Katie Cross
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drkatiecross.bsky.social
Katie Cross
@drkatiecross.bsky.social
1.8K followers 940 following 220 posts
Lecturer in Practical Theology at the University of Aberdeen. Living/exploring issues of trauma, church-leaving, and social justice. Scottish x Greek. Dachshund person. She/Her 👩🏻‍🏫🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿🇨🇾 https://linktr.ee/drkatiecross
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drkatiecross.bsky.social
Our combined @ucu.org.uk and @unison.org.uk household posting our YES/YES votes! We're voting to protect pay, jobs, and conditions across the sector 📮🗳️ @ucuaberdeen.bsky.social
Two hands posting letters at the same time through a classic red postbox.
October 27, 2025 at 2:55 PM
drkatiecross.bsky.social
Through my research with church-leaving Christians I've been lucky enough to get involved with Proost: a creative, justice-seeking collective of artists reimagining faith, culture, and connection. Loved our time together in Glasgow last weekend, creating and contemplating together: proost.community
A table covered in art supplies like paint, paper, pens, clay, and magazines. In the centre sits a clay dish, with a candle inside a wooden holder. A table covered in art supplies, like clay, paint, paper, pens, etc. There are several clay bowls and sculptures visible, as well as lots of mugs of tea. Hand holding a small while pebble over a mind-map with colourful writing.
October 8, 2025 at 9:07 AM
drkatiecross.bsky.social
"Incredible Women: Chronic Pain, Credibility, and Gender Bias"

📆 Wednesday 17th Sept, 6.30pm on MS Teams

📢 Dr Eilidh Galbraith discusses the findings of her @abdndivinity.bsky.social @leverhulme.ac.uk research project with a panel of guests.

🔗 DM me for event link or see poster for details!
A poster advertising the webinar. Text reads: "Why are women's symptoms so often dismissed, misdiagnosed, or disbelieved? This webinar explores the intersection of chronic illness, gender bias, and the credibility gap in healthcare. Drawing on research from her upcoming book, Dr Eilidh Galbraith examines how structural inequalities and medical misogyny shape diagnostic practices, clinical listening, and the ethics of care. Through shared lived experience with panelists Charli Clement, author of "All tangled up in autism and chronic illness," Natalie Busari, founder of "the Nerve of my MS" and Tanya Marlow, speaker and author of "Those who Wait" (2017), this session invites participants to reflect on what it means to be heard and to be believed in a system that too often fails those in pain."
September 11, 2025 at 8:35 AM
drkatiecross.bsky.social
So good to have @alexianafry.bsky.social and @profchrismjones.bsky.social here in Aberdeen this week. We've been chatting all things trauma pedagogy + making plans for new resources. Mushrooms have become our unofficial mascots, a symbol of the mycelium/network/community involved in trauma work! 🍄
A red notebook with a beige and red mushroom pen sitting on top against a white background. The mushroom has a wee smiley face!
July 16, 2025 at 3:59 PM
drkatiecross.bsky.social
"Anarchy" by French street art duo Murmure, Aberdeen.

In their words: "There are many ways of interpreting this work, and we hope that viewers will develop their own based on their sensitivity and personal background. But almost as a 'mise en abyme'(literally meaning: 'placement into abyss')...
The picture shows a granite brick building, onto which a street art mural has been painted, depicting an orange goldfish inside a transparent plastic bag. The bag has an anarchy symbol which looks to have been created on the mist in the inside of the bag. The whole thing is set against a black background. Behind the building there are actual blue skies, a rare event in these parts!
July 11, 2025 at 10:18 AM
drkatiecross.bsky.social
I’m in Saskatoon, Canada (on Treaty 6 territory) this week at IAPT 2025. Joining practical theologians from around the world to think about issues of home, community, and displacement. Looking forward to lots of rich discussions!
Mural in downtown Saskatoon, depicting two indigenous men on horseback. They are surrounded by colourful, vibrant wildflowers from across Saskatchewan, such as prairie lilies and other plants used by indigenous people for teas, medicines, etc.
June 13, 2025 at 12:19 PM
drkatiecross.bsky.social
Four years ago today, 13th May 2021, Glasgow: folk came together on Kenmure St to protest the dawn raid and unjust detainment of two men at the hands of the Home Office. They resisted, shouting "these are our neighbours." Now more than ever, we need to be more like the people on Kenmure St that day.
Image shows a white immigration enforcement van, circled by police on one side and masked protestors holding up placards on the other. Emerging from the van is a man in a white hoodie, who is holding up his hands as if he is praying or thanking those around him.
May 13, 2025 at 12:31 PM
drkatiecross.bsky.social
🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 CALL FOR PARTICIPANTS: Ethnic Minority Christians and Scottish Identity 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

The brilliant @nhatzaw.bsky.social is looking to speak to Christians from an ethnic minority/global majority background.

Interested? Contact Nuam at nhatzaw@ed.ac.uk.

Please share widely!
A poster describing the research. Blue background and Scottish flag, with the title "Call for participants: Ethnic Minority Christians and Scottish Identity." The text underneath reads: "Interview participants are needed for a research project that explores how ethnic minority/global majority Christians in Scotland understand and relate to "Scottishness" and Scottish national identity. It will examine how their faith influences their personal identity, experiences of belonging, and their connection to Scotland. The researcher, Nuam Hatzaw, is a Christian from an ethnic minority. This research has received ethics approval from the University of Edinburgh. If you are 18 or over and identify as a Christian from an ethnic minority/global majority background (and) have lived in Scotland for at least five years then you are qualified to participate! Contact Nuam: Whatsapp: +44 (0) 7929799464 Email: nhatzaw@ed.ac.uk." At the bottom are the words "Centre for Theology and Public Issues, University of Edinburgh," and a small logo which shows the University in navy blue with "CPTI" underneath.
April 23, 2025 at 12:48 PM
drkatiecross.bsky.social
For Holy Saturday: “Women Arriving at the Tomb” by Chinese-American artist He Qi.

I spoke about this image on smallVoice podcast a few years ago, and how it relates to Holy Saturday and trauma theology (around 32 mins in you fancy a listen!): www.smallvoice.org.uk/a-thousand-w...
A colourful, contemporary painting of three women going to Jesus’s tomb. They are depicted as Chinese, wearing traditional garments and carrying spices to anoint the body. The women look sad, holding their hands up to their faces as if they are crying, but there are signs of life too: flowers in their hair and a butterfly accompanying them.
April 19, 2025 at 8:28 AM
drkatiecross.bsky.social
For Good Friday: Georgia O'Keeffe's "Grey Cross with Blue." I was lucky enough to see this in the Albuquerque Museum in New Mexico last month.

The blue reflects the sky and the Blue Lake or Ba Whyea, an ancient sacred site for the Native American Taos Pueblo community: taospueblo.com/blue-lake/
A white wooden penitente cross in sunlight; blue background, dark at the top shading to a halo of light sky at the horizon, with lavender coloured hills in the distance.
April 18, 2025 at 9:30 AM
drkatiecross.bsky.social
Currently at Gladstones Library for a couple of weeks on the Jim Cotter scholarship. Enjoying some quiet time to write and reflect, explore the collections, and eat my body weight in scones! 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿📚 @gladlib.bsky.social
A view of the Theology Room at Gladstones Library. The foreground shows a low table, covered in books and surrounded by comfy leather chairs. In the background are wooden columns, and in between these are book stacks. Upstairs you can just about see more book stacks running around the walls, and dark wooden beams arching across the ceiling.
February 12, 2025 at 10:19 AM
drkatiecross.bsky.social
And another (because I can’t resist!)
In this picture, Merlin the little red dachshund is standing up on his hind legs. He is clearly begging for sausages! He is set against a white studio background, in his blue collar with white stars on.
December 2, 2024 at 8:04 PM
drkatiecross.bsky.social
I've no chat since it's the last Monday of term and my brain is scrambled...But I can offer this new pic of my dog Merlin from a wee pet photoshoot he did last week! 🐾

All in aid of the wonderful Mrs Murrays in Aberdeen: mrsmurrays.co.uk
Photo cred ASB Studio: www.instagram.com/asbstudio_pe...
Merlin is a red miniature dachshund. In this photo he appears against a white studio background, wearing a blue collar with white stars on. He is standing up and looking up and to the right of the photo (where someone off-camera is trying to tempt him to pose with treats!) He's a handsome dog, and he knows it.
December 2, 2024 at 7:58 PM
drkatiecross.bsky.social
Twilight, the Eras Tour, Brat Summer, Wicked, Gary Barlow's massive son, Chapell Roan, and (my favourite) Moo Deng...all name-checked in my trauma + pop culture lecture today! 🦛✨

Crowd-sourcing a few more examples my for class: any current favourite pieces of pop culture to share?
Baby pygmy hippo Moo Deng, who featured in my lecture. She is walking forwards, with her mouth wide open, looking irreverent and sassy!
November 25, 2024 at 5:29 PM
drkatiecross.bsky.social
Our department of Divinity at the University of Aberdeen has made to switch to Bluesky! Follow @abdndivinity.bsky.social for updates. We might even throw in some pictures of our divine canines. Here’s one for starters…😇🐾
Merlin is a small red dachshunds and one of the aforementioned ‘divine canines.’ In this picture he’s standing proudly on a ledge outside of Kings College, the home of Divinity at the University of Aberdeen. He is in the foreground, and the background is a stone building with a majestic crown and archway. The grass is green, there are trees nearby, and the sky is blue with white swirling clouds.
November 21, 2024 at 7:45 PM
drkatiecross.bsky.social
Lovely! Hope life at Lyn’s House is great. Merlin is thriving, though at this time of year it’s tricky to keep tabs on him…!
A picture of a pile of red and orange leaves covering the ground. A small red dog is barely visible as he is almost the same colour as the leaves! You can just tell that he is there by his blue harness peeking through.
November 17, 2024 at 3:00 PM
drkatiecross.bsky.social
Merlin reveal!! Here's the wee guy (couldn't choose just one photo haha) 🐾
A small red haired dog enjoying a pup cup (a small cup of whipped cream) from a coffee shop. His hind legs aren't visible but he's standing up and sticking his tongue straight into the cup. A small red haired dog lying down on a sofa, his upper body is visible and he's wearing a beaded friendship bracelet. A small red haired dog on a pebble beach, wearing a blue harness. Behind him is the sea, and you can see some rock formations too. The sky is blue-grey and cloudy. A small red haired dog running on a sandy beach, with blue sky in the background. He is running towards the camera with his ears flying in the breeze and his tail is mid-wag!
November 14, 2024 at 4:03 PM
drkatiecross.bsky.social
In case we haven't been properly introduced yet, hi! Thanks for following. I’m Katie, a theologian working at the University of Aberdeen. I'm a typical burnt-out millennial academic, keeping it together with caffeine and Moo Deng pics mostly! ☕️🦛
A picture of baby pigmy hippo, Moo Deng. She is playing in the water and her mouth is wide open.
November 14, 2024 at 11:54 AM
drkatiecross.bsky.social
A snowy day on the Uni of Aberdeen campus! ❄️
A picture taken from the side of Kings College, University of Aberdeen. It’s an ornate building with a crown tower, just visible. There is snow on the ground and the sky is bright blue.
February 7, 2024 at 10:57 AM
drkatiecross.bsky.social
Tomorrow marks the beginning of the UN 16 Days of Activism against gender-based violence. It was such a privilege to share my research on GBV as part of BBC Radio 4 Sunday worship, with our brilliant uni chaplain Rev Marylee Anderson
+ the incredible King's College Chapel Choir.
A picture of Marylee and Katie at the front of King's College Chapel, standing next to lecterns with microphones in front. The accompanying text reads: "Radio 4 visited the Old Aberdeen campus on 13 November to film the University of Aberdeen Chapel Choir for their Sunday morning worship service. University Chaplain, Marylee Anderson and Dr Katie Cross from the School of Divinity, History, Philosophy and Art History led the service, which reflected on the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-based Violence campaign. You can listen to the service on Radio 4 at 8.10am on 26 November."
November 24, 2023 at 1:39 PM
drkatiecross.bsky.social
Armistice means ceasefire! Free Palestine! 🇵🇸
A Palestinian flag being held high in the air against a backdrop of blue skies and trees in a park. In the background, some other pro-Palestinian signs are visible. A small red dachshund with a sign saying ‘Free Palestine’
November 11, 2023 at 3:26 PM
drkatiecross.bsky.social
Feminist Research in Theology:
A panel with Dr Eilidh Galbraith, Iona Curtius, Anupama Ranawana and Amy Quinn-Graham

⌚️Tues 21 Nov, 4.00pm (MS Teams)
📚20% SCM Press discount for attendees on books by our panel

All welcome! Message me or email sophianetwork@abdn.ac.uk for access.
A poster for the event, which includes all of the information contained within the post as well as the following text: "Join us for a thought provoking discussion on current and future feminist research in theology, featuring a group of rising stars in the field. Open to all." Hosted by the Sophia Network, University of Aberdeen.
November 6, 2023 at 1:35 PM
drkatiecross.bsky.social
The inimitable Rev Dr Kelly Brown Douglas, delivering the ACPT lecture this evening at the University of Aberdeen
Rev Dr Kelly Brown Douglas stands behind a podium. A slide behind her reads ‘Black freedom and the crucifying justice of God’
November 1, 2023 at 6:01 PM
drkatiecross.bsky.social
🚨CALL FOR PARTICIPANTS 🚨

Have you left the church?

I'm looking understand more about how church leavers live + practice faith

📚Study info: www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/ptape...

📝Take the short survey (completely anonymous!): viis.abdn.ac.uk/snapwebhost/...

👍 Please share widely. Thank you!
he call for participants reads: "Have you left the church? This research is for you. I’m a fellow church-leaver and academic, looking to understand how people live and practice faith and spirituality outside of the church. You’re invited to take part if you: describe yourself as a Christian: committed, questioning, doubting, or unsure; are someone who has left the church or stopped attending church at any time, recently or historically; Are UK-based (or if you have previously been UK based or attended a Church in the UK); Are over the age of 18. Contact Dr Katie Cross at k.cross@abdn.ac.uk. This study has been reviewed and approved by the Committee for Research Ethics and Governance in Arts, Social Sciences and Business at the University of Aberdeen, Scotland."
October 17, 2023 at 8:17 AM
drkatiecross.bsky.social
Gaun yersel Aberdeen! Blue skies and Boston ivy on campus this morning.
The New Kings building on the University of Aberdeen campus. The area of the building shown is covered in red Boston ivy which runs from the ground up on the roof. The skies behind the building are a bright blue.
October 11, 2023 at 8:19 AM