Theology cuts threaten future of Catholic course at Liverpool Hope

Under proposed cuts at Liverpool Hope University, the Theology and Religious Studies team would be amongst the academic teams most heavily affected by targeted redundancies.

Planned cuts to the Theology and Religious Studies department at Liverpool Hope University have raised fears over the viability of its Catholic Pastoral Leadership course, launched just last year.

Speaking to The Tablet on condition of anonymity, a source from the department said that they were “concerned about the future of the Pastoral Leadership programme”.

They suggested that the loss of key members of staff, further planned cuts and the ability of remaining staff to deliver the course within their agreed workload could mean that it would “not be possible to continue the delivery of this programme”.

Under proposed cuts at Liverpool Hope University (LHU), the Theology and Religious Studies team would be amongst the most heavily affected academic teams in the 39 potential redundancies at the university.

While acknowledging that Theology remained “historically central to Liverpool Hope’s academic identity”, the university revealed plans to reduce the department from “a head count of six to two”. It cited “broader national patterns” including a “marked decline in student recruitment over recent years”.

The department source said the cuts came as a “real shock” to a department that “embodies Hope’s ecumenical status”, adding that there was a chance that no Catholic staff would remain in the department.

Another member of the department said: “It is now clear that the mission and values of the university are quickly transgressed when the value of money overrides all else.”

LHU partnered with several dioceses including Liverpool, Hexham and Newcastle, Hallam and Leeds to devise the Catholic Pastoral Leadership course. The two-year course is a compulsory qualification for all diaconal candidates and had been successful in its first year, even drawing enquiries from potential international students. The university is also one of the four across England and Wales to provide a Catholic Certificate in Religious Studies (CCRS).

In a statement last month, the LHU University and College Union (UCU) committee claimed the Executive Dean of the Faculty of Creative Arts and Humanities Prof Stephen Davismoon knew “very little” about the work of the Theology and Religious Studies department despite his role in the decision-making process.

The union said that Prof Davismoon was “unable to answer questions” about the department’s offering of a CCRS course in the collective consultation between the UCU and senior management.

LHU is a member of the Cathedrals Group of universities, most of which were founded by the Churches in England. While they initially focused on training teachers for Church schools, their academic portfolios have since diversified. The UCU believes that, by targeting the Theology and Religious Studies department as part of the planned redundancies, LHU will be prevented from “fulfilling its public mission” as a Christian institution.

In a statement to The Tablet, LHU said: “Our institution is not immune to the challenges facing the higher education sector across the UK and these proposals have been put forward to ensure financial and academic stability, while enabling us to continue to deliver excellent educational outcomes into the future.”

Across the UK, Theology and Religious Studies departments have come under threat as universities have sought to cut deficits and manage rising costs. A report in May from the Office for Students warned that “significant reform and efficiencies” were needed after it found that more than 40 per cent of universities in England were expected to be in financial deficit this summer.

In Wales, Cardiff University announced plans in May to close its Religion and Theology course, subject to final approval by the University Council. Cytûn, the principal ecumenical organisation of Christian churches in Wales, expressed their “deep concern” about the cuts to Theology and other Humanities subjects in an open letter to Welsh politicians and university leaders.

Iestyn Davies, spokesperson for Cytûn, told The Tablet that his organisation understood the operational challenges faced by universities but feared the damage that the “erosion of arts, humanities and social sciences” would “weaken some of the bonds and fabric of our society”.

Just 31 Higher Education institutions across the country currently provide Theology and Religious Studies courses, according to the Complete University Guide subject league table.

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