Mr David Stuart
Project Research Assistant
Research Assistant
Research areas
My PhD thesis seeks to construct a model of dialogue which offers peaceful ways for rival groups with incommensurate beliefs to interact with each other. I analyse contemporary research on polarization to inspect its origins, the political problems it causes and possible solutions. Strategies relying on a common ground are argued to be inadequate in providing lasting peace and instead a model relying on creating common aims according to the internal justifications of each group is suggested. Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s theology is engaged with to offer criticism of the instrumentalization of truth claims and to supply motivations for seeking peace with one’s enemies. This is shown to have fruitful interactions through dialogue with Christian and Islamic forms of fundamentalism. Overall, my work offers fresh perspectives on how to conduct political discourse in a way that is beneficial within and between religious and secular communities.
My broader research interests relate to systematic theology, hermeneutics, politics and their overlap with one another. I am particularly interested in how these might be coherently and cooperatively utilised to create peace in our world today.
Selected publications
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How do you know it's God? The theology and practice of discerning a call to ministry
Stuart, D. A., 1 Oct 2022, In: Crucible, the Journal of Christian Social Ethics. October 2022, p. 59-61 3 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Book/Film/Article review