Tina Beattie

Updated on Dec 25, 2023

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Name Tina Beattie Role Writer		Education University of Bristol

Books The new atheists, God's Mother - Eve's Adv, New Catholic Feminism, Theology After Postmod, The Last Supper Accordin

Tina beattie birth and human flourishing

Tina Beattie is a British writer and broadcaster. She is the Professor of Catholic Studies at the University of Roehampton in London and Director of the Digby Stuart Research Centre for Religion, Society and Human Flourishing.

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Beattie's academic research and publications include work on Catholic theology and psychoanalytic theory (Theology After Postmodernity: Divining the Void; theologies and theories of gender and sexuality (New Catholic Feminism: Theology and Theory); the cult of the Virgin Mary (God's Mother, Eve's Advocate); theology and art; atheism and religion (The New Atheists), and religion and women's rights (see Writings, below).

In addition to her academic work, Beattie has been a public speaker on issues relating to the role of religion in contemporary society and contributes to radio and television. She has written for the Catholic weekly journal, The Tablet, and contributed to The Guardian. She has engaged in a wide range of educational and awareness-raising activities and projects among religious groups, including inter-religious dialogue and issues concerning social justice and non-violence. Conservative Catholics have criticised her for arguing in favour of same-sex marriage and women's ordination, for challenging the Catholic Church's teachings on contraception, and for appealing for a more-nuanced ethical approach to the question of early abortion.

Power to transform: will the Catholic Church survive the 21st century?

Early life and career

Beattie is the eldest of three daughters born to Charlie and Nan Bell. She was born in 1955 in Zambia and lived there for eighteen years, attending the Dominican Convent School in Lusaka. Beattie also lived for several years in Kenya and Zimbabwe. She is married to Dave Beattie, and worked as a secretary before the birth of their four children (born in 1978, 1980, 1983, and 1986). In 1986, or 1987, she converted to Roman Catholicism from Presbyterianism. After moving to Bristol with her family in 1988, she became a mature student at the University of Bristol in 1991, where she received a first class honours degree in theology and religious studies before completing a PhD on the theology and symbolism of the Virgin Mary, viewed in a "gynocentric" light in engagement with the ideas of Luce Irigaray. Since then, she has lectured at the University of Bristol and Wesley College, Bristol and has also taught for the Open University. She took up a full-time post at the University of Roehampton in 2002. Her teaching interests include Christian mysticism and spirituality; theology, art and culture; moral theology and Catholic social teaching, and religion and human rights.

Work and publications

Beattie has published in academic and non-academic publications. Her theological output includes books and articles on the theology, art and symbolism of the Virgin Mary and Eve; the new atheism; the work of Swiss Catholic theologian, Hans Urs von Balthasar, from the perspectives of feminist theology and critical theory; theological perspectives on Christian art, and religion and women's rights. She writes regularly on a wide range of topics for the Catholic weekly, The Tablet, and is also a frequent contributor to the "Comment is Free" website of The Guardian newspaper, including an eight-part series on Thomas Aquinas.

Reception and influence

With a primary focus on issues of women, sexuality and gender in Roman Catholic theology and practice, Beattie's work is criticised by some other Catholics for challenging Church teaching on issues such as contraception, same-sex marriage and women's ordination, as well as offering her unqualified opposition only to "late" abortions.

Books

Theology after Postmodernity: Divining the Void (London and New York: Oxford University Press, 2013)

The New Atheists: The Twilight of Reason and the War on Religion (London: Darton, Longman & Todd,2007; Maryknoll NY: Orbis Books, 2008)

New Catholic Feminism: Theology and Theory (London and New York: Routledge, 2006)

co-editor with Ursula King, Gender, Religion & Diversity: Cross-Cultural Perspectives (London and New York: Continuum, 2004)

Woman, New Century Theology Series (London and New York: Continuum, 2003)

God’s Mother, Eve’s Advocate: A Marian Narrative of Women’s Salvation (London and New York: Continuum, 2002)

Eve’s Pilgrimage: A Woman’s Quest for the City of God (London: Burns & Oates, New York: Continuum, 2002)

The Last Supper According to Martha and Mary (Tunbridge Wells: Burns & Oates, 2001)

Rediscovering Mary: Insights from the Gospels (Tunbridge Wells: Burns & Oates; New York: Triumph Books, 1995)

Selected journal articles and book chapters

'The Revolution of Tenderness - the theology of Pope Francis' in Eamon Maher and John Littleton (eds) The Francis Factor: A New Departure (Dublin: Columba Press, 2014)

'Mary, Mother of God and Model of a Pilgrim People' in Gavin D'Costa and Emma Harris (eds) The Second Vatican Council (London: Bloomsbury, T & T Clark, 2014)

'The Vanishing Absolute and the Deconsecrated God - a theological reflection on revelation, law, and human dignity' in Christopher McCrudden (ed.) Understanding Human Dignity (London and Oxford: British Academy and Oxford University Press, 2013)

'The Body Between Us: Towards an Incarnate Mysticism' in Louise Nelstrop and Simon Podmore (eds), Exploring Lost Dimensions in Christian Mysticism: Opening to the Mystical (Farnham, Surrey and Burlington VT: Ashgate Publishing, 2013)

‘From Ethics to Eschatology: The Continuing Validity of the New Eve for Christian Doctrine and Discipleship’ in Rob C. MacSwain et al. (eds) Theology, Aesthetics and Culture (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2012)

'Fragments: Reflections in a Shattered Screen‘, Political Theology, Vol. 12, No. 5, 2011: pp. 672–77

‘Catholicism, Choice and Consciousness: A Feminist Theological Perspective on Abortion’, International Journal of Public Theology, Vol. 4, No. 1 (2010): pp. 51–75

‘Earth, Wind and Fire: Fenwick Lawson’s Art’, Art & Christianity, No. 57, Spring 2009

‘The End of Woman: Gender, God and Rights Beyond Modernity’ in Patrick Claffey and Joseph Egan (eds), Movement or Moment?: Assessing Liberation Theology Forty Years after Medellín (Oxford, Bern, Berlin, Bruxelles, Frankfurt am Main, New York, Wien: Peter Lang, 2009)

‘Humanae Vitae: nature, sex and reason in conflict’, The Pastoral Review, July 2008

‘From Rosaries to Rights – Towards an Integrated Catholicism’ in Bernard Hoose, Julie Clague and Gerard Mannion (eds.) Moral Theology for the Twenty-First Century: Essays in Celebration of Kevin Kelly (London and New York: Continuum, 2008)

‘”Justice enacted not these human laws” (Antigone): Religion, Natural Law and Women’s Rights’, Religion and Human Rights, Vol. 3, No. 3, 2008: pp. 249–267

‘Vision and Vulnerability: the significance of sacramentality and the woman priest for feminist theology’ in Natalie Watson and Stephen Burns (eds) Exchanges of Grace: Essays in Honour of Ann Loades (London SPCK, 2008)

‘Mary in Patristic Theology’ in Sarah Jane Boss (ed.), Mary: The Complete Resource (London: Continuum, New York: Oxford University Press)

‘Queen of Heaven’ in Gerard Loughlin (ed.), Queer Theology: New Perspectives on Sex and Gender (Oxford: Basil Blackwell, 2007)

‘Insight beyond Sight: Sacramentality and the Eucharist in the Isenheim Altarpiece’, New Blackfriars, Vol. 88.1013, 2007: pp. 67–72

‘Redeeming Mary: The Potential of Marian Symbolism for Feminist Philosophy of Religion’ in Pamela Sue Anderson and Beverley Clack (eds.), Feminist Philosophy of Religion: Critical Readings (London: Routledge, 2003)

'Etty Hillesum: A Thinking Heart in a Darkened World’ in Ursula King with Tina Beattie (eds), Spirituality and Society in the New Millennium (Sussex: Sussex Academic Press, 2001)

‘Global Sisterhood or Wicked Stepsisters: Why Aren’t Girls with God Mothers Invited to the Ball?’ in Deborah Sawyer and Diane Collier (eds.), Is there a Future for Feminist Theology? (Sheffield: Sheffield Academic Press, 1999)

Carnal Love and Spiritual Imagination: Can Luce Irigaray and John Paul II Come Together?’ in Jon Davies and Gerard Loughlin (eds.), Sex These Days: Essays on Theology, Sexuality and Society (Sheffield: Sheffield Academic Press, 1997)

‘Sexuality and the Resurrection of the Body: Reflections in a Hall of Mirrors’ in Gavin D’Costa (ed.), Resurrection Reconsidered (Oxford: Oneworld Publications, 1996)

Newspaper and magazine articles

'Sex, Marriage and the Catholic Church', The Guardian, 8 October 2014 - article on being a Catholic and a feminist

'Pope Francis has done little to improve women's lives', The Guardian, 27 August 2014 - article on Pope Francis's failure to address issues of maternal mortality and the impact of poverty on women's reproductive lives

'Let the Laity Be Heard', The Tablet, 31 July 2014 - article on the International Theological Commission's document, 'Sensus Fidei in the Life of the Church'

'Part of the Solution, not Part of the Problem', The Tablet, 8 May 2014 - article on the Holy See, the UN and population and development

'Why British outcry at Oklahoma's botched execution rings tragically hollow', The Tablet blog, 6 May 2014 - blog on drugs used in American executions and late abortion

'Doorways to Faith - the Role of Mysticism and Sacramentality in Prayer' - reflection published in Independent Catholic News

'Towards the Shining City: Rural and Urban in the Easter Story', The Tablet, 7 April 2012 - article on the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem

'In the Balance', The Tablet, 5 June 2010 - article on the morality of abortion

'The Catholic Church's Scandal: Modern Crisis, Ancient Roots', Open Democracy, 14 April 2010 - article on the sex abuse scandal

'Antichrist: The Visual Theology of Lars von Trier', Open Democracy, 13 August 2009

'Along the precipice: visions of atheism in London', Open Democracy, 6 November 2008 - article on Francis Bacon exhibition

'An Immense Maternal Presence', The Tablet, 13 September 2008 - article on Lourdes

'The dark (k)night of a postmodern world', Open Democracy, 21 August 2008 - article on The Dark Knight

'Simple Gaudete of a Complex Believer', The Tablet, 17 December 2005 - article on Andy Warhol

'Feminism, Vatican-style', The Tablet, 7 August 2004 - critique of the Vatican letter on women

'Beauty Back on Camera', The Tablet, 26 February 2000 - article on the film American Beauty

References

Tina Beattie Wikipedia

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