Bromby Lecturer in Biblical Studies, Meg Warner, was invited by the Archbishop of Melbourne, the Most Revd Dr Philip Freier, to prepare the bible studies for the annual National Bishops Conference, held this week.
Meg's studies explored the book of the prophet Jonah and are entitled From the Belly of the Fish: The Way of Jonah. Meg said that the studies responded to the question, 'Where do we get our confidence for mission?'
'I chose the book of Jonah because it is a prophetic book that has a lot to say about that question – and it's also very colourful text,' Meg said.
'I've recently been focusing on Old Testament texts that were written or edited after the Babylonian exile in the 6th century BCE. Last year I created and delivered a unit for the United Faculty of Theology called Inclusion and Exclusion in Post-Exilic Writings, and the book of Jonah was one of those touched on in the course.
'In past years I organised the business sessions for these Conferences as part of my work for the Primate of the Anglican Church, Archbishop Phillip Aspinall (TC 1985), so I was delighted to be invited to participate with a new, academic means.'
Meg has also recently taken on the role of Research Coordinator for the United Faculty of Theology (UFT). In the role, Meg becomes a member of MCD University of Divinity’s Research Committee and takes on responsibilities for providing advice to prospective and current research students at the UFT as well as for fostering research culture at the UFT.
MCD University of Divinity has the largest cohort of students enrolled in theological research degrees of any Australian university and roughly 40% of these students have an affiliation with the UFT.
Meg said she was looking forward to getting to know students and assist them in shaping their research projects.
'Being involved from the very beginning allows me to really get alongside our research students, helping them to find the right supervisors, tailor their projects to their degree structures and make the contacts they need with each other and prospective colleagues in their fields,' she said.
'Having just been through my own experience of doctoral research I’m well placed to know both the pitfalls and opportunities of higher degree research!'
