Paul Morris (religious studies professor)

Paul Morris, MA McM, PhD Lanc, is the Programme Director for Religious Studies at Victoria University of Wellington, and provides regular comment to the media on matters of religious diversity. He is the author of the New Zealand National Statement on Religious Diversity.

Biography

Education & Professorship

Morris was born in Southampton, UK. He studied a B.A. in Religious Studies at Victoria University of Wellington under Professor Lloyd Geering, an MA in Religious Studies at McMaster University in Canada, and a PhD in Religious Studies at Lancaster University where he was supervised by Professor Ninian Smart. He taught at Lancaster from 1980 to 1994, and held various visiting positions, including Visiting Professor of Religious Studies at the University of California, Santa Barbara; Senior Research Fellow at The Centre for Jewish-Christian Relations, Birmingham; Visiting Professor of Humanities, University of Queensland; and Visiting Professor of Religion, Boston University.

In the 1994 Morris returned to New Zealand when he was appointed Professor of Religious Studies at Victoria University.

Other Roles

Professor Morris is a member of the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences Research Committee and a member of the Management Committee of the Asia Studies Institute, former academic vice-president AUS VUW branch and a former elected member of the Arts Faculty Planning Committee. He was the Convener of the review panel for the "Review of Social Work" and a member of the "Council Working Party on Academic Quality".

Morris has been a member of the British Association for the Study of Religions, and is currently President and conference committee member of the "New Zealand Association for the Study of Religions". He is a member of the American Academy of Religion (Section Chair 1998-2003), the International Association for the History of Religions (member of the Executive Committee 2000-2005), and is on the editorial boards of Numen, Implicit Religions, Postscripts, and Beliefs and Values. He is also co-editor of the journal, Human Rights Research.

National Statement on Religious Diversity

A keen participant in the "New Zealand Diversity Action Programme", Morris is the author of the National Statement on Religious Diversity with a forward by Prime Minister Helen Clark. The statement has been the subject of controversy in relation to its assertion that " “New Zealand has no official or established religion.” "

References

* Victoria University website: Staff: [http://www.vuw.ac.nz/religion/staff/paul_morris/career_summary.html Paul Morris Career Summary]
* Victoria University website: Council Member Profiles 2006: [http://www.vuw.ac.nz/council/profiles.htm#paul Professor Paul Morris]
* International Association for the History of Religions website: Candidate for the IAHR Executive Committee 2005-2010: [http://www.iahr.dk/candidates/pm.htm Paul Morris]
* Cohen, David. [http://education.guardian.co.uk/egweekly/story/0,5500,1335494,00.html The alternative view.] Guardian Unlimited: Education Guardian weekly. October 26, 2004.
* Human Rights Commission website: The NZ Diversity Action Programme: [http://www.hrc.co.nz/home/hrc/introduction/tengirathenzdiversityactionprogramme/nationalstatementonreligiousdiversity.php National Statement on Religious Diversity]
* Collins, Simon. [http://www.nzherald.co.nz/category/story.cfm?c_id=301&objectid=10424395 Denying state religion like treason, says Brian Tamaki.] NZ Herald. February 17, 2007.
* [http://www.nzherald.co.nz/feature/story.cfm?c_id=1501154&objectid=10424608 Your Views:Is New Zealand a Christian country?.] NZ Herald. February 26, 2007.
* Human Rights Commission Press Release: [http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO0702/S00232.htm National Religious Diversity Statement Sparks Debate.] February 16, 2007.