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Michel Anthony Higton

Curriculum Vitae

See also

Education

Mike Higton went to an ordinary secondary school in Rochford, Essex, and from there to the local sixth form College, where he studied mathematical and scientific subjects. Gaining a place at the University of Cambridge, he studied Maths for two years before changing tack (something quite common within the extremely flexible Cambridge tripos system) and completing his degree with a year of Theology. After this, a Diploma in Theology plugged some of the gaps in his undergraduate theological career.

Details: School

1987-1989: South East Essex Sixth Form College (SEEVIC)

'A' Levels in Mathematics (grade A), Further Mathematics (A), Physics (A), Chemistry (B); Cambridge University Entrance exams (STEP papers): Further Mathematics Paper A (S=Outstanding), Further Mathematics B (2=Good).

1982-1987: King Edmund's School, Rochford, Essex

13 'O' Levels, 10 at grade A, 2 at B, 1 at C; including Maths, English Literature, English Language, and French.

Details: University

1989-1992: Clare College, Cambridge

BA (Hons) in Maths (years one and two) and Theology (year three) (2.1)

1992-1993: Clare College, Cambridge

Cambridge Diploma in Theology (Distinction)
Dissertation: Corporate Ministry in the Church of England

1993-1997: Clare College, Cambridge

PhD in Theology (see below for details).

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Research and Employment

Mike went straight from the Diploma into a PhD under David Ford (with additional supervision from Graham Howes, Tim Jenkins, and John Milbank), funded by the British Academy. The dissertation was examined by Stephen Sykes and John Webster, and passed without corrections. By the time of the viva, Mike had been elected to the Naden Studentship, a so-called 'Senior Studentship' at St. John's College, created by an ancient bequest and roughly equivalent to a shorter Junior Research Fellowship. Following that, he followed his wife Hester down to Exeter, where from 1999 to 2005 he held a Lectureship in Theology, working as co-ordinator of the part-time theology programme run by the Departments of Theology and of Lifelong Learning, moving in 2005 to lecture in modern theology and the history of doctrine in the Department of Theology.

Details:

2005- : University of Exeter

Lecturer in Theology in the Department of Theology.

1999-2005 : University of Exeter

Lecturer in Theology and co-ordinator of the part-time theology programme in the Department of Lifelong Learning and the Department of Theology.

1997-1999: St. John's College, Cambridge

The Naden Studentship for Research in Divinity, a one-year post-doctoral research post, extended for a second year.

1993-1997: Clare College, Cambridge

PhD in Theology: The Identity of Jesus Christ in the Church: Explorations in the Theology of Hans Frei. For more details, see the Cambridge Theses Catalogue in the University Library.

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Teaching Activities

2004-2005
Living Belief: the Shape of Christian Doctrine (team taught), Level 1 course, 2 semesters, 30 students, Department of Lifelong Learning (Exeter Centre)
Living Belief: the Shape of Christian Doctrine, Level 1 course, 2 semesters, 10 students, Department of Lifelong Learning (online)
Biblical Hermeneutics, MA course, 2 terms, 10 students, Department of Theology (with Rachel Muers)
The Theology of Rowan Williams, Level 2/3 Undergraduate course, 1 semester, 20 students, Department of Lifelong Learning

2003-2004: Study Leave in Semester 1; no teaching duties for the year, except preparing online materials fo Living Belief: the Shape of Christian Doctrine

2002-2003
Living Belief: the Shape of Christian Doctrine (team taught; I did 16 sessions), Level 1 course, 2 semesters, 30 students, Department of Lifelong Learning (Exeter Centre)
Living Belief: the Shape of Christian Doctrine, development of on-line materials

2001-2002
Christ in History: Devotion and Debate, Level 2/3 Undergraduate course, 1 semester, 15 students, Department of Lifelong Learning
Christology and Community, MA course, 2 terms, 4 students, Department of Theology
Theology in the Second Millennium, Level 1 Undergraduate course, 1 semester, 30 students, Department of Theology

2000-2001
Post-Modern Theology, Level 2/3 Undergraduate course, 1 semester, 8 students, Department of Theology (team taught with Tim Gorringe and Jeremy Law)
Living Belief: the Shape of Christian Doctrine, Level 1 course, 2 semesters, 35 students, Department of Lifelong Learning (Exeter Centre - team taught; I did 14 sessions); 14 students, Department of Lifelong Learning (Plymouth Centre - team taught; I did 3 sessions)

1999-2000
Exploring the New Testament (team taught; I did 6 sessions on Paul), Level 1 course, 2 semesters, 12 students, Department of Lifelong Learning (Plymouth Centre)
The Figure of Jesus (on-line course designer), Level 1 course, web-based, 4 students, Department of Lifelong Learning (Distance Learning)

1998-1999
Jesus Christ in 20th Century Thought (teaching assistant), Level 2/3 Undergraduate course, 3 terms, c.25 students, Faculty of Divinity, University of Cambridge (with David Ford and others)
Biblical Hermeneutics, taught MA course, 2 semesters, 10 students, Federation of Theological Colleges (with Chris Burdon)

 

Other Academic Activities

2005: Organiser, Society for the Study of Theology / Irish Theological Association conference, Dublin

2004: Organiser, Society for the Study of Theology conference, Exeter

2004: Boundy Memorial Lectures

2003 - : Member of Scriptural Reasoning Theory Group

2003: Member of symposium on Practicing Theology, Yale

2003 - 2005: Department of Theology representative, Hartford Seminary International PhD programme

2003 - : Secretary, Society for the Study of Theology

2002 - 2003: Partner, TheoWeb project (for creation of database of online theological learning materials)

2002 - : Member of Institute for Learning and Teaching / Higher Education Academy

2002 - : Member of Public Theology in Cultural Engagement Seminar, organised by Steve Holmes (Kings College London) and the Bible Society

2001 - 2002: Member of Department of Theology graduate reading group on Catherine Pickstock, After Writing

2001: Lead applicant on successful LaTiS (University of Exeter Learning and Teaching Support service) grant application for development of on-line Certificate in theology (£10,000)

2001: Lead applicant on succesful Theology South West grant application for development and evalution of on-line theology Certificate (£36,000)

2001 - 2003: Treasurer of Society for the Study of Theology

1999 - : Member of Theology South West, a regional consultation of theological educators in Cornwall, Devon and beyond; from 2000 member of the TSW St. Luke's Project Management Group; from 2001 member of the TSW Theological Education Project Steering Group.

1998: Member of the Medieval Philosophy Reading Group in the Department of the History and Philosophy of Science, Cambridge

1997 - 1998: Administrator of a group organised by David Ford designing plenary sessions for the 1998 Lambeth Conference, including attending and tracking the conference

1995 - 1996: Co-founder and leader of the ecumenical Cambridge Post-Graduate Christian Theology Group, a weekly discussion group held in the Divinity Faculty

1995 - 1996: Co-organiser of the Holy Trinity Cambridge adult education programme

1994 - 1995: Co-founder of the Cambridge Paul Ricoeur Reading Group

1994 - : Member of and contributor to the Society for the Study of Theology; from 2001 Treasurer of the Society; from 2003 Secretary

1993 - 1994: Co-founder of Discussion Group with Rev Nicholas Sagovsky and members of the Jubilee Centre on 'Relational Justice'

1990 - 2000: Editor of (1990-1994) and regular contributor to (1990-2000) informal ecumenical theological discussion journal: 'Aardvarks', sent to about 25 theologians and non-theologians in England, Australia and Sweden.

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Administrative Responsibilities

Wider Academic Community

2003 - : Secretary, Society for the Study of Theology

2002: AUDTRS (Association of University Departments of Theology and Religious Studies) Ethics Working Party

2001 - 2003: Treasurer, Society for the Study of Theology

2000 - : Theology South West webmaster (see http://www.theologysouthwest.org.uk)

University

2002 - : Member, University of Exeter / SWMTC Partnership Board

1999 - 2003: Outreach Library Provision Working Group

1999 - 2004: Library User Group

Department of Lifelong Learning

2004 - 2005: Chair of DLL Learning and Teaching Committee

2001 - 2003: Chair, Theology South West Research Project in Theological Education steering group

2000 - 2003: DLL representative on Theology South West St Luke's Project Management Group

2000 - 2001: DLL Web Master

1999 - 2004: DLL Library Co-ordinator

1999 - 2005: DLL representative on Theology South West Regional Consultation

1999 - 2000: Chair of DLL Teaching and Learning Committee

1999 - 2005: DLL Theology Subject Co-ordinator / Programme Leader
e.g., Chair of Board of Studies, Chair of Exam Board, TQA Officer, Head of Programme Development, Programme Management, Staff Development, and Publicity for a team of anything up to 30 tutors in a given year, teaching 300 part-time students (approx 100 FTE students in 2002/3), on about 40 modules; studying towards 5 different awards (Certificates, Diplomas and Degrees); in Exeter, Truro, Salisbury, Plymouth and Yeovil, by correspondence, and on-line. Liaison with Theology South West; the South West Ministry Training Course; and the Diocese of Exeter Reader Training Programme.

Department of Theology

2003 - : Hartford Seminary International PhD programme link

1999 - 2004: Web Master (see http://www.ex.ac.uk/theology)

1999 - 2004: Computer Officer

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