Hit list

Quiet on social media and busy everywhere else… I’m close to submitting my PhD after five years of research and writing, on and off. My PGR student profile will disappear from University of Glasgow’s pages ( although I will still be on there as an Affiliate lecturer). So, for posterity, here it is.

Research Title: When Hope Takes Flight >> Intersecting trauma theology with Julian of Norwich through writing poetry and hybrid narratives.

Abstract TBC. Comprises a novel in free verse, Peregrinus, together with a critical reflection.

Supervisors: Professor Heather Walton ; Dr Carolyn Jess-Cooke

Grants: Yale Institute of Sacred Music – Initiative for Religion, Ecology and the Expressive Arts, honoraria payment for the additional performance of ‘Blue: a lament for the sea’

University of Glasgow Research Support Awards 2023 towards a trip to present a paper at Yale University

Publishing Scotland Author Travel Fund: trip to Finland to present a paper 2022

University of Glasgow Research Support Awards 2022 to support Iona field research trip; creative-critical paper Finland trip

University of Glasgow School of Critical Studies, Strategic Research Support Fund 2021 to support Iona field research trip

University of Glasgow Centre for Scottish & Celtic Studies, Seedcorn Funding 2021 to support Islay field research trip

Teaching:

Course Tutor for Creative Writing as Spiritual Reflection (TRS1034E) SCQF8, 10 Credits, Level 1, 2025-26; 2024-25. Next run proposed for Spring 2027.

I have been invited to write a follow-up Level 2 course, which should run 27-28.

Publications:

MacWhirter, L. (2025). “Voicing God as ‘Mother’: Using Julian of Norwich to Support Female Victims of Male Abuse.” Scottish Episcopal Institute Journal 9.1: Spring(Gender Issue): 31-42.

MacWhirter, L. (2025). “Wounds and One-Ing: How a “Creative–Critical” Methodology Formed Fresh Insights in the Study of Julian of Norwich, Voicing Her Christian Mysticism Today.” Religions (Basel, Switzerland) 16(3): 384.

MacWhirter, L. (2025). Blue: a lament for the sea. Tarland, Aberdeenshire, Stewed Rhubarb Press.

MacWhirter, L. (2025). Creationtide: Processing our ecological grief via poetry. Church Times. 8481: 18.

MacWhirter, L. (2024). “Poem: Negative Capability.” Theology in Scotland 31(1).

MacWhirter, L. (2018). Black Snow Falling. Edinburgh, Scotland Street Press.

Conferences:

DELIVERED PAPERS / WORKSHOPS AT:

Iona Writers Festival 11-17 October 2025. Performance of Blue: a lament for the sea at Iona Village Hall. Entangled Forest writing worksop at Iona Abbey.

Festival of Books & Belief Edinburgh University, New College. Performance of Blue: a lament for the sea & discussion with poet Jane McKie 2.30-3.30pm. Entangled Forest Creative Writing Workshop 11am-12.30pm. 8.11.25.

Creative Conversations with Dr Colin Herd at the University of Glasgow. 1-2pm 24.11.25.

Yale University GCRE 2024 Entangled Forest Creative Writing Workshop for 60 students and academics 23.2.24

Mystical Theology Network St John’s College, Oxford University Performance of Blue: a lament for the sea. Paper: ‘Theopoetics, Julian of Norwich and the Climate Emergency’ 19.3.24

European Forum for the Study of Religion and the Environment Performance of Blue: a lament for the sea. Potsdam, Germany 17.5.24 (Selected, but not attended due to Covid).

Centre for Ancient Environmental Studies (Paper) University of St Andrews, 27.5.24

International Medieval Congress (Choreopoetic Performance of Blue: a lament for the sea and roundtable discussion) University of Leeds, 3.7.24

ISRLC International Society for Religion Literature and Culture (Paper) Denmark, 5.9.24

Power of The Word Project (Paper) La Sapienza University, Rome, 16.9.24

Yale GCRE (Graduate Conference in Religion and Ecology) Yale University 3.3.23 ‘Blue: a lament for the sea’, a creative-critical paper.

Finncon ’22 Finland 9.7.22 Imagining a new poetics of the fantastic and resilient through a medieval dream vision poem.

Historical Perspectives PG Seminar Series online 23.3.22 Embodied spirituality: revisioning misogyny in late medieval Britain through creative practice research. 

Voice Conference University of Glasgow 10.6.22 Blue: a lament for the sea. 

Mystical Theology Network 1.12.22 Netherlands “My herte can thinke”: exploring Julian of Norwich’s embodied spirituality, the emotions, and trauma theology through interdisciplinary creative practice research.

Yale GCRE Yale University 3.3.23 Blue: a lament for the sea 20-minute long verse narrative performed solo with a film made by digital artist Jonathan Kearney, Senior Lecturer at Central St Martins. Kindly funded by Yale Institute of Sacred Music – Initiative for Religion, Ecology and the Expressive Arts.

Hidden Door Arts Festival Edinburgh 12.6.22 Blue: a lament for the sea (earlier version) 15-minute long verse narrative performed solo with a film made by digital artist Jonathan Kearney, Senior Lecturer at Central St Martins.

Writing Historical Fantasy University of Glasgow online 24.11.21 – panel event