Senior Lecturer in New Testament, Pilgrim Theological College, University of Divinity
I am a biblical scholar and historian with a particular interest in the contemporary use (and misuse) of the bible in debates about sexuality, gender and ethics. I have research expertise in apocalypticism and the related topics of end of the world speculation, martyrdom, and images of evil. I am published in the areas of the visual culture of the Graeco-Roman world, its impact on biblical rhetoric, New Testament, and Judeo-Christian apocalyptic literature.
Victim or victor? How the Easter story still resonates today
Apr 10, 2023 16:18 pm UTC| Insights & Views
At a March 2023 public talk, journalist Greg Sheridan argued that 40 years ago, the press was friendly to church leaders. Then, it became neutral, and now it is hostile. Sheridan is not alone in holding this...
Aug 06, 2021 09:51 am UTC| Insights & Views
The blood of Jesus is my vaccine read one of the signs at a recent protest against lockdown regulations in Sydney. While our tendency might be to roll our eyes at such ridiculous anti-science views, these sentiments have a...
Christmas is political, and always has been
Dec 29, 2020 14:36 pm UTC| Insights & Views Politics
The biblical Christmas story, the one that announces the birth of Jesus, seems so sweet it can appear almost saccharine. It is so often told as a childrens story and a sentimental one at that. Yet it is deeply political...
Pray, but stay away: holding on to faith in the time of coronavirus
Mar 23, 2020 12:07 pm UTC| Insights & Views
Plagues of global proportions might seem biblical, but coronavirus is creating new challenges for faith leaders. Last week in Australia, many churches, mosques and synagogues decided proactively to cancel their normal...
Hell, no! Halloween is not 'satanic' – it's an important way to think about death
Oct 31, 2019 06:31 am UTC| Insights & Views Entertainment
American televangelist Pat Robinson once claimed children who celebrate Halloween were unknowingly worshipping Satan. Despite the absurdity that a child dressing up as a witch is devil worship, the idea that Halloween...
There’s an extra $1 billion on the table for NT schools. This could change lives if spent well