Visit our Completed postgraduate research page for an archive of completed theses
Current PhD students
Tema Alailima-Eteuati
PhD topic: Re-establishing History: An Indigenous View on the Arrival of Methodism in Samoa
Supervisor: Dr Brett Knowles and Professor Michael Reilly
Jessica Bent
PhD topic: The Theological Understanding and Use of Familial Language in New Zealand Baptist Churches
Supervisor: Professor Paul Trebilco, Dr Lynne Taylor
Deborah Broome
PhD topic: Living together in the city: Sociality in Augustine’s City of God: Lessons for the Church today
Supervisor: Professor Christopher Holmes
Graham Cameron
PhD topic: An historical contextual theology of Pai Mārire, the first indigenous Christian faith
Supervisors: Professor Murray Rae, Dr Hirini Kaa
Jordan Chapman
PhD topic: The Settings and Purposes of 1 Peter and Revelation
Supervisor: Professor Paul Trebilco
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 Dr 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
Linda Flett
PhD topic: A history of the Elim churches in New Zealand 1922-2012
Supervisors: Professor Tim Cooper, Professor Peter Lineham
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 Dr 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
Malcolm Gordon
PhD topic: Power and Protest: Exploring the link between the practice of lament and the position of powerlessness in 19th century Scotland and New Zealand
Supervisor: Professor Murray Rae, Professor Paul Trebilco
Ethan Harrison
PhD topic: Divine Aseity
Supervisor: Professor Christopher Holmes
Jenny Hsu
PhD topic: An Alternative Approach to the Nestorian Controversy: A Comparison of Cyril’s and Nestorius’ Interpretation of Scripture and Its Implications for their Understanding of the Person and Work of Christ.
Supervisors: 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
Immanuel Koks
PhD topic: How People with Disabilities Participate in Trinitarian Hope
Supervisors: Professor Murray Rae, Professor John Swinton
Ryan Lang
PhD topic: Prophetic Adoration: Suffering, Lament, and the Beauty of God
Supervisors: Professor Murray Rae, Professor David Tombs
Latuivai Latu
PhD topic:Honouring TauTau As Suli: A Postcolonial Reading of Identity Politics in Samoan Jurisprudence and Relational Hermeneutics
Supervisors: Professor David Tombs, Reverend Dr John Roxborogh
Lance Lukin
PhD topic: Theological Impacts of Adoption
Supervisors: Dr Lynne Taylor and Reverend Dr Wayne Te Kaawa
Elliot Luo
PhD topic: The Dualistic Eschatology in the Epistles of John and Its Impact on the Johannine Community
Supervisor: Professor Paul Trebilco
Reupena Maulolo
PhD topic: “E tu manu, ae lē tu logologo: A comparative study of the role of pre-and post-Christianity spiritual and relational values in the Congregational Christian Church Samoa’s (CCCS) lives of Samoan Youth.”
Supervisor: Dr Kevin Ward, Professor Murray Rae
Ross McComish
PhD topic: Partial Accounts: Herbert Marsh and the formation of the Cambridge Auxiliary Bible Society, 1811-1814
Supervisor: Professor Tim Cooper
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
Mathew Newton
PhD topic: Improvising Abraham: Paul’s use of the Abraham narrative in Galatians 3:1–14.
Supervisors: Professor Paul Trebilco, Professor Chris Holmes
Walter Noteboom
PhD topic: Divine Providence and the Existence of Sin
Supervisors: Professor Christopher Holmes, Dr Graham Redding
Tamara Owyoung
PhD topic: Sonship as Salvation: a filial model of atonement
Supervisors: Professor Murray Rae, Professor Chris Holmes
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 Associate 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
Emma Stokes
PhD topic: ‘(Re)considering the Samaritans as a character in the Lukan travel narrative'
Supervisors: Professor Paul Trebilco, Dr Sarah Harris
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
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
Jonathan Ayling
MTheol topic: Christ and Culture
Supervisors: Professor David Tombs and Dr Greg Marcar
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
Brendon McRae
MMin topic: Reflecting biblically on Matariki presents implications for liturgical resources. It is proposed that a Matariki liturgy unique to Aotearoa New Zealand is both a theological and missiological necessity.
Supervisor: Rev Dr Wayne Te Kaawa
Sarah Pidgeon
MTheol topic: Nobody Heard Us: A theological response to the contextual hearings of the Royal Commission on Abuse in Care in New Zealand
Supervisor: Professor David Tomb
Zhane Tahau-Whelan
MTheol topic: An examination of the theology foundations of Ngāti Kahungunu iwi Christianity.
Supervisor: Rev Dr Wayne Te Kaawa
Hilary Willett
MTheol topic: How has Covid-19 impacted what it means to be an Anglican priest in Aotearoa?
Supervisors: Dr Lynne Taylor and Professor Christopher Holmes
