Full-time Postgraduate Studentship
THE DIOCESE OF LONDON SINCE c. 1800
FURTHER PARTICULARS
This three-year, full-time funded studentship, tenable from 1 October 2009, or as soon
as possible thereafter, is being offered in the Faculty of Arts at The Open University.
It is funded by the University under its programme of Charter Studentships to
celebrate the 40th anniversary of the granting of The Open University’s Royal Charter
in 1969. It is linked to a knowledge transfer fellowship held by Professor John Wolffe
in partnership with Kings College London, The Diocese of London (Church of
England), and Lambeth Palace Library, and supported by the Arts and Humanities
Research Council.
The Knowledge Transfer Project: ‘Building on History: The Church in
London’ (website: http://www.open.ac.uk/Arts/building-on-history-project/index.html)
The knowledge transfer project, launched at a reception at Lambeth Palace Library on
18th June 2009, is a pioneering venture aiming to disseminate important new insights
into the modern history of religion in London in order to inform both policy-making
and self-understanding. It is funded by a £234,000 Arts and Humanities Research
Council Knowledge Transfer grant. Over the next three years two leading historians
of modern British religion - Professor Wolffe and Professor Arthur Burns (King’s
College London) – will work with the leading national depository for English
religious history, Lambeth Palace Library, and the Anglican Diocese of London to
enhance the diocese’s self-understanding and effectiveness. The project enjoys the
strong support of the Bishop of London, who spoke at a Building on History seminar
at St Paul’s Cathedral on 5 May of the importance of historical awareness to London
Anglican identity and the development of informed strategy.
The last twenty years have transformed academic understanding of the place of
religion in modern English society, particularly in relation to ‘secularization’. It is
increasingly clear that earlier hypotheses of religion’s inevitable decline in the face of
modernization are at odds with the ability of religious groups to react and adapt to
changing contexts. Many of the social changes and pastoral challenges currently
facing the diocese, such as rapid urban development and heavy migration (both within
and to the area) have been perennial issues for both Church and the metropolis since
at least the late eighteenth century; and a historical perspective on the experience of
these phenomena over time will help inform current and future responses.
Following the launch, the project will engage with the Diocese of London at every
level. Seminars and workshops for clergy and laity will provide a context in which
history can provide helpful perspectives on practical contemporary concerns. In
addition, seminars will be convened with church leaders responsible for formulating
both diocesan and national policy. As the project progresses, it will interact with other
Christian traditions and with London’s diverse local and cultural communities.
The Studentship Project
In parallel with the knowledge transfer project, proposals are invited for doctoral
research on some aspect of the history of Diocese of London since c.1800. The
specific focus of research will be determined by the successful candidate with the
guidance of his/her supervisors. Potential topics might range from the early nineteenth
century development of the diocese under Bishops Porteus, Randolph and Howley,
through the church’s response to the dramatic expansion of the metropolis in the
Victorian era, to later twentieth century responses to religious change and diversity. In
line with the AHRC scheme, projects that are able to demonstrate a practical
application to the contemporary work of the diocese and/or to the management and
presentation of its archives would be especially welcome.
The present-day Diocese of London covers metropolitan London north of the Thames
and west of the river Lea, and during earlier periods it also included Essex and much
of Hertfordshire. The potential geographical scope of a studentship project will be
determined by the area of the Diocese at the date(s) in question. Indeed the impact of
diocesan reorganization, and also the creation of episcopal areas within the Diocese of
London might well itself prove a worthwhile topic for investigation.
The successful candidate’s project will be expected to engage with the Diocese as an
institution and structure of organization. Thus, while it is very likely that local and
parochial level studies will form some part of the research, they will also need to be
set in a London-wide framework. Similarly, while we would warmly welcome
proposals that explore the Diocese’s interactions with other Christian (and nonChristian) religious traditions, a proposal with a primary emphasis on a different
tradition would be unlikely to be acceptable.
Research is likely to be centred on papers of the Bishops of London held at Lambeth
Palace Library; the diocesan records in the Guildhall Library; and deposits of parish
records at the London Metropolitan Archives. There are also a rich range of printed
sources held at the British Library and elsewhere. Oral history might also be an
appropriate methodology for work on the more recent past.
Prospective candidates will be likely to find the following works useful in formulating
a proposal
Arthur Burns, The Diocesan Revival in the Church of England c. 1800-1870, Oxford:
Clarendon Press, 1999.
Derek Keene, Arthur Burns, and Andrew Saint, ed., St Paul’s: The Cathedral Church
of London, 604-2004, New Haven and London: Yale University Press, especially
chapters 8 and 33.
Rex Walford, The Growth of “New London” in Suburban Middlesex (1918-1945) and
the Response of the Church of England, Lewiston: Edwin Mellon Press.
Academic Support
The student will be registered for a PhD at the Open University where the lead
supervisor will be Prof John Wolffe. The project will be co-supervised by Prof Arthur
Burns of Kings College London.
John Wolffe (Professor of Religious History) has published widely on nineteenth and
twentieth-century British religious history. In September 2008 he was awarded a
knowledge transfer fellowship (described in more detail above) by the Arts and
Humanities Research Council. He has extensive experience of PhD supervision and
was until recently Associate Dean (Research and Postgraduate Policy) in the Faculty
of Arts.
Arthur Burns (Professor of Modern British History) has also written extensively on
modern British religious history and has co-edited the 1400th anniversary history of St
Paul’s Cathedral. He is a co-Director of the AHRC-funded Clergy of the Church of
England Database project.
In addition the student will be able to draw on the expertise of other members of the
knowledge transfer project team, notably
Dr W.M. Jacob, who as well as being Archdeacon of Charing Cross in the Diocese
of London is a distinguished church historian and visiting professor at University of
Wales Lampeter;
Declan Kelly, Director of Libraries, Archives and Information Services for the
national institutions of the Church of England;
Dr John Maiden, research assistant on the project, who has recently completed a
book on the 1927-8 Prayer Book crisis.
The student will be registered in the Religious Studies Department at the Open
University (http://www.open.ac.uk/Arts/relstud/index.html) which is one of seven
departments in the Faculty of Arts. It is committed to the scholarly and objective
study of religion, through both teaching and research. Research in Religious Studies at
the OU focuses on contemporary religion and modern religious history (since c.1800).
It spans a variety of traditions (Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, Judaism, Buddhism,
Paganism, modern ‘integrative’ spirituality) and employs complementary approaches
(historical, ethnological, sociological, psychological) and methodologies (e.g. archival
research, qualitative fieldwork, quantitative surveys). The geographical spread of
expertise is broad, including Australasia, North America, India and Japan, as well as
Britain, Ireland and continental Europe. Particular strengths include contemporary
spiritualities; Protestant Evangelicalism; religion and locality; civil religion, identities
and citizenship. There is a developing interest in religion in material, visual and
performance culture.
In addition to Religious Studies the Faculty of Arts also comprises the departments of
Art History, Classical Studies, English, History, Music and Philosophy thus offering
rich potential interdisciplinary links and expertise for the development of the
studentship project. There are over 100 research students (full and part-time) in the
Faculty as a whole, with currently 6 full-time and 10 part-time students registered for
research degrees in the Religious Studies Department.
The Open University Research School provides an induction programme for new
research students and a training programme for students. It is expected that different
mechanisms will be used to support learning as appropriate, including self-direction,
supervisor support and mentoring, departmental support, workshops, conferences,
elective training courses, formally assessed courses and informal opportunities. The
student will receive training in for example: bibliographical databases and other IT
skills and in managing a research project through its different stages. The Arts Faculty
provides additional study skills training days focussed on the particular needs of Arts
and Humanities students and the Library offers especially tailored sessions. The
Religious Studies Department provides forums for the exchange of ideas and
experience. Student progress is regularly monitored through six-monthly reports. At
the end of the first year students undergo a thorough probation review process and
mini-viva, and their continued registration is conditional on a satisfactory outcome.
(For further generic information see the research degree prospectus, which can be
downloaded from http://www.open.ac.uk/research/research-degrees/index.php or
obtainable in hardcopy from the Research School, The Open University, Walton Hall,
Milton Keynes, MK7 6AA; email research-degrees-team@open.ac.uk; tel 01908654882)
Stipend, expenses and facilities
The Open University will waive tuition fees and will pay a maintenance grant at the
national standard level (£13,290 in 2009-10). Training and project related research
costs (up to a normal £1000 annual limit and subject to approval of specific plans)
will be covered. Full-time students have the use of a desk (which will either be in the
Open University’s London office in Camden Town or the Faculty of Arts in Milton
Keynes) and will be provided with a notebook computer. They will have full access to
the electronic and hardcopy collections of the University Library. For a successful
candidate in Anglican priest’s orders there would be a possibility (but no guarantee)
of a ‘house for duty’ arrangement.
Requirements
It is essential that the successful candidate has:

a good first degree (1st or 2i from a UK institution or equivalent from a nonUK institution), or a masters degree

formal academic study of a discipline relevant to the project (which is likely
to be, but is not limited to Religious Studies, History or Theology).

experience of studying primary source material

a willingness and ability to travel to undertake archival research work

evidence of the self-discipline and organizational skills requisite to complete
a major academic project in three, or at most four, years.

a willingness and ability to work within the Religious Studies Department’s
non-confessional ethos
In addition, it is desirable that the successful candidate has

a masters degree.

specific expertise or experience relevant to the project.
Professor Wolffe (j.r.wolffe@open.ac.uk) would welcome informal enquiries.
Please apply on the standard research degree application form (which can be
downloaded from http://www.open.ac.uk/research/research-degrees/index.php or
obtainable in hardcopy from the Research School, The Open University, Walton Hall,
Milton Keynes, MK7 6AA; email research-degrees-team@open.ac.uk; tel 01908654882). With the application form, please enclose:
a) a covering letter (up to two sides of A4) explaining why you think you are a
suitable candidate for this studentship, and giving your initial ideas as to how
you would define and approach a specific research topic;
b) a sample of recent written work (eg a portion of an MA thesis) of up to 5,000
words.
Closing date Friday 24 July 2009. Interviews will be held on Thursday 27 August
2009.