Theology Faculty

Dr James Harrison

Jim Harrison has been Head of Theology since 2002, having joined Wesley Institute in 1998. He lectures in Biblical Studies (New Testament) and Greek. His PhD was carried out under the supervision of Professor Edwin Judge and Dr Chris Forbes of Macquarie University’s Ancient History Department, and was awarded in 1997. His book 'Paul’s Language of Grace in Its Graeco-Roman Context' was the 2005 Winner of the Biblical Archaeology Society Publication Award for Best Book Relating to the New Testament. His latest book, Paul and the Imperial Authorities at Thessalonica and Rome, will be published by Mohr Siebeck in 2008. He has been widely published in international journals and has contributed to many books including Stanley Porter’s Pauline Studies series Vols 3/4/5 (Brill, 2006, 2007, 2008).
Jim speaks regularly at Australian and international conferences on the New Testament. Over the years he has attended several Anglican and Presbyterian churches with his wife Elisabeth. He enjoys Hornby model trains, reading, writing poetry, films and live drama, and is a serious ancient history buff.

Rev Dr Grenville Kent

Grenville has taught Old Testament and Cultural Apologetics (Arts/Theology) at Wesley Institute since 2003. His PhD in Old Testament is from the University of Manchester and examines the Witch of En-Dor narrative (1 Samuel 28) using film theory. His Masters from Morling College studied The Song of Solomon. Grenville regularly attends the Evangelical Theological Society and Society of Biblical Literature in the US and Tyndale Fellowship in the UK.  He has guest-lectured in the Philippines and Trinidad.

Grenville co-authored The Da Vinci Decode www.thedavincidecode.net and is co-editing a forthcoming Inter-Varsity Press book on preaching the Old Testament.

He presents on Christian apologetics for the Cambridge Scholars Network, European Leadership Forum (Eger, Hungary) and Campus Life.  An ordained minister of the gospel, he travels internationally as a youth outreach speaker and is a frequent presenter and interviewee on TV programs.

Grenville is the besotted husband of Carla and the proud father of Zoe, Marcus and Ethan.  His main hobbies are sports with his family.

Peter Davis

Peter Davis is a lecturer in Practice of Ministry and teaches courses in Homiletics, Church Leadership and Pastoral Role. He is a graduate of Sydney University, Moore Theological College, the United Theological College and Charles Sturt University. He is currently completing his doctoral thesis in homiletics with the Sydney College of Divinity. 
Peter is a Uniting Church minister and before joining the faculty at Wesley Institute was a parish minister at Lismore (1987-1989) and Pittwater (1990-2005). He has been the President of the Australasian Academy of Homiletics since its inception in 2000 and is a member of the NSW Executive of the Assembly of Confessing Congregations. Peter is married to Jen who also teaches pastoral courses at Wesley. He likes playing soccer, bush walking, reading and creative writing.

Mark Stevens

Mark has taught New Testament at Wesley Institute since 2009. His PhD in New Testament is from Macquarie University and examines the idea of new creation in the book of Revelation. His honours dissertation, also from Macquarie University, examined the idea of resurrection bodies in the writings of the apostle Paul. He is a member of the Society of Biblical Literature.

Before joining Wesley Institute, Mark spent four years as the director of the young adults ministry at St Paul’s Anglican Church in Castle Hill.

Mark is married to Linda, and they have three children: Amelia, Joe and Jenna. He loves the music of Patty Griffin, the humour of the Simpsons, and the writing of John Irving. He is a devoted supporter of the Parramatta Eels, having been in the stands to watch their last two grand final defeats. Contrary to all the available evidence, he still thinks the Eels have a chance this year.

Kit Barker

Kit Barker has been a lecturer in Biblical and Systematic Theology since 2003. He is a graduate of Trinity Evangelical Divinity School in Chicago where he received both Master of Divinity and Master of Theology degrees. Kit is currently a candidate for the Doctor of Theology degree at the Australian College of Theology in the field of theological hermeneutics.  His most recent conference paper entitled "Speech Act Theory, Dual Authorship, and Canonical Hermeneutics" was delivered at the Society for Biblical Literature’s International Congress in Auckland, July 2008. A previous paper entitled 'Divine Illocutions in Psalm 137: A critique of Nicholas Wolterstorff’s second hermeneutic' is being published by Tyndale Bulletin in 2009. Kit is also an elder at Narrabeen Baptist Church where he has preaching and pastoral responsibilities. He enjoys surfing, fishing, good coffee, and spending time with his wife Robyn and their children Corben and Darcie.

Short Interview

Rev Dr Kye Won Lee

Dr Lee is the founding Director of the Korean Theological Program at Wesley Institute. A respected theologian, he is the recipient of numerous awards and scholarships. His research areas of interests are union with Christ, Christology, migration theology, contemporary theology, and integrative theology. Dr Lee is the author of Living in Union with Christ: The Practical Theology of Thomas F. Torrance, published in 2003. He has also published a number of articles and is a minister of Wesley Mission.