about hannah’s work

Hannah’s theological work focuses on contemporary systematic theology with a particular focus on liberation, womanist and postcolonial theologies, looking towards diversification and decolonisation in the church and academy, as well as wider society. During training, her work included research on the anamnesis in the eucharist and ethics for reparations, methods and use in contemporary theology, indigenous theologies in relation to the doctrine of God, and a postcolonial examination of Jeremiah’s historical narrative. Her MPhil dissertation considered how Christians might narrate difficult parts of history in light of the Cross, sparked by ongoing discussions about slavery and empire within both the Church of England and theological and biblical studies, and drawing particularly on the work of James Cone and Rowan Williams. She is currently looking to develop further projects and teaching from this work, with a particular interest on how this serves the deepening of faith and growing theological confidence within the church. She has experience in developing and hosting study and reflective days, bible studies and reading groups, and would be happy to talk about possibilities for quiet days and guest preaching, in conjunction with her curacy.

Before training for ordination Hannah worked as a theologian for a Christian relief and development charity, leading a team working on applied theology in relation to poverty alleviation, development and disaster response and examine how the Christian faith should shape these practices, theologically and ethically. Her responsibilities included strategy development and team management, as well as theological development and relationship management with global contacts and networks. Her work included theological reflection and development on topics including peacebuilding, Christian witness, diversity and inclusion, and economic and environmental sustainability, as well as the role of the local church in justice, aid and development as a part of an integral understanding of mission.

Hannah has a PhD and an MLitt in Ancient History, as well an MA in History from the University of St Andrews. Her doctoral thesis (which was supported by an AHRC studentship and university scholarships) is titled Talking about Politics: Constructing the res publica after Caesar’s assassination. It examines the Roman understanding of the constitution in the aftermath of Caesar’s death and argues that, for the Romans, the constitution was a contested entity, its proper nature debated and fought over, and that this contest led to conflict on the political stage, becoming a key factor in the failure to restore the Republic and the establishment of the Second Triumvirate. Her MLitt thesis explored the practicalities of constitutional change within the context of Rome’s imperial development, focusing on the way that Gn. Pompeius Magnus’ ‘extraordinary’ commands of the 60s BCE contributed to fundamental shifts in Rome’s constitution. Her historical and historiographical work and experience continues to inform her theological work, in particular her interest in the question of how we think theologically about history and historiography as historically engaged actors.