The Smith Lectures

The Smith Lectures commemorate Agnes Lewis and Margaret Dunlop (both née Smith), twin sisters from Ayrshire, whose contribution to Divinity led to the award of honorary doctorates in 1901 by the University. Brilliant linguists, intrepid explorers, and meticulous scholars, they discovered and catalogued an astonishing number of ancient manuscripts, most famously the Syriac Sinaiticus.

Each semester, an outstanding female scholar from any subdiscipline of Divinity is invited to St Andrews to deliver the Smith Lecture in their memory, and to meet informally with female students who might be interested in pursuing an academic career in the discipline.

This year's Smith Lecturers are:

5 November 2025 - Joanna Leidenhag, incoming Starbridge Professor of Theology and Natural Science, University of Cambridge (event details)

11 March 2026 - Kristin Kobes Du Mez, Professor of History, Calvin College (details forthcoming)

Professor Soskice with Professor Sally Mapstone The inaugural Smith Lecture was delivered in Martinmas Semester 2018-2019 by Professor Janet Soskice, Emerita Professor of Philosophical Theology at the University of Cambridge, on the eponymous Smith Sisters. They were the subject of one of Professor Soskice's books, entitled Sisters Of Sinai: How Two Lady Adventurers Found the Hidden Gospels (Vintage, 2010) (available in the library).

Pictured: Professor Soskice (right) with Professor Sally Mapstone, Principal of the University of St Andrews, and pictures of the Smith sisters held in University Collections.