A Day of Events on Religion and Violence

Organised by Gregorio Alonso, Associate Professor in Hispanic History, and Johanna Stiebert, Director of the Centre for Religion and Public Life

Itinerary 

9.00 Coffee and tea and chat

Venue: Wilson Room (first floor), Emmanuel Centre (= Chaplaincy Centre), University of Leeds

(NB: an elevator is available)

9.30am Welcome 

Venue: Wilson Room (first floor), Emmanuel Centre (= Chaplaincy Centre), University of Leeds

10am-11am - Film showing

Venue: Wilson Room (first floor), Emmanuel Centre (= Chaplaincy Centre), University of Leeds

We will view the short film Rape Culture and the Bible: Scholars Reflect. This will be followed by Q&A.

11am-12pm – A display of a selection of items from Special Collections

Venue: Treasures of the Brotherton Gallery, Parkinson Court

(NB: the venue is a short distance from the Emmanuel Centre. Please inform the organisers in case of mobility restrictions.)

12pm-1pm – Lunch

Venue: Michael Sadler Building ground floor foyer

(NB: confusingly, the ground floor is up one flight of stairs. An elevator is available.)

1pm-1.30pm – Campus and Controversy

Venue: Downstairs/basement in the Michael Sadler Building

Professor Jo Crawford (Head of School, Fine Arts) will address a sculpture and its controversy.

1.30pm-2.30pm – A Presentation by Dr Mónica Rey (Gammon Theological Seminary, USA): “Reinterpretation as an Act of Peace Building.” Followed by a response from Rabbi Dr. Barbara Thiede (University of North Carolina at Charlotte, USA).

Venue: Wilson Room (first floor), Emmanuel Centre (= Chaplaincy Centre), University of Leeds

2.30pm-4pm – Panel Discussion 1 with: Rabbi Professor Deborah Kahn-Harris (Principal of Leo Baeck College, London, UK), Professor Daniel Smith-Christopher (Biblical scholar at Loyola Marymount University, Los Angeles, USA), Professor Mustapha Sheikh (Chair in Islamic Thought and Muslim Societies, University of Leeds), and Geraldine Montgomerie (Chaplaincy Centre, University of Leeds).

Venue: Wilson Room (first floor), Emmanuel Centre (= Chaplaincy Centre), University of Leeds

4pm-4.20pm – Break

4.20pm-5.30pm – Panel Discussion 2 with: Saima Afzal, MBE (community organiser and founder and director of Community Interest Company SAS Rights), Charles Rukundo (Chevening Scholar, University of Bradford and peacebuilder), Dr. Vanja Čelebičić (film maker), and Mustafa Mohammid (PhD candidate researching humanitarian responses in his native Afghanistan). 

Venue: Wilson Room (first floor), Emmanuel Centre (= Chaplaincy Centre), University of Leeds

(NB: The panels are aimed primarily at semi-structured, free-flowing discussions on a range of themes central to religion and violence. Each panel member will briefly introduce themselves, followed by questions and discussion.)

5.30pm Close of events

6pm – Dinner - by invitation only, in memory and honour of Professor J. Cheryl Exum

Venue: Bombay 2 Goa (16 Headingley Lane, LS6 2AS)

The restaurant is about a 15-minute walk from campus. There are buses which stop opposite the venue.

On Thursday 9 October 2025 there will be additional events

10am-11.15am – A presentation by Dr. Ralf Thiede (University of North Carolina at Charlotte, USA), "Children's Literature as Language Nutrition."

Venue: Botany House seminar room (1.03), University of Leeds.

11.30am-1pm – A presentation by Rabbi Dr. Barbara Thiede (University of North Carolina at Charlotte, USA), “Not Fixing the Bible’s God: Reflections from a Rabbi and Biblical Scholar.”

Venue: Botany House seminar room (1.03), University of Leeds.

5pm – A workshop with Professor David Tombs (University of Otago, Aotearoa New Zealand). Numbers are limited.

Venue: The United Reformed Church, Bridge St, Otley.

For more information about events on Wednesday 8 October and for notification of matters concerning mobility and access – please contact Gregorio Alonso (g.alonso@leeds.ac.uk).

For more information about events on both Wednesday 8 and Thursday 9 October and for notification of matters concerning mobility and access or dietary matters (e.g. allergies) – please contact Johanna Stiebert (j.stiebert@leeds.ac.uk).