Andrew has served as Professor of Sports Ministry at Ridley since 2019 and his current responsibilities include oversight of undergraduate and postgraduate provision in this area.

Between 2008-2018 he was Professor of Sport and Christian Outreach at the University of Gloucestershire and prior to this he was Associate Professor in the Faculty of Social Sciences at the University of Warwick (1999-2008) where he completed his PhD (1992-1997). Andrew has undertaken a variety of leadership, teaching and research roles during his time in UK higher education at Department, School and Faculty level. Alongside his duties at Ridley, Andrew is currently Honorary Professor in the Department of Health at the University of Bath, UK. He also has an interest in law and was called to the Bar by Gray's Inn in 2009. With over 200 published articles, working papers and commissioned reports to his name (including 11 co/edited books), he is an established international scholar whose work is accessible to a wide audience.

Andrew’s research interests centre around: sports ministry and chaplaincy, and sport and marginalised youth.

Books:

Watson, N.J., Jarvie, G. and Parker, A. (2020). Social Justice and Sport in the 21st Century: Religious, Sociological and Capability Perspectives. London, Routledge.

Hoven, M., Parker, A. and Watson, N.J. (Eds.) (2019). Christian Practices in Sport. London, T&T Clark.

Hemmings, B., Watson, N.J. and Parker, A. (2019). Sport, Psychology and Christianity: Welfare, Performance and Consultancy. London, Routledge.

Adogame, A., Watson, N.J. and Parker, A. (Eds.) (2017). Global Perspectives on Sport and Religion. London, Routledge.

Parker, A., Watson, N.J. and White, J. (Eds.) (2016). Sports Chaplaincy: Trends, Issues and Debates, London, Routledge.

Watson, N.J. and Parker, A. (Eds.) (2015). Sport, Religion and Disability, London, Routledge.

Watson, N.J. and Parker, A. (2014). Sport and the Christian Religion: A Systematic Review, Cambridge, Cambridge Scholars Press.

Watson, N.J. and Parker, A. (Eds.) (2012). Sports and Christianity: Historical and Contemporary Perspectives, New York. Routledge.

Book chapters:

Parker, A. and Vinson, D. (2023). ‘Religion and Leadership’. In: G.R. Goethals, S.T. Allison, and G.J. Sorenson (Eds.) The SAGE Encyclopaedia of Leadership Studies. Thousand Oaks, CA.

Parker, A. and Watson, N. (2022). ‘Sport, Religion and Beliefs’. In: Wenner, L. (Ed.) Oxford Handbook of Sport in Society. Oxford, Oxford University Press, pp.154-170.

Parker, A., Watson, N.J. and Meyer, A. (2019). ‘Religion in/and/through Sport’. In Maguire, J., Falcous, M, and Liston, K. (Eds.). The Business and Culture of Sports: Society, Politics, Economy, Environment, Vol. 3: Community. Farmington Hills, MI: Macmillan Reference USA, pp.101-113.

Watson, N.J., Parker, A. and Swain, S. (2018). ‘Sport, Theology and Dementia in a Social Justice Framework’. In N.J. Watson, K. Hargaden and B. Brock (eds.) Theology, Disability and Sport: Social Justice Perspectives. London: Routledge.

Parker, A. and Watson, N. (2017), ‘Spiritualized and Religious Bodies’, in M. Silk, D. Andrews and H. Thorpe (Eds.) Routledge Handbook of Physical Cultural Studies, London, Routledge, pp. 209-217.

Journal articles:

White, J.B., Parker, A. and Meyer, A. (2023). Challenging the Integration of Youth, Faith, and Sports: Alternative Religious Beliefs and Assumptions. Religions 14: 1171.

Daniels, G.D. and Parker, A. (2023). Christianity, Identity, and Professional Football. Religions 14: 1280.

Parker, A., White, J.B. and Meyer, A. (2023). Youth, Sport, and Faith: Identity Formation in High School Athletes. Religions 14: 1293.

Whitmore, W. and Parker, A. (2023). Betwixt and Between: Chaplaincy, Liminality and Elite Sport. Religions 14: 1288.

Fleming, M. and Parker, A. (2022). Chaplaincy and Scottish Women’s Football: Sport, gender and pastoral care.  Journal of Contemporary Religion, 37 (1): 145-164.

Parker, A., French, R. and Marturano, N. (2021). Exploring Sports Ministry in the UK: National Trends and Local Expressions. Journal of Religion and Society, 23: 1-20.

Vinson, D. and Parker, A. (2020). Servant Leadership and Sports Coaching. International Journal of Sports Science and Coaching, 16 (2): 304-316.

Jones, L., Parker, A. and Daniels, G. (2020). Sports Chaplaincy, Theology and Social Theory Disrupting Performance-Based Identity in Elite Sporting Contexts. Religions, 11, 660. DOI.org/10.3390/re11120660

Whitmore, W. and Parker, A. (2020). Towards a Theology of Sports Chaplaincy. Practical Theology. 13:5, 493-503.

King, A., Parker, A. and Hemmings, B. (2020). Sports Chaplaincy in Women’s International Soccer: Pastoral care, emotional wellbeing and holistic support. Journal of Religion and Society, 20 (2): 1-20.

Oliver, M. and Parker, A. (2019). Safeguarding, Chaplaincy and English Professional Football. Religions, 10 (10), 543.

Twietmeyer, G., Watson, N.J. and Parker, A. (2018). ‘Sport, Christianity and Social Justice: Considering a Theological Foundation’. Quest, 71(2): 121-137.

Roe, C. and Parker, A. (2016), ‘Elite Youth Football and Sports Chaplaincy: The EPPP and Holistic Player Support’, Practical Theology, 9 (3): 1-14.

Parker, A. and Watson, N.J. (2015), ‘Sport, Celebrity and Religion: Christianity, Morality and the Tebow Phenomenon’, Studies in World Christianity, 21 (3): 223-238.

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