Public Theology in the Post-Secular Age
Lessons Learned from Manchester Cathedral
- Ethics, Culture & Social Issues
- Theology
- Publisher: Pickwick Publications (Wipf and Stock)
- Published: 2025
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Publisher's Description
As religion's status and place within society is contested in the post-secular age, Manchester Cathedral is a fascinating case study of the potential role that cathedrals and other religious institutions may be able to play in various public settings. While the church's membership declines in the UK, Manchester Cathedral operates as a spiritual hub in the area of Greater Manchester. Using primary data gathered on the ground, this work explores Manchester Cathedral's public theologies of inclusion which lie at the heart of its various activities and practices. Focusing most explicitly on the cathedral's interfaith work, anti-racism work, and its theology of LGBTQIA+ inclusion, the author explores the potential strengths and weaknesses of religious engagement in the contemporary post-secular age. In this book Budhi-Thornton seeks to contribute to questions about the relationship between the religious and the secular, tradition and innovation, inclusion and distinctiveness. Drawing on a wide range of theological and philosophical traditions, Budhi-Thornton puts forward a case for the development of a public theological hospitality that remains open to the work of the Spirit in the life of the Other.
Endorsements (2)
“This is a rich and enriching study that combines sound engagement with contemporary theological thought, sociological enquiry, and empirical investigation. It stands as a core text within the fields of public theology, empirical theology, and cathedral studies. It engages with a range of contemporary themes including racial justice, interreligious dialogue, scriptural reasoning, LGBTQ+ inclusion, decolonization, and human flourishing.”
“Dominic Budhi-Thornton’s book makes a valuable and fresh contribution to public theology. His study of Manchester Cathedral offers a model of religious public engagement that is practical and inclusive. He calls for the cultivation of a theological imagination that is attentive to a diversity of voices and informed by expansive visions of what makes a good city.”
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