Visit our Completed postgraduate research page for an archive of completed theses
Current PhD students
Aminta Arrington
PhD topic: Christ as Mearcstapa: The Border Stalking of Jesus of Nazareth in Luke’s Gospel Account
Supervisor: Professor Trebilco, Dr James Harding
Tema Alailima-Eteuati
PhD topic: Re-establishing History: An Indigenous View on the Arrival of Methodism in Samoa
Supervisor: Professor David Tombs and Professor Michael Reilly
W H Chong
PhD topic: “Spaces Matter: Learning from the Text Delimitations of Early NT MSS containing Ephesians and 1 Peter”
Supervisors: Professor Paul Trebilco and Dr Katie Marcar
Christopher Douglas-Huriwai
PhD topic: Te Oro Atua: Taonga Puoro and the Indigenisation of the Liturgy
Supervisors: Reverend Dr Wayne Te Kaawa and Associate Professor Jennifer Cattermole
Taryn Dryfhout
PhD topic: Locating Whāngai Within a Theology of Community
Supervisor: Professor Murray Rae, Dr Greg Liston
Fenika Faalave
PhD topic: Examining Luke's Characterisation of the Human Characters in the Dream-Visions in Acts
Supervisor: Professor Paul Trebilco, Professor Christopher Holmes
Robert Fakafu
PhD topic: The Forau model: The Diaspora experiences of a relocated people in the face of climate change with special reference to the Polynesian people of Tikopia, Solomon Islands
Supervisors: Professor David Tombs, Dr Andrew Shepherd
Aaron Geddis
PhD topic: Jesus' Temple action in the Gospel of Matthew: The climax of Malachi's return of Elijah motif
Supervisor: Professor Paul Trebilico and Associate Professor James Harding
Emma Gray
PhD topic: The formative relationship between the Eucharist and other practices of hospitality via Pierre Bourdieu's theory of practice
Supervisors: Dr Andrew Shepherd, Professor David Tombs, Dr Graham Redding
Ethan Harrison
PhD topic: Divine Goodness and the Doctrine of Sacred Scripture: A Systematic Contribution in Conversation with Aquinas on the Psalms
Supervisor: Professor Christopher Holmes, Professor Murray Rae
Caroline Jewkes
PhD topic: Examination of Pākehā narrative to provide insight into Tiriti partnership for a Christian organisation
Supervisors: Professor Murray Rae, Dr Wayne Te Kaawa, Dr Lynne Taylor
Tamsyn Kereopa
PhD topic: A Wahine Maori Theology of Liberation
Supervisor: Professor David Tombs, Dr Jenny Te Paa Daniel (Peace & Conflict Studies), Dr Wayne Te Kaawa
Richard Kerr-Bell
PhD topic: A Māori History of the Catholic Church in Aotearoa New Zealand
Supervisors: Dr Wayne Te Kaawa, Professor Murray Rae
Immanuel Koks
PhD topic: How People with Disabilities Participate in Trinitarian Hope
Supervisors: Professor Murray Rae, Professor John Swinton
Lance Lukin
PhD topic: Theological Impacts of Adoption
Supervisors: Dr Lynne Taylor and Reverend Dr Wayne Te Kaawa
Ross McComish
PhD topic: Partial Accounts: Herbert Marsh and the formation of the Cambridge Auxiliary Bible Society, 1811-1814
Supervisors: Professor Murray Rae, Dr John Roxborough, Dr Kevin Ward
Robert Montgomery
PhD topic: Clinal and partitional patterns of grammar, vocabulary and imagery in the interpretation of the Bible in Tongan, Maori and English
Supervisor: Professor Murray Rae
Tamara Owyoung
PhD topic: Sonship as Salvation: a filial model of atonement
Supervisors: Professor Murray Rae, Professor Chris Holmes
Neihana Reihana
PhD Topic: Kei taku hoa aroha: the impact of Christian mission to William Colenso and Māori in 1842-1852
Supervisors: Professor Murray Rae and Dr Wayne Te Kaawa
Te Hira Paenga
PhD Topic: Towards a model of Theology in Māori Performing Arts (Kapahaka) Te Atuatanga Me Te Kapahaka
Supervisors: Professor Murray Rae and Professor Karyn Paringatai
Jaimee Poole
PhD Topic: Ontological Freedom in the Theological Tradition and Existentialist Philosophy
Supervisors: Professor Murray Ray, Dr Christa McKirland
Philip Sampson
PhD topic: Christ In Our Place: Atonement in Aotearoa
Supervisors: Professor Murray Rae, Dr Andrew Shepherd
Jonathan Seiuli
PhD topic: Submission to the Governing Authorities: Re-examining Authority from God in Romans 13: 1–7
Supervisors: Professor Paul Trebilco, Professor David Tombs
Chanki Shin
PhD topic: A Study of Paul's Anomalous Fatherhood in 1 Corinthians 4.14–21 in Light of the Sociopolitical Context of Greco-Roman and Jewish Fatherhood During the Second Temple Period
Supervisors: Professor Paul Trebilco, Dr Katie Marcar
Timothy Stanton
PhD topic: “He Willed to Communicate Himself Ad Extra”: God and Creation in Conversation with Francis Turretin and Petrus van Mastricht
Supervisor: Professor Christopher Holmes and Professor Tim Cooper
Herry Susanto
PhD topic: Pauline Cosmological Redemption as the Basis for Eco-Theology
Supervisors: Professor Paul Trebilco, Professor David Tombs
Michael Tamihere
PhD topic:Matakite, Tohunga, Ariki / Prophet, Priest, and Paramount Chief: Toward a Māori Ecclesiology
Supervisor: Reverend Dr Wayne Te Kaawa
Joshua Taylor
PhD topic: Speaking of Sin in 21st Century Aotearoa
Supervisor: Dr Lynne Taylor, Dr Graham Redding
Jacqueline Tuffnell
PhD topic: What part does advocacy play in the healthcare chaplain's role? How do and how might healthcare chaplains practice as 'agents of challenge'?
Supervisor: Dr Lynne Taylor
Current MTheol students
Andrew Duncanson
MTheol topic: A Historical Inquiry into the Baptism of Jesus
Supervisor: Professor Paul Trebilco
Pane Kawhia
MTheol topic: An exploration of the Christian faith of Sir Apirana Ngata through an examination of his whakatauākī (proverb) 'e tipu e rea' and its influence on Ngāti Porou iwi Christianity.
Supervisor: Rev Dr Wayne Te Kaawa
Julie O’Toole
MTheol topic: “Put on the new man”: an examination of the conversion experience of the Apostle Paul
Supervisor: Professor Paul Trebilco
Zhane Tahau-Whelan
MTheol topic: An examination of the theology foundations of Ngāti Kahungunu iwi Christianity
Supervisor: Rev Dr Wayne Te Kaawa
David Whitaker
MTheol topic: Christians in Aotearoa
Supervisor: Dr Lynne Taylor