Theology and Society

The exploration of the interface between theology and society plays a critical part in fostering an understanding of the moral, spiritual, and intellectual dimensions of modern pluralistic societies. Interdisciplinary dialogue between theology and other disciplines helps to situate contemporary challenges within a wider horizon, by bringing the intellectual resources of the Christian tradition to bear on contemporary challenges. Research in this cluster addresses a wide range of social and cultural themes, and deploys methodologies from several disciplines, including history, literature, ethics, and economics.

RECENT PUBLICATIONS

Myers, B. (2024). Blakean Anti-Wisdom in Thomas Merton's Proverbs. Literature and Theology, 38.

Rizzo, D. (2024). The Word Made Flesh and the Spirit's Breath: Bridging Christology and Pneumatology in Animal Theology. Religions, 15(11):1355. | External link

Rizzo, D. (2024). Animal Glossolalia: A Pneumatological Framework for Animal Theology. Pneuma: The Journal of the Society for Pentecostal Studies, 46 (1), 60-79.

Choi, Sung Rual (2024). A Study on the Theological Connection between Christology and Calvin’s Union with Christ (Únio cum Christo): Focusing on Incarnation (Incarnātio) and Hypostatic Union (Únio Hypostática). Korea Association of Christian Studies, Vol. 131 133-166.

Choi, Sung Rual (2023). Christology at the Centre of Migration Theology: Focusing on the Doctrine of Incarnation and the Threefold Offices of Christ from the Perspective of John Calvin's Union with Christ Thought. Korean Journal of Systematic Theology, No. 71 181-217.

Choi, Sung Rual (2023). Life and Science In Choi, Sung Rual, Providence and Christology at the Center of Migration Theology (pp. 126-144). Seoul: Korean Society of Systematic Theology.

Myers, B., P. Leithart, and W. Hill (2023). The Collected Christian Essentials: Catechism. Lexham Press.

Myers, B. (2023). Divine and Human Agency in the Poetry of George Herbert. Anglican Theological Review, 105:2.

Myers, B. (2023). Can God’s work in history be discerned? The ambiguities of providence in the poetry of John Milton. Scottish Journal of Theology, 76.

Choi, Sung Rual (2023). Union with Christ: Re-reading Calvin in Korean-American Reformed Theology. Wipf and Stock.

Ormerod, N. (2023). A Hidden Ecological Dialectic: An Oversight in Insight. Theological Studies, 84(4) 613–633.

Ormerod, N. (2023). Mission, Reform and Suffering: The Challenge of the Sexual Abuse Crisis in the Church. Journal of Moral Theology, 3:3 329-344.

Oslington, P (2023). Why Is the Conversation between Theologians and Economists So Difficult? In Piet Naude and Michael Welker, The Impact of Political Economy on Character Formation, Ethical Education and the Communication of Values in Late Modern Pluralistic Societies. Evangelische Verlagsanstalt.

Oslington, P (2023). Alasdair MacIntyre and Adam Smith on Markets, Virtues and Ends. Business Ethics.

Oslington, P (2023). What Does the Bible say About Economics. Faith and Economics, 2023.

Oslington, P (2023). Is Alasdair MacIntyre Right that Aristotelian-Thomist Natural Law Ethics is Incompatible with Capitalism and Economics. Faith and Economics.

Choi, Sung Rual (2022). A Study of Ecclesiology Interpretation from the Viewpoint of Calvin’s Union with Christ and Union with the Triune God: Focusing on the Institutes of the Christian Religion. Text and Context, Vol. 6 202-232.

Choi, Sung Rual (2022). Church and Theology in the New Normal Era In Korean Society of Systematic Theology, The Essence of the Church from the Perspective of “Union with Christ” (Únĭo cum Christo): Focusing on the Analysis of John Calvin’s Institutes of Christianity” (pp. 111-132). Korean Society of Systematic Theology.

Grey, Jacqueline N. and Helmore, Edward J. (2022). ‘Do What is Right and Good: The Theological Foundations for the Common Good in the Old Testament Prophets’ In Daniela C. Augustine & Chris E.W. Green, The Politics of the Spirit: Pentecostal Reflections on Public Responsibility and the Common Good (pp. 89-98). Seymour Press.

Myers, B. (2022). Affliction and Resignation in George Herbert: Reflections on Human Agency in a Global Pandemic. New Blackfriars, 103:1103 113-127.

Ormerod, N. (2022). Shorter Notices: Doran, Robert: Conscious in Two Ways: Robert M. Doran Remembers. Theological Studies, 83:4 649-649.

Ormerod, N. (2022). Gilson and Lonergan: A Test Case on Science and Metaphysics. Heythrop Journal - Quarterly Review of Philosophy and Theology, 63:4 796-806.

Oslington, P (2022). Economics In St Andrews Encyclopaedia of Theology.

Oslington, P. (2022). Teaching Economics and Theology in Australia. Faith and Economics, 79 53-68.

Choi, Sung Rual (2021). A Critical Study of Christ's Personality from the Perspective of Calvin’s Union with Christ and Union with the Triune God. Text and Context, Vol. 5 228-260.

Choi, Sung Rual (2021). Theology and the Church in the Post-COVID-19 Era In Korean Society of Systematic Theology, Theology Christology from the perspective of Calvin's Únĭo cum Christo Thought: Focusing on Interpretation of Incarnātio (pp. 43-58). Korean Society of Systematic Theology.

Grey, Jacqueline N., Rabens, Volker, Kamell Kovalishyn, Mariam J. (eds) (2021). Key Approaches to Biblical Ethics. Leiden: Brill.

Griffiths, John D. (2021). Spirit-Baptised Creation: Locating Pentecost in the Meta-Narrative of Creation and Its Implications for a Pentecostal Ecology. Australasian Pentecostal Studies, 22, 1 46-60.

Hughes, PJ (2021). Do Religion and Spirituality Make a Contribution to the Public Good? The Association of Religion and Spirituality with Volunteering. Journal for the Academic Study of Religion, 34(1) 96-121.

Konz, D. J.(2021). Reforming Mission with Child-Attentive Theology In Marcia J. Bunge (ed), Child Theology: Diverse Methods and Global Perspectives (pp. 190-205). Orbis.

Konz, DJ (2021). Dietrich Bonhoeffer and Christo-ecclesial unity in Christian Higher Education In Johannes M. Luetz, Beth Green (eds), Innovating Christian Education Research: Multidisciplinary Perspectives (pp. 87-102). Springer.

Myers, B. (2021). Does Theology Belong in the University? Schleiermacherian Reflections from an Australian Context. International Journal of Public Theology, 15:4 484-495.

Oslington, P (2021). Radical Orthodoxy Encounters Economics: Deeper Engagement Needed. Journal of Markets and Morality Symposium, 24/1 195-205 and 213-15.

Grey, Jacqueline N. (2020). Amos Yong and Weaving a Hermeneutics of Love. Australasian Pentecostal Studies, Vol 21, Issue 1 41-48.

Myers, B. (2020). ‘Truth, Not Custom’: Joseph Ratzinger on Faith and Reason In Tim Perry (ed.), The Theology of Benedict XVI: A Protestant Appreciation. Lexham Press.

Oslington, Paul (2020). Adam Smith's Economics of the Church In S. Schwarzkopf, Routledge Companion to Economic Theology (pp. 322-30).

Oslington, P (2020). Understanding Economic Impacts on Virtue and the Pursuit of Goods In Jurgen Von Hagen, Michael Welker, John Witte and Stephen Pickard, The Impact of the Economic Market on Character Formation, Ethical Education and the Communication of Values in Late Modern Pluralistic Societies (pp. 93-112). Evangelische Verlagsanstalt.

Oslington, P (2020). The Kuyperian Dream of Reconstructing Economics on Christian Foundations. Faith and Economics, 75 7–36.

Oslington, P (2020). Providence and the Invisible Hand: Comments on Van der Kooi and Ballor. Journal of Economics, Theology and Religion, 1/1 109-112.

Hills, K., Clapton, J., & Dorsett, P. (2019). Spirituality, silence and solitude: A reflective interpretation regarding mystery and people with nonverbal autism. Journal for the Study of Spirituality, 9 (2) 138-151.

Hills, K., Clapton, J., & Dorsett, P. (2019). Spirituality in the context of nonverbal autism: Practical and theological considerations. Practical Theology, 12 (2) 186-197.

Hills, K., Clapton, J., Dorsett, P., & Andersen, K. (2019). Spirituality in the context of nonverbal autism: A research process – Findings and Analysis. Journal of Disability and Religion, 23 (4) 365-386.

Konz, DJ (2019). Child Theology and its theological method, past and future. Anvil: A Journal of Theology and Mission, 35:1 21-27.

Myers, B. and Stephens, S. (2019). The discipline of the eyes: patristic reflections on visual culture In John Frederick (ed.), The HTML of Cruciform Love. Pickwick Press.

Konz, DJ (2018). The even Greater Commission: Relating the Great Commission to the missio Dei, and human agency to divine activity, in mission.'. Missiology: An International Review, Vol. 46:4 333-349.

Oslington, P; Hirschfeld, M; and Williams, P (co-editors) (2018). Recent Developments in Economics and Religion. Edward Elgar.

Oslington, P (2018). Political Economy as Natural Theology: Smith, Malthus and their Followers. Routledge.

Myers, B. (2018). The Apostles’ Creed: A Guide to the Ancient Catechism. Lexham Press.

Oslington, P. (2017). Natural Theology, Theodicy and Political Economy in 19th Century Britain: William Whewell’s Struggle. History of Political Economy, 49/4 575-606.

Oslington, P (2017). Anglican Social Thought and the Shaping of Political Economy in Britain: Joseph Butler, Josiah Tucker, William Paley and Edmund Burke. History of Economics Review, 66/2 26-45.

Adam Dodds (2017). The Mission of the Triune God: Trinitarian Missiology in the Tradition of Lesslie Newbigin. Pickwick.

HDR Theses

Asnicar , Paul. The Church as a Learning Community: Communal learning and inquiry as locally embodied expression of the gospel (PhD)

Deshbhratar, Anand. Theology and Science: An Interdisciplinary Study (PhD)

Han, Ji Mi. A critical study of Jonathan Edwards’ pneumatology: focusing on his trinitarian theology (PhD) [in Korean]

Harrison, Wayne. Conditional Cessationism: A revised doctrine of cessationism for the Reformed Tradition (PhD)

Kim, Yihwa. A Study on Christian Identity in the Context of the Australian Korean Diaspora (PhD) [in Korean]

Mercer, Andrew. Flourishing in exile: communal disciplines, spiritual formation, and the monastic ideal in contemporary Christian thought (PhD)

Nahavandi, Layla. Pentecostals and Patristics: A theological reflection on Pentecostal ressourcement (PhD)

Ramm, John. The Public Theology of John Dunmore Lang (PhD)

Rizzo, Daniela. Theological Foundations for a Pneumatology of Animals (PhD)

Spragg, Kimberly. The Holy Ordinary: Settler Alienation, Creaturehood, and Antipodean Belonging in the Novels and Non-Fiction of Tim Winton (PhD)

Sue, Wolfgang. Ancestral practices and their implications for the Christian church (PhD)

HDR Theses (Completed)

Bohr, Mark The self-identification of Generation Y as 'no religion' in contemporary Australian society (DMin)

Creed, Fleur. The Church as a Place for Connection: Building Social Capital Across Social and Cultural Boundaries in Australian Communities (PhD)

Davis, Allan. Religious acculturation of Syriac Orthodox churches in diaspora in Australia (PhD)

Harris, Tania. Towards a theology of Pentecostal revelatory experiences (PhD)

Naidoo, Jared. Decolonising Jesus: Tinyiko Maluleke’s African Jesus as Suffering Liberator (MPhil)

LEAD RESEARCHERS

HDR CANDIDATES

Paul Asnicar
Anand Deshbhratar
Ji Mi Han
Wayne Harrison
Yihwa Kim
Andrew Mercer
Layla Nahavandi
John Ramm
Daniela Rizzo
Kimberly Spragg
Wolfgang Sue

HDR GRADUATES

Dr Mark Bohr
Dr Fleur Creed
Dr Allan Davis
Dr Tania Harris
Jared Naidoo

SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS

This research cluster contributes to the advancement of the following goals: