Dr. A.J.M. Irving

Andrew Irving was appointed University Lecturer of Religion and Heritage at the University of Groningen in 2016. A New Zealand national, he was previously affiliated to universities in Canada and the US. Irving explores the relationship between the material aspects of manuscripts, their use and the history of Christian worship.

Irving teaches subjects such as Material Religion, the Sacred Image and Religion, and Space and Place with a highly contagious enthusiasm, inspiring his students to participate actively in lectures. This is not least thanks to his creative teaching methods, which include a range of assignments, excursions and debates based on films, blogs, articles and events. For instance, he has been known to give calligraphy lessons during course units to give students a better understanding of how medieval manuscripts came about and the techniques that were used in their creation. By also helping students with questions not directly related to the course material and by encouraging them to think critically, his approach to students is more like that of a coach than a teacher who simply focuses on theory. In this way, Irving creates an open and safe environment in lectures and is very approachable outside of class as well.