Exploring Faith, Identity and Equality: Chine McDonald visits King’s

It was a pleasure to welcome to King’s writer, broadcaster and leading thinker Chine McDonald for a day of insightful discussion and reflection.

Accepting a joint invitation by the Philosophy and Theology Department and the Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) Committee, Chine presented a series of talks and discussions throughout the day that were designed to challenge pupils and inspire meaningful conversation.

As Director of Theos, the religion and society thinktank, and a regular contributor to BBC Radio 4’s Thought for the Day, Chine has been recognised as one of the most influential Black Christian women in the UK and her visit formed a highlight of the school’s Black History Month celebrations, and served to enhance and enrich pupils’ Philosophy and Theology learning.

Chine began the day with a whole-school assembly exploring the theme of labels and stereotypes. She encouraged pupils to look beyond surface identities to see the whole person.

Following the assembly, older pupils took part in an engaging Q&A session, where discussion topics ranged from multiculturalism and integration to racism and Islamophobia.

Miss Emily Higgins, the school’s Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Co-ordinator, reflected: “I felt really privileged to be in the Q&A with Chine. Our pupils relished the opportunity to share their ideas and reflect on the assembly, providing a really enriching experience for everyone.”

In the afternoon, Third Year pupils came off timetable for a thought-provoking session entitled Madonnas, Mystics and Tradwives: The Changing Role of Women in Christianity. Pupils learned striking facts – for example, of the 1.1 million words in the Bible, only around 14,000 are quotations from women – before exploring the question of what equality looks like in faith communities.

Third Year pupil Sam Smith said: “I had heard of Chine’s work with Theos and knew her from the radio, so it was great to hear her speak. Her talk really enriched my understanding of women in Christianity and I think it will help me when I start my GCSE course next year.”

The day concluded with a Symposium Supper, organised by the Philosophy and Theology Department. The talk, entitled What’s God Got to Do with It? Religion, Politics and Current Affairs, brought together staff and students for an evening of stimulating discussion.

Head of Department James Rees described the evening as: “The perfect blend of religion and politics, and incredibly relevant to life in the modern world. Chine covered a diverse range of topics, from Christian Nationalism and the use of religious imagery in political movements, to the role of faith in the assisted dying debate.”

Olivia Das, Philosophy and Theology Prefect, shared her reflections on the evening:

“It was such an enjoyable evening. Chine’s talk encouraged us to look at current affairs and political events from a religious perspective, something I hadn’t thought about much before.

I had read Chine’s book God is Not a White Man, which explores how the dominance of maleness and whiteness in the church has shaped Christianity and society. It was a real pleasure to talk to her about sections of the book that resonated with me.

I’ve just applied to study Philosophy at university, and I came away from the evening with a renewed confidence that I’m choosing a subject I really love.”

Thank you to Chine McDonald for her visit, which offered so many of our Senior School pupils an inspiring opportunity to think critically about faith, equality and identity, as well as to encourage them to understand the power of open dialogue in shaping a more inclusive world.