Dr Ben Fulford

Deputy Head, Humanities, Cultures and Environment

+44 (0) 1244 511033
School of Humanities and Social Sciences
b.fulford@chester.ac.uk
Dr Ben Fulford

I am a systematic and historical theologian excited by the tasks of exploring, understanding, furthering and repairing traditions of Christian theological reflection on beliefs, texts, institutions and practices. I research topics in theological anthropology and the theology of marriage, postliberal theology, the theological interpretation of the Bible, and the Cappadocian Fathers. My current project examines Hans Frei’s theology and social ethics.

My initial training was in history, at the University of Cambridge, where I was awarded the Alan Coulson Prize (for dissertations on Commonwealth History). A historical sensibility still informs my outlook and interests. I returned to Cambridge in 2001 to study theology at postgraduate level, and in 2007 I completed a doctoral thesis on the theology of Scripture, drawing on the theologies Gregory of Nazianzus and Hans Frei. Bringing ancient and modern texts and ideas into conversation remains a strong area of interest for me in relation to a variety of topics in contemporary theology.

After completing the thesis, I was appointed to the post of Tutor in Theology at St John’s College, Nottingham. There I taught broad spectrum of topics in Christian doctrine and historical theology to people preparing for ministry. I joined the staff at the University of Chester in January 2012 where I teach subjects in systematic and historical theology, seeking to enable others to explore Christian thought for themselves and to enthuse them to engage its challenges and its potential.

I am an active member of the Society for the Study of Theology and a past member of its Executive Committee (2014-17). I was the Assistant Secretary from 2018-2020, leading the Society’s work on Theology and Race.

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Undergraduate

  • TH4060 Contemporary Challenges to Christian Thinking
  • TH5059 God in Christian theology and philosophy
  • TH6041 Great Theological Thinkers

Postgraduate

  • TH7074 Christian Theology: Texts and Contexts

Research Interests

  • Hans Frei and postliberal theologies
  • Gregory of Nazianzus and the Cappadocian Fathers
  • Human vulnerability, fragile goods and the Christian life
  • The theology of marriage and human sexuality
  • The theological interpretation of Scripture
  • Trinitarian theology and Christology
  • Patristic exegesis
  • Sensitive Heritage and Sacred Space

PhD (and DProf) supervision

  • I welcome inquiries and proposals for doctoral work in any of the areas above, and on other topics and figures in systematic and historical theology.

Current Doctoral Students

  • Chriswin Raj. 'The role of Christology in John Cobb’s engagement with Whiteheadian process theology'
  • David Searight. 'John Cotton’s Theology of Participation and the New England Free-Grace Controversy of 1636-38'
  • Matthew Fisher, ‘The Evangelical Preaching and High Church Practice of Victorian slum priest Ritualists’
  • Nathan Jones, ‘God and Eldritch Horror: “Thinking Theology” Through Lovecraft'
  • Ruth Newton, ‘Individual narratives surrounding theological motivations for environmental activism amongst Church of England laity’

External funding

  • AHRC doctoral award (2004)

Books

Forthcoming God’s Patience and our Work: Hans Frei, Generous Orthodoxy and the Ethics of Hope. SCM Press.

2013. Divine Eloquence and Human Transformation: Rethinking Scripture and History through Gregory of Nazianzus and Hans Frei. Fortress Press.

Book chapters

2020. Hans Frei: beyond liberal and conservative. In Peterson, P. S. (ed.) Generous Orthodoxies: Essays on the History and Future of Ecumenical Theology. Wipf and Stock.

2020. Barth and Hans W. Frei. In Hunsinger, G. & Johnson, K. L. (eds.), The Wiley Blackwell Companion to Karl Barth (vol. 2). Wiley Blackwell, 645-656.

2016. Thinking about marriage with Scripture. In J. Bradbury & S. Cornwall (eds.), Thinking again about marriage: key theological questions. SCM Press, 44-61.

2012. Gregory of Nazianzus and Biblical Interpretation. In C. Beeley (ed.), Re-Reading Gregory of Nazianzus: Essays on History, Theology, and Culture. Catholic University of America Press, 31-48.

2010. Feeding and Forming the People of God: the Lord, his Supper and the Church in Calvin and 1 Corinthians 11:17-34. In T. Greggs (ed.), New Perspectives for Evangelical Theology: Engaging with God, Scripture and the World. Routledge, 93-107.

Articles

2018. Light and Darkness - IV. Christianity. In C. Helmer, S.L. McKenzie, T. Romer, J. Schroter, B.D. Walfish, E. Ziolkowski (eds.), The Encyclopedia of the Bible and its Reception vol. 16. Lectionary - Lots. Cols. 584-587. Berlin: De Gruyter.

2017. Moderating Religious Identity and the Eclipse of Religious Wisdoms: Lessons from Hans Frei. The Review of Faith and International Affairs 15:2, 24-33.

2011. Divine Names and the Embodied Intellect: Imagination and Sanctification in Gregory of Nazianzus’ account of Theological Language. Studia Patristica 50, 217-231.

2009. ‘One Commixture of Light’: Rethinking some Modern Uses and Critiques of Gregory of Nazianzus on the Unity and Equality of the Divine Persons. International Journal of Systematic Theology 11:2, 172-189.

  • MA (Cantab)
  • DipThRS (Cantab)
  • MPhil (Cantab)
  • PhD (Cantab)
  • FHEA