Shaping debate on religion in public life.

Training & Teaching

Academic

From our founding as a theological college, through developing into a research hub, the William Temple Foundation has been committed to sharing knowledge through teaching and training. We aim to engage and share relevant insights emerging from religion that relate to the deeper aspects of contemporary public life.

Continuing in the tradition of academic teaching, the Foundation has been affiliated with theology and religious studies departments, first at the University of Manchester, and then at the University of Chester. Our Research Director Chris Baker is now William Temple Professor of Religion and Public Life at Goldsmiths, University of London; as well as publishing and researching, he also supervises doctoral level research in the William Temple Foundation’s four key research areas.

Training

The William Temple Foundation offers bespoke training and consultation at very competitive rates. For more information please contact us.

Working across a wide array of audiences, we are able to create tailor-made events suited to the specific interests and needs of organisations and participants.

Some of our recent clients include the Department of Communities and Local Government, the Diocese of London, Diocese of Peterborough, Diocese of St Albans, Diocese of Blackburn, the Church of England Urban Affairs Group, Churches Together in England, Diocese of Gothenburg, Wyndham Council (West Melbourne), Kildanon Uniting Church, Uniting Church Adelaide (Australia).

We work with clients to devise training which meets their needs, and examples include:

  • A training seminar for 9 newly appointed RC Bishops on the postsecular pubic sphere and the new opportunities it presents for public political leadership and engagement on key issues of public life.
  • A training day for the Diocese of London, Stepney area, titled ‘Towards a new urban theology’. The training allowed participants to engage with and share their existing skills, practice and experience of urban change, whilst adding value and building confidence by discussing intellectual and theoretical arguments relating to mission and engagement.
  • A briefing seminar form civil servants and policy makers at the Department for Communities and Local Government exploring the idea of the postsecular public sphere and how this might affect the way public policy sees the role and contribution of faith groups working in new and progressive partnership with non-religious partners. (With the Faith and Civil Society Unit at Goldsmiths, University of London).

Speaking and Consultancy

Staff and Fellows of the Foundation are regularly asked to speak on our research findings at public policy forums, think-tank conferences and seminars across the UK, Europe, the USA and Australia. To invite a member of the William Temple Foundation team so speak at your event please contact us.

We have spoken at events organised by Public Policy Exchange, Greenbelt, the Catholic Bishops Conference, the Church of England Research Group, the Commission on Religion and Belief in Britain, Share Radio, and many more.

  • Listen to Director of Research Chris Baker speaking on faith-based leadership, the post-secular state, spiritual capital and progressive localism.
  • Watch Associate Research Fellow Eve Poole talk about religion, theology and political economy.