Vincent Manning, Chair of Catholics for AIDS Prevention and Support (CAPS, a CSAN member organisation) has completed research into the theological meaning of HIV in the Church, leading to the award of a PhD by St Mary’s University, Twickenham. His thesis included interviews with 8 theologians and practitioners who have written about or had experience of HIV: Timothy Radcliffe, James Alison, Julie Clague, Ije Ajibade, Christina Beardsley, David McLoughlin, and the last recorded interviews with the late Kevin Kelly and Sebastian Moore.
Vincent’s thesis started by considering how the Church has responded to HIV historically. Drawing from the experience related in a further 10 interviews with Christians living with HIV in England, Vincent argued that an HIV diagnosis may be considered as a privileged encounter with Christ in his Passion.
The full thesis, together with other work by Vincent, is available online from St Mary’s University Open Research.
Reference – Manning, V., 2019. Encountering Christ through the Passion of HIV: An inquiry into the theological meaning of HIV in the Church.
Picture credit: CAPS.
