Staff profile

Research

After an undergraduate degree in ancient history and philosophy, my doctoral work was on theological approaches to liberal political thought, published as Christianity and Contemporary Society (1997). An underlying theme in this book was the connection between certain styles of liberal theorizing and technological modes of thought. This interest in thinking theologically about technology was developed specifically in relation to the ethics of new reproductive and genetic technologies, written up in a variety of articles as well as a book, Human Genetics: Fabricating the Future (2002). While some of this research concentrated on detailed moral questions surrounding stem cell research, the status of the embryo, the Human Genome Project, transgenic animals, Body Integrity Identity Disorder, and so on, my overriding concern was to situate such questions within a broader intellectual and cultural context. In particular I have sought to relate contemporary Western attitudes to the body, and to medical interventions in the body, to the legacy of the seventeenth-century revolution in thought and practice and its rejection of Aristotelian and theological modes of thought. Theological thinking about the body should be located, I argue, in thinking about the church as the body of Christ, and theological bioethics in general should be related to the witness of the church as a political body.

I have also worked on theology and sexuality, based on my participation in the Church of England House of Bishops Working Group on Human Sexuality (the Pilling Group). My work in this area resulted in the publication of Covenant and Calling: Towards a Theology of Same-Sex Relationships (2014), which explores the theological case for non-procreative but sexual committed relationships, and considers the significance of this for the theology of marriage. I have extended the argument in ‘Creator, Christ and Sexuality’, in Rebekah Miles and D. Stephen Long (eds), Routledge Companion to Christian Ethics (New York: Routledge, 2023), 47-59, which suggests that this understanding of marriage in Christ is the fulfilment, and not the denial, of creation.

My theoretical and theological research has never been separated from attention to social and empirical context: hence published work with palliative medicine clinicians on spirituality and palliative care; an ESRC-funded project on lay Christian, Muslim and Hindu ethical evaluations of new reproductive and genetic technologies; and a willingness to collaborate in a wide variety of interdisciplinary projects.

Most recently, my research has entirely pivoted to theological thinking about environmental ethics, centring on the meaning of hope in an age of climate and social breakdown, the theological grounding of hope, and the social, economic and political structures that might embody it. In connection with this, I am Programme Director for the MA in Environmental Humanities, and Co-Director with Simona Capisani (Philosophy) of the Centre for Environment and Humanities.

I am a past President of the Society for the Study of Christian Ethics, and currently sit on the British Medical Association Medical Ethics Committee and the Church of England Ethical Investment Advisory Group.

Current postgraduates

I am currently supervising postgraduates researching in the following areas:

• –        the theology of the London Catholic Workers
• –        evangelicalism and voluntarism in sexual ethics
• –        sustainable religious NGOs in Sri Lanka
• –        theology and the common good, with special reference to Singapore
• –        sustaining hope in the context of the climate crisis
• –        the theology of collective apology

Past postgraduates

Postgraduate researchers for whom I have been primary supervisor include the following:

• Seunghoon Oh, ‘How Decisions Are Made for Children and Young People with Life-Limiting Conditions: A Critical Ethnographic Study’ (PhD)
• Andrew Graystone, ‘Losing Touch? Reaching for a Theology of Touch in a Digital Age’ (PhD)
• Joelle Lucas, ‘A Theology of Friendship in a Digital Age’ (PhD)
• Alexander Jones, ‘Prayer and Political Theology in Martin Luther and Dietrich Bonhoeffer’ (PhD)
• Andrew Carter, ‘Francis Schaeffer’s Whole-of-Life Theology and the Making of the L’Abri Mind’ (PhD)
• David Stocks, ‘The Nature of Supererogation and its Application in Medical Practice’ (PhD)
• Stephen Cheung, ‘Nietzsche Contra the Atheists: An Analysis of the Popular Reception of Nietzsche’s Atheism in English-Speaking Countries’ (PhD)
• Rebecca Leong, ‘Prejudice, Sense, Middle or Madding? Towards a Christian Ethical Framework for Heterosexual Dating in Contemporary Anglo-American Contexts’ (PhD)
• Nicolas Baumgartner, ‘Trust as an Economic Virtue: A Theological Critique of Experimental Economics’ (PhD)
• Sam Tranter, ‘Without Elimination: With and Beyond Oliver O’Donovan on Eschatology and Ethics’ (PhD)
• Will Foulger, ‘Present in Every Place: The Church of England and the Parish Principle’ (DThM)
• Bob Fu, ‘Baorong Duoyuan: A Proposed Foundation for Religious Freedom in a Postcommunist, Democratic China’ (PhD)
• Mahshid Turner, ‘Sorrow (huzn) in the Muslim Tradition, with Special Reference to Said Nursi’ (PhD)
• Maria Russell Kenney, ‘A Historical Analysis, Critical Interpretation, and Contemporary Application of the Virtue of Prudence’ (PhD)
• Sarah Hills, ‘A Theology of Restitution as Embodied Reconciliation: A Study of Restitution in a Reconciliation Process in Worcester, South Africa’ (PhD)
• Matthew Hill, ‘Nurturing Altruism: The Significance of Sociobiology for Wesleyan Ethics’ (PhD)
• Michael Volland, ‘An Entrepeneurial Approach to Priestly Ministry in the Church’ (DThM)
• Mark Newitt, ‘Ritual, Pastoral Presence, and Character Virtues in Healthcare Chaplaincy’ (DThM)
• Elizabeth Kent, ‘Consuming the Body: The Church and Eating Disorders’ (PhD)
• Anthony Kaniaru, ‘Rethinking Rationality: Theological Anthropology in Light of Profound Cognitive Impairment: Relationality, Embodiment and Personhood’ (PhD)
• Pauline Everett, ‘A Relational Defence of Surrogate Motherhood’ (PhD)
• Michael Shafer, ‘A Christian Theology of Sport and the Ethics of Doping’ (PhD)
• Mark Vasey-Saunders, ‘The Problem of English Evangelicals and Homosexuality: A Girardian study of Popular English Evangelical writings on Homosexuality 1960-2010’ (PhD)
• Jennifer Moberly, 'The Virtue of Bonhoeffer's Ethics: A Study of Dietrich Bonhoeffer's Ethics in Relation to Virtue Ethics' (PhD)
• Sarah Charlton, 'The Creation of Families: Christianity and Contemporary Adoption' (PhD)
• Peter Manning, 'Cohabitation in Britain: A Theological and Pastoral Response' (PhD)
• Ashley Wilson, 'Hermeneutics and Moral Imagination: The Implications of Gadamer's Truth and Method for Christian Ethics' (PhD)
• Paul Markham, 'Conversion Converted: A New Model of Christian Conversion in Light of Wesleyan Theology and Nonreductive Physicalism' (PhD)
• Mary Rowell, ‘Towards a New Paradigm for Bioethics: Ecological and Theological Contributions’ (PhD)
• Dennis Cheek, 'Theology and Technology: A Framework for Analysis and Decision Making with Special Reference to Intelligent Transportation Systems' (PhD)
• Edmund Wee, ‘A Christian Theological Response to Human Gene Patenting’ (MA)
• Helen Savage, ‘Changing Sex? Transsexuality and Christian Theology’ (PhD)
• Maria Lastochkina, ‘Christian Views of Euthanasia: A Comparison of Russian and Western Perspectives’ (MA)
• Nigel Oakley, ‘Educating Christians for Political Involvement: An Examination of Augustinian, Liberation and Confessing Church Approaches’ (PhD)
• Audrey Elkington, 'A Theological Consideration of Issues Raised by Human Genetic Manipulation with Particular Reference to Gene Therapy' (MA)

• theology and environment
• theology, economy and society
• theology and sexuality

Authored book

• Covenant and Calling: Towards a Theology of Same-Sex Relationships
  
  Song, R. (2014). Covenant and Calling: Towards a Theology of Same-Sex Relationships. SCM Press.
• Human Genetics : Fabricating the Future
  
  Song, R. (2002). Human Genetics : Fabricating the Future. Darton, Longman and Todd.
• Christianity and Liberal Society
  
  Song, R. (1997). Christianity and Liberal Society. Clarendon Press.

Chapter in book

• Creator, Christ and Sexuality
  
  Song, R. (2023). Creator, Christ and Sexuality. In D. S. Long & R. L. Miles (Eds.), The Routledge Companion to Christian Ethics (pp. 47-59). Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9780429345081
• Robots, AI and human uniqueness: learning what not to fear
  
  Song, R. (2021). Robots, AI and human uniqueness: learning what not to fear. In J. Wyatt & S. N. Williams (Eds.), The Robot Will See You Now (pp. 107-120).
• Desiring machines: The sexbot paradox
  
  Song, R. (2020). Desiring machines: The sexbot paradox. In S. A. Midson (Ed.), Love, Technology and Theology (pp. 77-92). T&T Clark. https://doi.org/10.5040/9780567689979.ch-005
• ‘Technological Immortalization and Original Mortality: Karl Barth on the Celebration of Finitude’
  
  Song, R. (2016). ‘Technological Immortalization and Original Mortality: Karl Barth on the Celebration of Finitude’. In P. Ziegler (Ed.), Eternal God, Eternal Life: Theological Investigations into the Concept of Immortality (pp. 187-209). Bloomsbury. https://doi.org/10.5040/9780567666864.ch-010
• Introduction
  
  Song, R., & Waters, B. (2015). Introduction. In R. Song & B. Waters (Eds.), The Authority of the Gospel: Essays in Moral and Political Theology in Honor of Oliver O’Donovan (p. xi-xxi). Grand Rapids, Mi.: Eerdmans.
• Transgenic Animals and Ethics: Recognizing an Appropriate Dignity
  
  Song, R. (2013). Transgenic Animals and Ethics: Recognizing an Appropriate Dignity. In C. Deane-Drummond, D. Clough, & R. Artinian-Kaiser (Eds.), Animals as religious subjects : transdisciplinary perspectives. (pp. 243-258). T & T Clark.
• Bonhoeffer and the Biotechnological Imagination.
  
  Song, R. (2010). Bonhoeffer and the Biotechnological Imagination. In R. K. Wüstenberg, S. Heuser, & E. Hornung (Eds.), Bonhoeffer and the Biosciences: An Initial Exploration (pp. 75-87). Peter Lang.
• Humanity, Divinity and Interspecies Embryos.
  
  Song, R. (2009). Humanity, Divinity and Interspecies Embryos. In S. W. Smith & R. Deazley (Eds.), The Legal, Medical and Cultural Regulation of the Body: Transformation and Transgression. (pp. 127-141). Ashgate Publishing.
• The Bible and Human Genetics.
  
  Song, R. (2009). The Bible and Human Genetics. In M. Bratton (Ed.), God, Ethics and the Human Genome (pp. 33-45). Church House Publishing.
• Conclusion: Fragility and Grace, Theology and Disability’
  
  Song, R. (2007). Conclusion: Fragility and Grace, Theology and Disability’. In J. Swinton & B. Brock (Eds.), Theology, Disability and the New Genetics: Why Science Needs the Church (pp. 234-44). T&T Clark.
• Sharing Communion: Hunger, Food, GM Foods and Population Growth
  
  Song, R. (2004). Sharing Communion: Hunger, Food, GM Foods and Population Growth. In S. Hauerwas & S. W. (eds.) (Eds.), The Blackwell Companion to Christian Ethics (pp. 388-400). Blackwell.
• The Human Genome Project as Soteriological Project
  
  Song, R. (2003). The Human Genome Project as Soteriological Project. In C. Deane-Drummond (Ed.), Brave new world? : theology, ethics and the human genome. (pp. 164-184). T&T Clark.
• To Be Willing to Kill What for All One Knows Is A Person Is to Be Willing to Kill a Person
  
  Song, R. (2003). To Be Willing to Kill What for All One Knows Is A Person Is to Be Willing to Kill a Person. In B. Waters & R. Cole-Turner (Eds.), God and the embryo : religious voices on stem cells and cloning. (pp. 98-107). Georgetown University Press.
• Whose Sanctity of Life? Ricoeur, Dworkin and the Human Embryo
  
  Song, R. (2002). Whose Sanctity of Life? Ricoeur, Dworkin and the Human Embryo. In S. Barton (Ed.), Holiness : past and present. (pp. 460-476). T&T Clark.
• Wisdom as the End of Morality
  
  Song, R. (1999). Wisdom as the End of Morality. In S. C. Barton (Ed.), Where Shall Wisdom Be Found?. (pp. 295-306). T&T Clark.
• Democratie
  
  Song, R. (1998). Democratie. In J. L. (ed.) (Ed.), Dictionnaire Critique de Theologie. (pp. 308-9). Presses Universitaires de France.
• ‘Moral Theology’ (revision)
  
  Song, R. (1997). ‘Moral Theology’ (revision). In E. Livingstone (ed.) (Ed.), The Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church (pp. 1110-12). Oxford University Press.
• Political Life
  
  Song, R. (1994). Political Life. In C. Y. (ed.) (Ed.), Veritatis Splendor: An Anglican Response (pp. 57-68). Canterbury Press.

Edited book

• The Authority of the Gospel: Explorations in Moral and Political Theology in Honor of Oliver O'Donovan
  
  Song, R., & Waters, B. (Eds.). (2015). The Authority of the Gospel: Explorations in Moral and Political Theology in Honor of Oliver O’Donovan. Grand Rapids, Mi.: Eerdmans.
• A Royal Priesthood? The Use of the Bible Ethically and Politically: A Dialogue with Oliver O'Donovan
  
  Bartholomew, C., Chaplin, J., Song, R., & Wolters, A. (Eds.). (2002). A Royal Priesthood? The Use of the Bible Ethically and Politically: A Dialogue with Oliver O’Donovan. Paternoster Press.

Journal Article

• Freedom in a Time of Climate Catastrophe
  
  Song, R. (2026). Freedom in a Time of Climate Catastrophe. Studies in Christian Ethics, 39(1), 53-68. https://doi.org/10.1177/09539468251409126
• Psychiatrists’ attitudes to professional boundaries concerning spirituality and religion: mixed-methods study
  
  Poole, R., Cook, C. C. H., Song, R., & Robinson, C. A. (2024). Psychiatrists’ attitudes to professional boundaries concerning spirituality and religion: mixed-methods study. BJPsych Bulletin, 48(4), 221-225. https://doi.org/10.1192/bjb.2023.66
• 'Divorce or New Birth? Living in Love and Faith and the Future of the Church of England'
  
  Song, R. (2021). ’Divorce or New Birth? Living in Love and Faith and the Future of the Church of England’. Crucible: The Journal of Christian Social Ethics.
• After Agonistic Liberalism: Milbank and Pabst's Relentless Pursuit of Radical Anglican Thomism
  
  Song, R. (2019). After Agonistic Liberalism: Milbank and Pabst’s Relentless Pursuit of Radical Anglican Thomism. Studies in Christian Ethics, 32(2), 271-277. https://doi.org/10.1177/0953946819826323
• Experiences of Faith Group Members Using New Reproductive and Genetic Technologies: A Qualitative Interview Study
  
  Scully, J. L., Banks, S., Song, R., & Haq, J. (2017). Experiences of Faith Group Members Using New Reproductive and Genetic Technologies: A Qualitative Interview Study. Human Fertility, 20(1), 22-29. https://doi.org/10.1080/14647273.2016.1243816
• Play It Again, but This Time with Ontological Conviction: A Response to Jonathan Marks
  
  Song, R. (2016). Play It Again, but This Time with Ontological Conviction: A Response to Jonathan Marks. Philosophy, Theology and the Sciences, 3(2), 175-182. https://doi.org/10.1628/219597716x14696202742136
• Body Integrity Identity Disorder and the Ethics of Mutilation
  
  Song, R. (2013). Body Integrity Identity Disorder and the Ethics of Mutilation. Studies in Christian Ethics, 26(4), 487-503. https://doi.org/10.1177/0953946813492921
• A Profile of the Belief System and Attitudes to End-of-Life Decisions of Senior Clinicians Working in a National Health Service Hospital in the United Kingdom.
  
  Pugh, E., Song, R., Whittaker, V., & Blenkinsopp, J. (2009). A Profile of the Belief System and Attitudes to End-of-Life Decisions of Senior Clinicians Working in a National Health Service Hospital in the United Kingdom. Palliative Medicine., 23(2), 158-164. https://doi.org/10.1177/0269216308100248
• Genetic Manipulation and the Body of Christ
  
  Song, R. (2007). Genetic Manipulation and the Body of Christ. Studies in Christian Ethics, 20(3), 399-420. https://doi.org/10.1177/0953946807082935
• Knowing There Is No God, Still We Should Not Play God? Habermas on the Future of Human Nature
  
  Song, R. (2006). Knowing There Is No God, Still We Should Not Play God? Habermas on the Future of Human Nature. Ecotheology., 11(2), 191-211. https://doi.org/10.1558/ecot.2006.11.2.191
• Christian Bioethics and the Church's Political Worship
  
  Song, R. (2005). Christian Bioethics and the Church’s Political Worship. Christian Bioethics, 11, 333-348.

Report

• Gender and Career Progression in Theology and Religious Studies
  
  Guest, M., Sharma, S., & Song, R. (2013). Gender and Career Progression in Theology and Religious Studies.