Welcome to Philosophy, Religion and Ethics
In today’s complex and fast-changing multicultural world, the time-honoured subjects of Philosophy, Religion and Ethics are more vital and relevant than ever.
We recently joined the School of Humanities, a vibrant group of cognate subject areas, and together with our colleagues we offer a broad and varied programme of degrees. You will be taught by a lively, enthusiastic and highly qualified team of academics, committed to giving you the best possible experience. We are a team of nationally and internationally respected researchers with a wide range of interests, overlapping with those in the wider School of Humanities and beyond.
Our degrees are a great preparation for many careers: recent graduates have gone into journalism, teaching, counselling, social work, law, religious ministry and commerce, as well as postgraduate study and research. We have a large community of MPhil/PhD students working on a wide range of research topics.
Collaborative Provision
Sarum College is a Trusted Collaborative Partner, and the University of Winchester validates the following programmes:
Meet the Philosophy, Religion and Ethics team
Academic team
- Dr Elizabeth Mackintosh, Lecturer in Philosophy
- Fionn O'Donovan, Associate Lecturer
- Dr Timothy Secret, Senior Lecturer in Philosophy and Religion
- Dr Christina Welch, Reader in Theology, Religion and Philosophy
We work closely with colleagues in the wider School of Humanities.
Visiting Professors
- Professor Babette Babich
- Canon Giles Fraser
- Revd Dr John Gay
- Brian Walker
- Revd James Woodward
Emeritus Professors
- Prof. Robin Baker, Professor of Old Testament and Ancient Near Eastern Studies
- Prof. Andrew Bradstock, Professor of Theology and Public Life
- Revd Prof. Stephen Heap, Professor of Theology
Research in Philosophy, Religion and Ethics
Research strengths
- Sacred Art and Monasticism
- Scripture and Old Testament
- Mesopotamian religious beliefs
- Political theology
- Contemporary continental philosophy and its relation to the arts, technology and the sciences
- Indigenous religions
- Death Studies
- Religion in art and visual culture
- Disability theology
- Systematic theology
- Medieval Jewish Winchester
Research Excellence Framework (REF)
Postgraduate research supervision
We have a large community of MPhil/PhD students working on a wide range of research topics.
News and Public Engagement
2025 News
July 2025: Philosophy student student shares powerful message of hope at book launch
Four years ago, mental illness meant Aurora Thompson was unable to leave the house - now she’s completed the first year of a Philosophy degree at the University of Winchester and has gained glowing reviews for her public speaking skills. Read her story.
March 2025: PRE academics take part in British Philosophy Fortnight
British Philosophy Fortnight, which took place from 17 to 30 March, is a new annual initiative by the British Philosophical Association to celebrate, promote and champion philosophy. It aims to raise awareness of what philosophy is and why it matters. The Winchester events were organised by Dr Elizabeth Mackintosh, a Lecturer in the PRE team (pictured below). She is currently teaching Bioethics and recently ran an academic seminar series exploring eco-philosophy and eco-apocalypse. She is also the Head of Philosophy and Theology at Winchester College and has been teaching in both the secondary independent sector and higher education for nearly 20 years.
Books and book launches
Mesopotamian Civilization and the Origins of the New Testament, by Robin Baker
In November 2022, we hosted the book launch of Mesopotamian Civilization and the Origins of the New Testament by Emeritus Professor Robin Baker, Professor of Old Testament and Ancient Near Eastern Studies. In this ground-breaking study, Robin Baker investigates the contribution ancient Mesopotamian theology made to the origins of Christianity.
Praise for Mesopotamian Civilization and the Origins of the New Testament:
"This book is long overdue in the fields of New Testament studies and Christian origins. It provides a missing link between scholarship on the Hebrew Bible and Ancient Near East and scholarship on the New Testament and early Christianity. The necessity of this book cannot be overstated." Tyson Putthoff, Trinity College Dublin
The Secret's out
Philosopher Dr Timothy Secret is a former AHRC/BBC Radio 3 New Generation Thinker. His essay exploring how we react when looked at by animals for BBC Radio 3's 2012 Free Thinking Festival forms part of Instant Expert, a Penguin audiobook collecting the first 100 Essays by New Generation Thinkers broadcast on BBC Radio 3 during the first 10 years of the New Generation Thinkers scheme – a partnership between the AHRC and BBC Radio 3. Instant Expert was published in Sept. 2021.
