentials during the 16-month programme, and then for a final conference that brings together the two cohorts of Fellows at the end of 2025.