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Conor Cunningham

Lecturer in Theology and Religious Studies, Faculty of Arts

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Expertise Summary

He was born in Belfast and only left that idyll to study Law at the University of Kent. There, he came under the influence of the Catholic Marxist, David Mclellan who, despite holding the Chair in Political Theory, decided to also read for a Law degree. Following graduation, Conor moved to the University of Dundee to study for an M. Phil., in Philosophy under the supervision of the Jean-François Lyotard and Giles Deleuze scholar, James Williams. On completing his M. Phil. with distinction, Conor went to the University of Cambridge to read for the Diploma in Theology. Upon completion of this, he was awarded a British Academy Studentship to study for a Ph.D. Initially doing so under the supervision of John Milbank, but when he took up a Chair at the University of Virginia, Professor Graham Ward took over the mantle. After writing a book on nihilism (Genealogy of Nihilism), which is being translated into Spanish, Conor has recently published a large monograph on evolution, entitled - Darwin's Pious Idea. This book has already won a prize and is being translated into a number of languages. In relation to evolution, Conor also wrote and presented the multi award-winning BBC 2 documentary - Did Darwin Kill God?

As well as teaching in the Department of Theology and Religious Studies, he is also assistant-director of the Centre of Theology and Philosophy, University of Nottingham (www.theologyphilosophycentre.co.uk).

Recent Publications

  • 2012. In: 'Nihilism and Theology: Who Stands at the Door?’ Oxford Handbook to Modern Eurpoean Thought and Theology. OUP.
  • 2012. In: ‘Dawkins the Neanderthal and Darwin’s Pious Idea’ The Unknown God: Sermons responding to the New Atheism. Wipf and Stock.
  • 2011. 'Naturalism Lost: Nature Regained’,. In: A New Book of Nature: Philosophical essays on the Imagination, Nature and God OUP.
  • CUNNINGHAM, C., 2010. Darwin's Pious Idea: Why the Ultra-Darwinists and Creationists both Get it Wrong Wm B Eerdmans.
  • 2012. In: 'Nihilism and Theology: Who Stands at the Door?’ Oxford Handbook to Modern Eurpoean Thought and Theology. OUP.
  • 2012. In: ‘Dawkins the Neanderthal and Darwin’s Pious Idea’ The Unknown God: Sermons responding to the New Atheism. Wipf and Stock.
  • 2011. 'Naturalism Lost: Nature Regained’,. In: A New Book of Nature: Philosophical essays on the Imagination, Nature and God OUP.
  • CUNNINGHAM, C., 2010. Darwin's Pious Idea: Why the Ultra-Darwinists and Creationists both Get it Wrong Wm B Eerdmans.
  • 2010. ‘Natura Pura: Invention of the Antichrist? Communio: International Catholic Review.
  • 2010. 'Creation and Naturalism’, Rivista Anthropotes.
  • 2010. 'Darwin i dzieło stworzenia’, Part Two Znak.
  • 2010. 'Darwin i dzieło stworzenia’, Part One Znak.
  • CUNNINGHAM, C., 2009. Being Recalled: Life as Anamnesis. In: TE VELDE, R, AND RIKHOF, E, SCHOOT, H, ed., Transcendence and Immanence in Aquinas Leuven: Peeters. 30
  • 2009. Être sans souici: transcendence et immanence de Thomas d’Aquin à Michel Henry’,. In: Michel Henry Editions L’Age d’Homme, Lusanne Suisse.
  • CUNNINGHAM, C. and CANDLER, P., eds., 2007. Belief and metaphysics Norwich: SCM Press.
  • CONOR CUNNINGHAM, 2007. Suspending the Natural Attitude: From Aquinas to Henry. In: C. CUNNINGHAM AND P. CANDLER, ed., Transcendence and Phenomenology SCM Press. 260-287
  • 2007. ‘Trying my very best to Believe Darwin, or, The Supernaturalistic Fallacy: From Is to Nought’. In: Belief and Metaphysics
  • 2007. 'Suspending the Natural Attitude: Transcendence and Immanence from Aquinas to Henry’,. In: Transcendence and Phenomenology SCM.
  • CUNNINGHAM, C., 2006. The End of Death? In Yearbook of the Irish Philosophical Society, ed. James McGuirk.. 19-42
  • CUNNINGHAM, C., 2005. Nothing Is, Something Must Be: Lacan and Creation from No-One. In: DAVIS, C., MILBANK, J. and ZIZEK, S., eds., Theology and the Political: The New Debate Durham, NC : Duke University Press. 72-101
  • CUNNINGHAM, C., 2004. Lacan, Philosophy's Difference, and Creation From No-One American Catholic Philosophical Quarterly. 78(3), 445-479
  • CUNNINGHAM, C., 2002. Genealogy Of Nihilism: philosophies of nothing and the difference of theology London: Routledge.
  • CUNNINGHAM, C., 2001. Review of: 'The Fall of Interpretation: Philosophical Foundations of a Creational Hermeneutic' (Downers Grove, IL: Intervarsity Press, 2000), James K A Smith Modern Theology. 17(4), 518-520
  • CUNNINGHAM, C., 2001. The Difference Of Theology and Some Philosophies of Nothing Modern Theology. VOL 17(PART 3), 289-312
  • CUNNINGHAM, C., 1999. Wittgenstein after Theology. In: MILBANK, J., PICKSTOCK, C. and WARD, G., eds., Radical Orthodoxy London : Routledge. 64-90

Department of Theology and Religious Studies

University of Nottingham
University Park
Nottingham, NG7 2RD

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