Are theology and religious studies important?

Departments under threat

by Symon Hill 21st July 2010

Theology and religious studies departments at British universities could be facing the axe following the government’s decision to slash higher education spending. Bangor University has announced it will phase out theology entirely, while the Student Christian Movement (SCM) say they are ‘very concerned’ that other universities may follow suit.  Funding cuts are likely to put all academic disciplines under strain, but there are particular fears for subjects such as theology, which are seen as having less commercial benefit. With rumours abounding across universities, one theology lecturer said that ‘all the universities are waiting for each other to jump’.