Brisbane School of Theology

FACULTY AND STAFF

ABOUT ⋅ FACULTY & STAFF

Faculty and Staff

Every member of our BST team is united by a shared desire to help you be shaped by God’s word to serve His world.

Meet Your Lecturers

Rev Dr Richard Gibson

PRINCIPAL, HEAD OF BIBLICAL STUDIES, LECTURER IN NEW TESTAMENT

Mr John Coulson

DEPUTY PRINCIPAL, LECTURER IN BIBLE

Rev Dr Andrew Prince

ACADEMIC DEAN, HEAD OF MINISTRY AND PRACTICE, LECTURER IN MINISTRY & MISSION

Dr Wally Wang

DIRECTOR OF CHINESE PROGRAM, LECTURER IN CHRISTIAN THOUGHT

Rev Dr Richard Gibson

PRINCIPAL, HEAD OF BIBLICAL STUDIES, LECTURER IN NEW TESTAMENT

Mr John Coulson

DEPUTY PRINCIPAL, LECTURER IN BIBLE

"I love what God is doing at BST: bringing his people together to study his Word deeply, to be shaped and equipped to serve him in this generation."

JOHN COULSON

John joined the BST faculty in 2004, and taught Old and New Testament subjects for 20 years, retiring from the faculty in December 2024. Along the way he served as Deputy Principal and Academic Dean. He is now a visiting lecturer. He is married to Rowena; they have four married children and four grandchildren. They have been long-term members of Hillsong Church (formerly, Garden City Christian Church) at Mount Gravatt.

Credentials
  • Bachelor of Science with Honours, Griffith University
  • Diploma of Ministry, Garden City School of Ministries
  • Bachelor of Theology with Honours, Australian College of Theology
  • Master of Theology, Australian College of Theology (thesis: “‘The Spirit of Sonship’: The Sonship of Christ and of God’s People in Paul’s Pneumatology”)
Scholarly Activities & Publications

Book

The Righteous Judgment of God: Aspects of Judgment in Paul’s Letters. Eugene, OR: Wipf and Stock, 2016.

Article

Jesus and the Spirit in Paul’s Theology: The Earthly Jesus.The Catholic Biblical Quarterly 79, no. 1 (January 2017): 77–96. 

Extended Biography

John was raised in Brisbane and came to know the Lord Jesus in his final year of studies at Griffith University. He worked for the Australian Bureau of Statistics for 15 years, mainly as an applications programmer. Through these years he was active in local church ministry and leadership. In 1994 he began an extended period of theological studies in preparation for vocational ministry. During this time he was on the faculty of Garden City School of Ministries for five years. After completing his Master of Theology at BST, he was invited onto the BST faculty in 2004. John retired from the faculty at the end of 2024, after teaching biblical subjects and being integrally involved in the life and leadership of the college for 20 years.

John and Rowena were married in 1987 and have made their home on the southside of Brisbane. Their married children (and grandchildren) live in Brisbane and Sydney. Rowena has a background in general nursing and midwifery, and is working part-time in aged care. In retirement John will continue to teach the Bible, preach in churches, and spend time in writing. Their plan is more time with family and friends, be more active in their local church, do regular camping trips, and spend more time in the garden. “We’ll see.”

Teaching Areas

Biblical Studies

At BST we teach a range of Old Testament and New Testament units: introductory units, covering the whole OT and NT; and exegetical units, studying individual books in more depth. We teach the main biblical languages: OT Hebrew and NT Greek. We conduct study tours of biblical lands: Israel; Greece and Turkey.

John has taught the following units:

  • Old Testament: introductory units, Psalms, Isaiah 40-55, Biblical Hebrew
  • New Testament: introductory units, Luke’s Gospel, Pauline Theology and Romans, 1 Corinthians, Hebrews, NT Greek
  • Israel study tour

Rev Dr Andrew Prince

ACADEMIC DEAN, HEAD OF MINISTRY AND PRACTICE, LECTURER IN MINISTRY & MISSION

"It is a joy to play a part in the training and shaping of the lives of our students as they increasingly become more like Jesus through their time at BST."

ANDREW PRINCE

After six years of serving as pastor of two Baptist churches in Brisbane, Andrew joined BST in 2009 as lecturer and Head of Department of Ministry and Mission. He is married to Susan and they have three children. As a family they actively serve at City North Baptist Church. 

Credentials
  • Cert IV in TESOL, Intercultural Training Australia
  • Diploma of Ministry, Moore Theological College
  • Bachelor of Veterinary Science, Sydney University
  • Bachelor of Theology, Moore Theological College
  • M.A. in Ministry, Malyon College
  • PhD in Missiology, Australian Catholic University
Scholarly Activities & Publications

Books

Prince, Andrew J. How Christians Grow: Spiritual Transformation for Life. Eugene, OR: Wipf & Stock, 2022.

Prince, Andrew J. Contextualization of the Gospel: Towards an Evangelical Approach in the Light of Scripture and the church Fathers. Eugene: Wipf & Stock, 2017.

 

Articles

Prince, Andrew. “Book Review: Contextualizing the Faith: A Holistic Approach.” Themelios 44.2 (2019): 421-22.

Prince, Andrew. “Preaching to the Unseen: A Case Study.” Crucible 10.1 (2019).

Prince, Andrew. “Book Review: Crossing Cultures in Scripture: Biblical Principles for Mission Practice.” Themelios 42.1 (2017): 245-46.

Extended Biography

Andrew grew up in Sydney, and became a Christian at a young age. He originally training as a veterinarian at Sydney University, and was actively involved in the ministry of the Evangelical Union—where he was trained, discipled, and challenged about committing his life to serving in full-time ministry. While working in rural and urban practices in NSW and QLD, Andrew was actively involved in a number of churches, which further fuelled his desire to serve in vocational ministry. It was during this time he married his wife Susan.

In 2000 Andrew studied theology at Moore Theological College in Sydney. In 2003 he returned to Brisbane and pastored two Baptist churches before joining the faculty at BST in 2009. Andrew’s doctorate is on the subject of contextual communication of the gospel across cultures and was subsequently published as Contextualization of the Gospel: Towards an Evangelical Approach in the Light of Scripture and the Church Fathers (2017). Andrew’s research interests include missiology, Asian Christianity, contextualisation, homiletics, spiritual formation, and pastoral health and practice.

Andrew teaches subjects in the areas of missiology and practical theology. Andrew is also BST’s Academic Dean—which gives him further engagement with students. Andrew and Susan have three sons—Nathan, Matthew and Joshua, and are actively serving at City North Baptist Church.

Teaching Areas

Ministry

Ministry units at BST seek to apply what has been learned in Biblical and Christian Thought to different ministry contexts. Andrew teaches two of the units in this area. One is an introduction to preparing and delivering a biblically faithful talk from the Bible while the other is on how to grow as a Christian and the ways God forms and shapes us during our Christian lives through his Spirit.

 

Mission

With the large amount of migration around the world (both voluntary and involuntary), and the changing face of world mission and world missionaries compared to previous eras, the study and practice of mission remains dynamic. At BST we teach a range of mission subjects that engage with the cross-cultural world both overseas and within multicultural Australia. Andrew teaches a number of these subjects including an introduction to cross-cultural mission, engaging with some of the major world religions, doing mission in a culturally diverse context, and evangelism.  

Dr Wally Wang

DIRECTOR OF CHINESE PROGRAM, LECTURER IN CHRISTIAN THOUGHT

Director of Chinese Program, Lecturer in Christian Thought

From the first article of the Barmen Declaration: “Jesus Christ, as he is attested for us in Holy Scripture, is the one Word of God which we have to hear and which we have to trust and obey in life and in death.” To speak after the Word of God is an unthinkable honour bestowed by the merciful Lord, and to see His grace flourishing in the community brings unspeakable joy to my heart.

WALLY WANG

Wally joined BST in 2013 as a lecturer in Christian Thought and became the Director of the Chinese program in 2016. He is married to Ling and they have one married son and two grandchildren.

Credentials
  • B.Sc. in Mathematics, Florida State University
  • M.Sc. in Physics, Carnegie Mellon University
  • Ph.D. in Theoretical Physics, Carnegie Mellon University
  • M.Div. China Graduate School of Theology
  • M.Th. China Graduate School of Theology
Scholarly Activities & Publications

Book Chapters

“Church Ministry in Light of Munus Triplex Christi.” In the upcoming book Chinese Church in Context: Voices from Downunder.

 “A Chinese Perspective on Theological Education.” Pages 148-159 in Theological Education: Foundations, Practices, and Future Directions, ed. A. M. Bain, I. Hussey, Eugens: WIPF & Stock, 2018.

Extended Biography

Wally was born and raised in Hong Kong. He came to faith during a summer camp before year seven. After graduating from senior high, he went to study in the United States.

After obtaining a PhD in Theoretical Physics, he was convinced that God had called him into full-time ministry. However, before entering theological seminary, he worked as a research associate at Argonne National Laboratory in the US and at UNSW in Australia.

After graduating from CGST, he served in a para-church organisation in Hong Kong and then as a pastor in a Chinese Church in NSW. Later he went back to further his study in theology. In God’s grace and provision, he became a faculty member at BST.

Teaching Areas
  • Units in Theology
  • Christian Thought, Christian Ethics, Church History
  • Units in Practical Theology
  • Preaching, Field Education
  • Units in Bible and Language
  • New Testament Foundation, Greek

Deputy Principal, Lecturer in Bible

"I love what God is doing at BST: bringing his people together to study his Word deeply, to be shaped and equipped to serve him in this generation."

JOHN COULSON

John joined the BST faculty in 2004, and taught Old and New Testament subjects for 20 years, retiring from the faculty in December 2024. Along the way he served as Deputy Principal and Academic Dean. He is now a visiting lecturer. He is married to Rowena; they have four married children and four grandchildren. They have been long-term members of Hillsong Church (formerly, Garden City Christian Church) at Mount Gravatt.

Credentials
  • Bachelor of Science with Honours, Griffith University
  • Diploma of Ministry, Garden City School of Ministries
  • Bachelor of Theology with Honours, Australian College of Theology
  • Master of Theology, Australian College of Theology (thesis: “‘The Spirit of Sonship’: The Sonship of Christ and of God’s People in Paul’s Pneumatology”)
Scholarly Activities & Publications

Book

The Righteous Judgment of God: Aspects of Judgment in Paul’s Letters. Eugene, OR: Wipf and Stock, 2016.

Article

Jesus and the Spirit in Paul’s Theology: The Earthly Jesus.The Catholic Biblical Quarterly 79, no. 1 (January 2017): 77–96. 

Extended Biography

John was raised in Brisbane and came to know the Lord Jesus in his final year of studies at Griffith University. He worked for the Australian Bureau of Statistics for 15 years, mainly as an applications programmer. Through these years he was active in local church ministry and leadership. In 1994 he began an extended period of theological studies in preparation for vocational ministry. During this time he was on the faculty of Garden City School of Ministries for five years. After completing his Master of Theology at BST, he was invited onto the BST faculty in 2004. John retired from the faculty at the end of 2024, after teaching biblical subjects and being integrally involved in the life and leadership of the college for 20 years.

John and Rowena were married in 1987 and have made their home on the southside of Brisbane. Their married children (and grandchildren) live in Brisbane and Sydney. Rowena has a background in general nursing and midwifery, and is working part-time in aged care. In retirement John will continue to teach the Bible, preach in churches, and spend time in writing. Their plan is more time with family and friends, be more active in their local church, do regular camping trips, and spend more time in the garden. “We’ll see.”

Teaching Areas

Biblical Studies

At BST we teach a range of Old Testament and New Testament units: introductory units, covering the whole OT and NT; and exegetical units, studying individual books in more depth. We teach the main biblical languages: OT Hebrew and NT Greek. We conduct study tours of biblical lands: Israel; Greece and Turkey.

John has taught the following units:

  • Old Testament: introductory units, Psalms, Isaiah 40-55, Biblical Hebrew
  • New Testament: introductory units, Luke’s Gospel, Pauline Theology and Romans, 1 Corinthians, Hebrews, NT Greek
  • Israel study tour

Academic Dean, Head of Ministry & Practice, Lecturer in Ministry & Mission

"It is a joy to play a part in the training and shaping of the lives of our students as they increasingly become more like Jesus through their time at BST."

ANDREW PRINCE

After six years of serving as pastor of two Baptist churches in Brisbane, Andrew joined BST in 2009 as lecturer and Head of Department of Ministry and Mission. He is married to Susan and they have three children. As a family they actively serve at City North Baptist Church. 

Credentials
  • Cert IV in TESOL, Intercultural Training Australia
  • Diploma of Ministry, Moore Theological College
  • Bachelor of Veterinary Science, Sydney University
  • Bachelor of Theology, Moore Theological College
  • M.A. in Ministry, Malyon College
  • PhD in Missiology, Australian Catholic University
Scholarly Activities & Publications

Books

Prince, Andrew J. How Christians Grow: Spiritual Transformation for Life. Eugene, OR: Wipf & Stock, 2022.

Prince, Andrew J. Contextualization of the Gospel: Towards an Evangelical Approach in the Light of Scripture and the church Fathers. Eugene: Wipf & Stock, 2017.

 

Articles

Prince, Andrew. “Book Review: Contextualizing the Faith: A Holistic Approach.” Themelios 44.2 (2019): 421-22.

Prince, Andrew. “Preaching to the Unseen: A Case Study.” Crucible 10.1 (2019).

Prince, Andrew. “Book Review: Crossing Cultures in Scripture: Biblical Principles for Mission Practice.” Themelios 42.1 (2017): 245-46.

Extended Biography

Andrew grew up in Sydney, and became a Christian at a young age. He originally training as a veterinarian at Sydney University, and was actively involved in the ministry of the Evangelical Union—where he was trained, discipled, and challenged about committing his life to serving in full-time ministry. While working in rural and urban practices in NSW and QLD, Andrew was actively involved in a number of churches, which further fuelled his desire to serve in vocational ministry. It was during this time he married his wife Susan.

In 2000 Andrew studied theology at Moore Theological College in Sydney. In 2003 he returned to Brisbane and pastored two Baptist churches before joining the faculty at BST in 2009. Andrew’s doctorate is on the subject of contextual communication of the gospel across cultures and was subsequently published as Contextualization of the Gospel: Towards an Evangelical Approach in the Light of Scripture and the Church Fathers (2017). Andrew’s research interests include missiology, Asian Christianity, contextualisation, homiletics, spiritual formation, and pastoral health and practice.

Andrew teaches subjects in the areas of missiology and practical theology. Andrew is also BST’s Academic Dean—which gives him further engagement with students. Andrew and Susan have three sons—Nathan, Matthew and Joshua, and are actively serving at City North Baptist Church.

Teaching Areas

Ministry

Ministry units at BST seek to apply what has been learned in Biblical and Christian Thought to different ministry contexts. Andrew teaches two of the units in this area. One is an introduction to preparing and delivering a biblically faithful talk from the Bible while the other is on how to grow as a Christian and the ways God forms and shapes us during our Christian lives through his Spirit.

 

Mission

With the large amount of migration around the world (both voluntary and involuntary), and the changing face of world mission and world missionaries compared to previous eras, the study and practice of mission remains dynamic. At BST we teach a range of mission subjects that engage with the cross-cultural world both overseas and within multicultural Australia. Andrew teaches a number of these subjects including an introduction to cross-cultural mission, engaging with some of the major world religions, doing mission in a culturally diverse context, and evangelism.  

Director of Chinese Program, Lecturer in Christian Thought

From the first article of the Barmen Declaration: “Jesus Christ, as he is attested for us in Holy Scripture, is the one Word of God which we have to hear and which we have to trust and obey in life and in death.” To speak after the Word of God is an unthinkable honour bestowed by the merciful Lord, and to see His grace flourishing in the community brings unspeakable joy to my heart.

WALLY WANG

Wally joined BST in 2013 as a lecturer in Christian Thought and became the Director of the Chinese program in 2016. He is married to Ling and they have one married son and two grandchildren.

Credentials
  • B.Sc. in Mathematics, Florida State University
  • M.Sc. in Physics, Carnegie Mellon University
  • Ph.D. in Theoretical Physics, Carnegie Mellon University
  • M.Div. China Graduate School of Theology
  • M.Th. China Graduate School of Theology
Scholarly Activities & Publications

Book Chapters

“Church Ministry in Light of Munus Triplex Christi.” In the upcoming book Chinese Church in Context: Voices from Downunder.

 “A Chinese Perspective on Theological Education.” Pages 148-159 in Theological Education: Foundations, Practices, and Future Directions, ed. A. M. Bain, I. Hussey, Eugens: WIPF & Stock, 2018.

Extended Biography

Wally was born and raised in Hong Kong. He came to faith during a summer camp before year seven. After graduating from senior high, he went to study in the United States.

After obtaining a PhD in Theoretical Physics, he was convinced that God had called him into full-time ministry. However, before entering theological seminary, he worked as a research associate at Argonne National Laboratory in the US and at UNSW in Australia.

After graduating from CGST, he served in a para-church organisation in Hong Kong and then as a pastor in a Chinese Church in NSW. Later he went back to further his study in theology. In God’s grace and provision, he became a faculty member at BST.

Teaching Areas
  • Units in Theology
  • Christian Thought, Christian Ethics, Church History
  • Units in Practical Theology
  • Preaching, Field Education
  • Units in Bible and Language
  • New Testament Foundation, Greek

Dr Robert Edwards

DIRECTOR OF POSTGRADUATE STUDIES, HEAD OF CHRISTIAN THOUGHT, LECTURER IN CHRISTIAN THOUGHT

Karen Lynch

LECTURER IN GREEK & PASTORAL CARE, STUDENT ADVISOR

Dr Jason Bryan-Brown

LECTURER IN BIBLE

Rhonda Oliver

LECTURER IN FIELD EDUCATION, STUDENT ADVISOR

Dr Robert Edwards

DIRECTOR OF POSTGRADUATE STUDIES, HEAD OF CHRISTIAN THOUGHT, LECTURER IN CHRISTIAN THOUGHT

"There are few things of more importance than reflecting deeply on who God is and how he stands in relation to us, and it is a privilege to be a part of that work here at BST."

ROBERT EDWARDS

After a number of years as a researcher in the USA and Germany, Robert joined BST in 2023 as lecturer and Director of Postgraduate Studies. He is married to Kerensa and they have three children. When they are not out visiting students’ churches, they attend Centenary Evangelical Church.

Credentials

Degrees

B.A. in Classical Studies, University of British Columbia

M.A. in Theology, Wycliffe College, University of Toronto

Ph.D. in Theology, University of Notre Dame (USA)

Fellowships

Research Fellowship, Alexander von Humboldt Foundation

Doctoral Fellowship, Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada

Awards

Manfred Lautenschlaeger Award for Theological Promise

Eusebius Essay Prize, Journal of Ecclesiastical History

Scholarly Activities & Publications

Books

John Chrysostom: Consolation to Stagirius. Fathers of the Church. Washington, DC: Catholic University of America Press, 2024.

Providence and Narrative in the Theology of John Chrysostom. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2022.

Articles and Book Chapters

“Travelling Festivals in Late Antiquity: How Christmas Came to the Greek East.” Journal of Ecclesiastical History 75, no. 3 (2024): 427–43.

“Canon Lists of Church Fathers in Early Christianity.” Religion & Theology 31, no. 1-2 (2024): 57–76.

“Grammar in the School of Diodore of Tarsus: An Institutional Context for the Transfer of Exegetical Knowledge.” Pages 257–81 in Constructing Knowledge in Late Antiquity, ed. M. Amsler. Berlin: De Gruyter, 2023.

“Jesus’ Descent from the Cross in Ancient and Medieval Reception.” Journal of the Bible and its Reception 10, no. 1 (2023): 43–66.

“Divine Incomprehensibility and Human Faith in John Chrysostom.” Vigiliae Christianae 76, no. 4 (2022): 434–62.

“Providence, Ethics, and Exempla: Reassessing the Stoicism of John Chrysostom’s Quod nemo laeditur nisi a se ipso.” Pages 217–43 in Greek and Byzantine Philosophical Exegesis, ed. J.B. Wallace, A. Despotis. Paderborn: Schöningh, 2022.

“The Gospel of John and Antiochene Christology: The Diverging Cases of Theodore of Mopsuestia and John Chrysostom.” Scottish Journal of Theology 74, no. 4 (2021): 333–45.

“Healing Despondency with Biblical Narrative in John Chrysostom’s Letters to Olympias. Journal of Early Christian Studies 28, no. 2 (2020): 203–31.

“Proverbs 8, Christological Controversies, and the Pre-existence of the Son and Torah in the Third and Fourth Centuries.” Journal for the Study of Judaism 51, no. 1 (2020): 67–96.

“The Theological Gospel of Peter?” New Testament Studies 65, no. 4 (2019): 496–510.

“The Disunity and Unity of the Psalter in the Fathers.” Journal of Theological Interpretation 10, no. 1 (2016): 51–70.

“Clement of Alexandria’s Gnostic Exposition of the Decalogue.” Journal of Early Christian Studies 23, no. 4 (2016): 301–28.

“Clement of Alexandria’s Anti-Valentinian Interpretation of Gen 1:26–27.” Zeitschrift für Antikes Christentum 18, no. 3 (2015): 365–89.

Extended Biography

Robert was born and raised in the beautiful but rainy city of Vancouver, British Columbia, where he spent many hours reading indoors (much to the annoyance of his three brothers who wanted an extra playmate).

Since coming to faith as a young adult at an evangelical Anglican church, Robert has spent much of his time exploring the historic foundations of the Christian faith, leading eventually to the study of the doctrines and practices of the early church (from roughly the second to the fifth century AD). This led him to graduate studies at Wycliffe College (Toronto, Canada), doctoral studies at the University of Notre Dame (Indiana, USA), and, most recently, a research fellowship at the University of Göttingen (Germany). In 2023, convinced by the great need for robust theological education in our post-Christian age, Robert made the transition to teaching in the area of Christian Thought and History at BST.

Along the way, he and his wife, Kerensa (a Sydneysider), have had three children, one in Canada, one in the USA, and one in Australia).

In addition to his love of teaching, Robert is also dedicated to his craft as a researcher and writer. He has published extensively in top academic journals and presses, and has been awarded the Manfred Lautenschlaeger Award for Theological Promise and the Eusebius Essay Prize (Journal of Ecclesiastical History) for his research.

Teaching Areas

Christian Thought

At BST we teach a range of units devoted to Christian doctrine—what Christians have had to say through the ages about God and everything in relation to God. Robert teaches several of these, on who God is and how we come to know him; on creation, the fall of humankind, and the person of Christ; and on how God works to save humankind.

Church History

Christians belong to a church that has two thousand years of history behind it: the successes and failures of Christians in the past—even Christians who are very different than us—are therefore also ours. At BST,  Robert teaches Church history as an opportunity to learn from our elders about who we are as a church and how God works in our midst.

Research Methods and Postgraduate Studies

Part of Robert’s role is to train students in our postgraduate programmes (MTS, MTh, PhD), as well as any students undertaking projects, in the skills required to undertake research, both through a dedicated unit in ‘research methods’ and through one-on-one advising.

Karen Lynch

LECTURER IN GREEK & PASTORAL CARE, STUDENT ADVISOR

Lecturer & Student Advisor

"I really appreciate the environment at BST. I enjoy seeing students grow in their understanding of the scriptures and their relevance, and witnessing this in turn being worked out in community life. BST, in many ways, is a grace place."

MARK CAMERON

I was encouraged to apply for the position of Property Manager & Residential Chaplain at the end of 2022. In lots of ways it all happened very suddenly and wasn’t on my radar, but I believe God made the way very clear for me to come, and so began in January 2023 …

Credentials

B.ED, Design and Technology Education

Extended Biography

I am very blessed to have Sharlene as my wife with 3 adult children and 5 grandchildren. It continues to be a privilege to do ministry alongside Sharlene. I have had a varied working life from tradesman to teacher, and small business owner. We have been blessed to work with a range of people in different places including regional Queensland and south India. In the boarding school in south India our roles included teaching design and technology, dorm parents for teenage boys, and facility development. Each of these situations have certainly been formational experiences that help in my current role.

In my spare time I really enjoy spending time with the grandkids, cycling, traveling and camping.

Dr Jason Bryan-Brown

LECTURER IN BIBLE

"The classroom is not just a place of learning. It is one of the many places at BST where God forms His people to serve Him and His world. It is a tremendous privilege to witness God’s formation of his people for service."

JASON BRYAN-BROWN

After completing his PhD, Jason joined the BST faculty in 2023. He is married to Courtney, and together they have three children. Jason and his family fellowship at Rosalie Baptist Church.

Credentials
  • BMin/BTh (Hons.) – BST
  • PhD – Australian Catholic University
Scholarly Activities & Publications

(Currently) Unpublished Dissertation – Reading the Catholic Epistles as a Collection (2023)

Conference Papers

The Hermeneutics of Reading the Catholic Epistles as a Collection – Society of Biblical Literature 2023 Annual Meeting

Extended Biography

Born and bred here in Brisbane, Jason grew up on the southside of the Brown Snake. After becoming a Christian towards the end of high school, Jason came straight to BST with a desire to prepare himself for ministry. Jason completed a double-degree with Honours (BMin/BTh (Hons.)), before heading up to the Sunshine Coast to pastor a church.

Having already taken up the role of Tutor here at BST, Jason wrapped up his pastoral responsibilities, and moved back to Brisbane in 2019 to begin his doctoral studies. During his studies, Jason continued to Tutor for us, as well as dabbling in some sessional lecturing. Upon completing his PhD, Jason took up a full-time teaching position here, as Lecturer in Bible.

Jason has long been fascinated by the “fringes” of the New Testament—the Catholic Epistles (James-Jude) and Revelation, have been the primary focus of his research.

Jason is married to Courtney, who is herself an alumnus of BST. They met at BST, and now have three children together.

Teaching Areas

New Testament Survey

 One of the most valuable elements of the academic program for any Bible College student is the biblical survey—a systematic book-by-book exploration of the Bible, from Genesis to Revelation. At BST, Jason teaches the New Testament portion of BST’s biblical survey. Broken into two parts (NT001: Jesus & the Gospels, NT002: Acts and the Epistles), these units are designed to orient students to the history, interpretation and scholarship of the New Testament as a whole.

Biblical Exegesis (NT & OT)

Students who have completed their biblical survey (see above) can continue to study with Jason in our exegetical units; these units are more significant examinations of the historical context, interpretive history, themes and contemporary scholarship of an individual book or a smaller portion of the Bible. Jason teaches both NT and OT exegetical units, which can be taken in the original languages as well (both Greek and Hebrew). Jason teaches exegetical units on: Luke’s Gospel, the Pentateuch and 1-2 Peter.

Biblical Languages

Before students can take an exegetical unit in the original languages, they need to learn the original languages. BST offers classes in both Greek and Hebrew, designed to take a student from having no knowledge at all, to being proficient enough to undertake an exegetical unit in that language the following year. Jason teaches the two Hebrew language units, that prepare students for OT exegetical units in the original languages.

Rhonda Oliver

LECTURER IN FIELD EDUCATION, STUDENT ADVISOR

“Bible College is treasured time. God is always at work in our lives but, when you are immersed in the study of His Word, God just ministers to you.”

RHONDA OLIVER

A teacher of Christian Education at Somerville House, Rhonda joined BST in 2022. Rhonda brings with her, a breadth of workplace and church ministry experience. She currently attends Village Church at Spring Hill.

Credentials
  • Bachelor of Human Movement Studies Education, The University of Queensland
  • Bachelor of Educational Studies, The University of Queensland
  • Master of Educational Studies, The University of Queensland
  • Master of Divinity, Queensland Theological College
Extended Biography

Rhonda brings the local knowledge of someone born and raised in beautiful Brisbane. She has a passion for sport; playing, coaching and spectating. Her particular loves are hockey and touch. Rhonda spent four years in Calgary, Canada working in the Field Hockey coaching groups at University, Provincial and National levels. Her less competitive passion is bushwalking.

Most of her working life has been as a teacher and Head of Department. For the last 11 years she has been working part-time, teaching Christian Education at Somerville House, whilst completing the Master of Divinity program. Rhonda undertook some units at BST where she encountered our exceptional teaching and experienced a real warmth of fellowship and care. The opportunity rose after graduation to apply for the position of Women’s student adviser and subsequently she became our Director of Field Education. Her goal in these roles is fairly simple. “I just want to be helpful”.

Director of Postgraduate Studies, Head of Christian Thought, Lecturer in Christian Thought

"There are few things of more importance than reflecting deeply on who God is and how he stands in relation to us, and it is a privilege to be a part of that work here at BST."

ROBERT EDWARDS

After a number of years as a researcher in the USA and Germany, Robert joined BST in 2023 as lecturer and Director of Postgraduate Studies. He is married to Kerensa and they have three children. When they are not out visiting students’ churches, they attend Centenary Evangelical Church.

Credentials

Degrees

B.A. in Classical Studies, University of British Columbia

M.A. in Theology, Wycliffe College, University of Toronto

Ph.D. in Theology, University of Notre Dame (USA)

Fellowships

Research Fellowship, Alexander von Humboldt Foundation

Doctoral Fellowship, Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada

Awards

Manfred Lautenschlaeger Award for Theological Promise

Eusebius Essay Prize, Journal of Ecclesiastical History

Scholarly Activities & Publications

Books

John Chrysostom: Consolation to Stagirius. Fathers of the Church. Washington, DC: Catholic University of America Press, 2024.

Providence and Narrative in the Theology of John Chrysostom. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2022.

Articles and Book Chapters

“Travelling Festivals in Late Antiquity: How Christmas Came to the Greek East.” Journal of Ecclesiastical History 75, no. 3 (2024): 427–43.

“Canon Lists of Church Fathers in Early Christianity.” Religion & Theology 31, no. 1-2 (2024): 57–76.

“Grammar in the School of Diodore of Tarsus: An Institutional Context for the Transfer of Exegetical Knowledge.” Pages 257–81 in Constructing Knowledge in Late Antiquity, ed. M. Amsler. Berlin: De Gruyter, 2023.

“Jesus’ Descent from the Cross in Ancient and Medieval Reception.” Journal of the Bible and its Reception 10, no. 1 (2023): 43–66.

“Divine Incomprehensibility and Human Faith in John Chrysostom.” Vigiliae Christianae 76, no. 4 (2022): 434–62.

“Providence, Ethics, and Exempla: Reassessing the Stoicism of John Chrysostom’s Quod nemo laeditur nisi a se ipso.” Pages 217–43 in Greek and Byzantine Philosophical Exegesis, ed. J.B. Wallace, A. Despotis. Paderborn: Schöningh, 2022.

“The Gospel of John and Antiochene Christology: The Diverging Cases of Theodore of Mopsuestia and John Chrysostom.” Scottish Journal of Theology 74, no. 4 (2021): 333–45.

“Healing Despondency with Biblical Narrative in John Chrysostom’s Letters to Olympias. Journal of Early Christian Studies 28, no. 2 (2020): 203–31.

“Proverbs 8, Christological Controversies, and the Pre-existence of the Son and Torah in the Third and Fourth Centuries.” Journal for the Study of Judaism 51, no. 1 (2020): 67–96.

“The Theological Gospel of Peter?” New Testament Studies 65, no. 4 (2019): 496–510.

“The Disunity and Unity of the Psalter in the Fathers.” Journal of Theological Interpretation 10, no. 1 (2016): 51–70.

“Clement of Alexandria’s Gnostic Exposition of the Decalogue.” Journal of Early Christian Studies 23, no. 4 (2016): 301–28.

“Clement of Alexandria’s Anti-Valentinian Interpretation of Gen 1:26–27.” Zeitschrift für Antikes Christentum 18, no. 3 (2015): 365–89.

Extended Biography

Robert was born and raised in the beautiful but rainy city of Vancouver, British Columbia, where he spent many hours reading indoors (much to the annoyance of his three brothers who wanted an extra playmate).

Since coming to faith as a young adult at an evangelical Anglican church, Robert has spent much of his time exploring the historic foundations of the Christian faith, leading eventually to the study of the doctrines and practices of the early church (from roughly the second to the fifth century AD). This led him to graduate studies at Wycliffe College (Toronto, Canada), doctoral studies at the University of Notre Dame (Indiana, USA), and, most recently, a research fellowship at the University of Göttingen (Germany). In 2023, convinced by the great need for robust theological education in our post-Christian age, Robert made the transition to teaching in the area of Christian Thought and History at BST.

Along the way, he and his wife, Kerensa (a Sydneysider), have had three children, one in Canada, one in the USA, and one in Australia).

In addition to his love of teaching, Robert is also dedicated to his craft as a researcher and writer. He has published extensively in top academic journals and presses, and has been awarded the Manfred Lautenschlaeger Award for Theological Promise and the Eusebius Essay Prize (Journal of Ecclesiastical History) for his research.

Teaching Areas

Christian Thought

At BST we teach a range of units devoted to Christian doctrine—what Christians have had to say through the ages about God and everything in relation to God. Robert teaches several of these, on who God is and how we come to know him; on creation, the fall of humankind, and the person of Christ; and on how God works to save humankind.

Church History

Christians belong to a church that has two thousand years of history behind it: the successes and failures of Christians in the past—even Christians who are very different than us—are therefore also ours. At BST,  Robert teaches Church history as an opportunity to learn from our elders about who we are as a church and how God works in our midst.

Research Methods and Postgraduate Studies

Part of Robert’s role is to train students in our postgraduate programmes (MTS, MTh, PhD), as well as any students undertaking projects, in the skills required to undertake research, both through a dedicated unit in ‘research methods’ and through one-on-one advising.

Lecturer & Student Advisor

"I really appreciate the environment at BST. I enjoy seeing students grow in their understanding of the scriptures and their relevance, and witnessing this in turn being worked out in community life. BST, in many ways, is a grace place."

MARK CAMERON

I was encouraged to apply for the position of Property Manager & Residential Chaplain at the end of 2022. In lots of ways it all happened very suddenly and wasn’t on my radar, but I believe God made the way very clear for me to come, and so began in January 2023 …

Credentials

B.ED, Design and Technology Education

Extended Biography

I am very blessed to have Sharlene as my wife with 3 adult children and 5 grandchildren. It continues to be a privilege to do ministry alongside Sharlene. I have had a varied working life from tradesman to teacher, and small business owner. We have been blessed to work with a range of people in different places including regional Queensland and south India. In the boarding school in south India our roles included teaching design and technology, dorm parents for teenage boys, and facility development. Each of these situations have certainly been formational experiences that help in my current role.

In my spare time I really enjoy spending time with the grandkids, cycling, traveling and camping.

Student Advisor & Director of Field Education

“Bible College is treasured time. God is always at work in our lives but, when you are immersed in the study of His Word, God just ministers to you.”

RHONDA OLIVER

A teacher of Christian Education at Somerville House, Rhonda joined BST in 2022. Rhonda brings with her, a breadth of workplace and church ministry experience. She currently attends Village Church at Spring Hill.

Credentials
  • Bachelor of Human Movement Studies Education, The University of Queensland
  • Bachelor of Educational Studies, The University of Queensland
  • Master of Educational Studies, The University of Queensland
  • Master of Divinity, Queensland Theological College
Extended Biography

Rhonda brings the local knowledge of someone born and raised in beautiful Brisbane. She has a passion for sport; playing, coaching and spectating. Her particular loves are hockey and touch. Rhonda spent four years in Calgary, Canada working in the Field Hockey coaching groups at University, Provincial and National levels. Her less competitive passion is bushwalking.

Most of her working life has been as a teacher and Head of Department. For the last 11 years she has been working part-time, teaching Christian Education at Somerville House, whilst completing the Master of Divinity program. Rhonda undertook some units at BST where she encountered our exceptional teaching and experienced a real warmth of fellowship and care. The opportunity rose after graduation to apply for the position of Women’s student adviser and subsequently she became our Director of Field Education. Her goal in these roles is fairly simple. “I just want to be helpful”.

Lecturer in Bible

"The classroom is not just a place of learning. It is one of the many places at BST where God forms His people to serve Him and His world. It is a tremendous privilege to witness God’s formation of his people for service."

JASON BRYAN-BROWN

After completing his PhD, Jason joined the BST faculty in 2023. He is married to Courtney, and together they have three children. Jason and his family fellowship at Rosalie Baptist Church.

Credentials
  • BMin/BTh (Hons.) – BST
  • PhD – Australian Catholic University
Scholarly Activities & Publications

(Currently) Unpublished Dissertation – Reading the Catholic Epistles as a Collection (2023)

Conference Papers

The Hermeneutics of Reading the Catholic Epistles as a Collection – Society of Biblical Literature 2023 Annual Meeting

Extended Biography

Born and bred here in Brisbane, Jason grew up on the southside of the Brown Snake. After becoming a Christian towards the end of high school, Jason came straight to BST with a desire to prepare himself for ministry. Jason completed a double-degree with Honours (BMin/BTh (Hons.)), before heading up to the Sunshine Coast to pastor a church.

Having already taken up the role of Tutor here at BST, Jason wrapped up his pastoral responsibilities, and moved back to Brisbane in 2019 to begin his doctoral studies. During his studies, Jason continued to Tutor for us, as well as dabbling in some sessional lecturing. Upon completing his PhD, Jason took up a full-time teaching position here, as Lecturer in Bible.

Jason has long been fascinated by the “fringes” of the New Testament—the Catholic Epistles (James-Jude) and Revelation, have been the primary focus of his research.

Jason is married to Courtney, who is herself an alumnus of BST. They met at BST, and now have three children together.

Teaching Areas

New Testament Survey

 One of the most valuable elements of the academic program for any Bible College student is the biblical survey—a systematic book-by-book exploration of the Bible, from Genesis to Revelation. At BST, Jason teaches the New Testament portion of BST’s biblical survey. Broken into two parts (NT001: Jesus & the Gospels, NT002: Acts and the Epistles), these units are designed to orient students to the history, interpretation and scholarship of the New Testament as a whole.

Biblical Exegesis (NT & OT)

Students who have completed their biblical survey (see above) can continue to study with Jason in our exegetical units; these units are more significant examinations of the historical context, interpretive history, themes and contemporary scholarship of an individual book or a smaller portion of the Bible. Jason teaches both NT and OT exegetical units, which can be taken in the original languages as well (both Greek and Hebrew). Jason teaches exegetical units on: Luke’s Gospel, the Pentateuch and 1-2 Peter.

Biblical Languages

Before students can take an exegetical unit in the original languages, they need to learn the original languages. BST offers classes in both Greek and Hebrew, designed to take a student from having no knowledge at all, to being proficient enough to undertake an exegetical unit in that language the following year. Jason teaches the two Hebrew language units, that prepare students for OT exegetical units in the original languages.

"The biggest thing I learnt at Brisbane School of Theology was the importance of humility. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Vitae sapien pellentesque habitant morbi tristique senectus et netus et. Vitae turpis massa sed elementum.

STUDENT NAME #1

"The biggest thing I learnt at Brisbane School of Theology was the importance of humility. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Vitae sapien pellentesque habitant morbi tristique senectus et netus et. Vitae turpis massa sed elementum.

STUDENT NAME #1

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Pastor Grace Lung

BSci (Comp Sci), GradDipDiv, MA (ChrStds)

DIRECTOR

Grace grew up in Sydney in a large Chinese church. Since then she has served at various Chinese churches over the years in youth, students, young workers and women. Her passion and interest is contextualizing the gospel to Asian Australians and developing Asian churches in Australia. Grace is a graduate of Sydney Missionary and Bible College and Fuller Theological Seminary. Her study focussed on Chinese Australian identity and ministry.

Her previous roles have included: Director for Asian Contextual Engagement for the RICE Movement, Team Member for Interserve Culture Connect and OMF QLD’s Ministry Team. She was an Anglican Deaconness Ministries Summer Fellow in 2019. Her writing has appeared on the SOLA Network, Gospel Coalition Australia, Centered: Resources for the Asian American Church, Common Grace and Ethos: EA Centre for Christianity and Society.

In addition to her role as Director of CAC, Grace is also serving as a pastor alongside her husband, Chris, at Rise Alliance Church – a new church plant servicing the Rochedale area.