Professional Update
Welcome to my new website!
It seems appropriate to commence this 'news' page with some news of recent developments.
In 2017, I was appointed to Murdoch University in a continuing role as Lecturer in New Testament. Despite the Theology programme being once relatively strong, having produced many fine graduates and some well-known scholars, the climate at Murdoch has changed, both in terms of the University's individual managerial direction, as well as the impact of some of the broader shifts within the Australian higher-education system. After some years of key staff vacancies not being re-filled by the University, the staff and students were advised in July last year that the Theology programme (along with Australian Indigenous Studies) would be discontinued from 1 July 2021, and that the remaining academic staff (including me) would be made redundant at that time.
Thankfully, notwithstanding this sour news and several tormenting and Kafkaesque experiences over the past 18 months (stories which can wait for another time...), I have recently signed a new employment agreement with the Anglican Diocese of Perth to commence as Senior Lecturer in New Testament at Wollaston Theological College from 1 July. This is an exciting new pathway for me, and one which retains some connections to my previous role at Murdoch as I'll explain below.
Wollaston Theological College is responsible for theological education within the Anglican Diocese of Perth. The Diocese, through Wollaston, has held a long-standing agreement with Murdoch as their principal provider in theological education, first through a consortium of several denominations (known as the Perth College of Divinity) and more recently in their own right. As part of these arrangements, formation students at Wollaston would undertake their academic studies at Murdoch. The Diocese also funded part of my academic salary (and several others). In exchange I would contribute occasionally to the academic life at Wollaston, whether by leading the odd professional development day for clergy, teaching a unit on New Testament in the College's Certificate programme, and so on.
Despite the discontinuation of Murdoch's Theology programme, the Anglican Diocese still has a requirement for quality theological education in Perth of the academic calibre once provided by Murdoch. Accordingly, at the end of last year Wollaston Theological College entered into a new partnership agreement with Trinity College Theological School (in Melbourne) and the University of Divinity, to see Wollaston students take their studies through the University of Divinity. Trinity College will also sponsor academic staff from Wollaston for accreditation as members of the University of Divinity.
I am especially thrilled to transition to this new role at Wollaston, and to contribute my skills and experience in teaching and research to the educational programmes in the Diocese, as well as through Wollaston's new institutional partnership.