Doctor of Philosophy
CRICOS Code: 087944K
The Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) aims to equip qualified persons for a vocation of teaching and research in theological colleges and universities and for the scholarly enhancement of Christian ministry.
The PhD equips qualified persons for a vocation of teaching and research in theological colleges and universities, and for the scholarly enhancement of Christian ministry. The thesis is expected to demonstrate a significant and original contribution to the candidate’s field of study.
The College conducts Research Forums. The forums provide an opportunity for students to present their research to the College’s research community, comprising of other research students and members of faculty. The focus of the presentations is methodology and thesis content. The forum enables students to:
- develop their research and presentation skills.
- give and receive critical feedback.
- reflect on issues of method, evaluation, and thesis writing.
- learn from more experienced researchers.
There are normally four Research Forums per year. Participation in the forum is a requirement for all enrolled MTh and PhD candidates of the College.
Who should apply?
Admission Requirements
To satisfy the vocational requirements of the course, an applicant must be a mature Christian believer who is committed to ministry. To this end, the applicant must supply references and be interviewed.
The academic requirements for entry to the course may be satisfied by any one of the following:
- Moore College Bachelor of Divinity (BD) graduates with Honours 1 or Honours 2A (upper second class honours), who completed the Research Project unit (CT499) with a score of 72.5% or above;
- Moore College Bachelor of Theology/Master of Theology (Coursework) (BTh/ThM) graduates with Honours 2A or above, who completed the Research Project unit (CT499) with a score of 72.5% or above, may proceed directly to the Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) course. Graduates with Honours 2A or above who completed Issues in Theology (CT400) instead of the research project unit (CT499) need to successfully complete a research task set by the Research Committee to be admitted to the PhD;
- The Moore College Master of Theology (MTh);
- Enrolment in the Moore College MTh for not less than one year as a full-time candidate or two years as a part-time candidate where the Research Committee (RC) has certified that the applicants work as a Masters candidate is of such a standard as to justify candidature for the PhD degree; or
- Graduates of an approved Australian or overseas institution with a qualification, which, in the opinion of the RC is equivalent to any of the above. Such applicants will need to demonstrate competence to Level III in a biblical language relevant to their planned area of research and submit a piece of written work that demonstrates their capacity to research.
- A candidate may not be admitted unless the RC determines that adequate supervision is available.
Credit Transfer
Fees
- Fees are charged by unit or period of supervision.
- Fees can be paid upfront or via FEE-HELP (for eligible students).
- Graduate Certificate of Anglican Ministry fees and census dates.
- Master of Arts (Theology) fees and census dates.
- Master of Theology fees and census dates.
- Doctor of Philosophy fees and census dates.
- Cross institutional students enrolling in Moore College MA (Theology) units for credit towards an Australian College of Theology (ACTh) masters pay normal Moore College fees. No other fees are payable to the ACTh for such units.
Course Structure
Candidates undertake independent research towards a 70,000–100,000 word thesis on a topic approved by the College. The research is conducted under the supervision of a member of faculty of Moore College.
The thesis must:
- make a distinct contribution to theological learning
- evidence original research and the exercise of independent critical analysis
- evidence the author, being trained in the techniques relevant to the field of research and of being capable, without supervision, of applying these techniques to other research projects
- evidence sufficient familiarity with the area of discipline in which the author had worked to critically assess the present state of knowledge in the subject and to conceive further investigation with an increasing independence.
Candidates will be required to show evidence of competence in ancient and/or modern languages in order to access primary sources and significant secondary works relevant to their research area. Language requirements will be determined at the time of application in consultation with the proposed supervisor.
Work-Integrated Learning
Work-Integrated Learning is not required of students undertaking the Doctor of Philosophy.
Articulation
Student Profile
Thom Bull
Title of Thesis
The Ecclesiology of Jerome Zanchi (1516-1590)
Summary
The past several decades of Reformation scholarship have raised our awareness of the historical and theological significance of numerous figures who, while overlooked in much of the Reformation historiography of the 19th and 20th centuries, are of vital importance to a proper grasp of the period. One such character in the Reformation story is the Italian scholar and churchman, Jerome Zanchi (1516-1590). While highly respected and notably influential in his own lifetime and immediately afterwards through both personal and educational contact as well as his vast body of published material, Zanchi has since faded into the background, with only a small number of monographs and articles devoted to the study of his life and work. This thesis aims to contribute to the growing recognition of Zanchi’s importance through an exploration of the doctrine of the Church that is evident throughout his (still largely untranslated) writings. It is anticipated that such a study will prove helpful in not only describing Zanchi’s ecclesiology and locating it within the unity and diversity of reformation understandings of the Church, but also in illuminating the relationships between exegesis, biblical theology, metaphysical dogmatics, and pastoral concern that animate a theologian who stands at the head of reformed scholasticism.
Email Address
Vivian Cheung
Title of Thesis
The Pauline Soteriological Concept of Calling – an intertextual exegetical and theological study with the use of Speech Act Theory
Summary
The soteriological concept of calling in Paul’s writings is commonly held as both unique and theologically significant. What it denotes exactly, however, is not so universally agreed upon. Its traditional representation as God’s effectual summons of individuals to faith is facing increasing challenge. Without the supply of a clear-cut definition by Paul himself, adjudication between the various conclusions based upon differing exegesis seems almost arbitrary, inescapably determined by one’s theological predisposition.
In order to disambiguate Paul’s meaning and build a thick description of this concept theologically, a fresh investigation utilising Speech Act Theory as an adjunct tool to complement detailed exegesis of references containing calling language in Paul’s writings will be conducted. Analysis will be done within a biblical-theological framework, paying specific attention to intertextual Scriptural references.
Funding Information
Moore College PhD Scholarship
Email Address
Ian Chew
Title of Thesis
Inner-Biblical Reuse and Exodus Typology in the Book of Nahum
Summary
Typology, in the prefigural sense, pervades the Hebrew Bible. One such typological pattern culminates in the LORD enacting judgment and salvation in the latter days as He had judged Pharaoh and his army while redeeming the descendants of Jacob during the Exodus. The Prophets envision this antitypical future judgment-salvation event in terms of a New Exodus. This study seeks to demonstrate that the book of Nahum contributes to the development of this typological pattern by reusing Pentateuchal traditions and texts to present Nineveh’s fall (612 BCE) as an ectype which has been shaped by and draws from the Egyptian Exodus, and which also creates expectation of a future exodus. In pronouncing judgement on Nineveh and the Neo-Assyrian Empire, the LORD reaffirms His covenantal goodness towards and knowledge of those who seek refuge in Him (1:7), as He makes a complete end of His enemies and pursues them into darkness (1:8).
Funding Information
Moore College PhD Scholarship; Kay Poh Road Baptist Church (KPRBC), Singapore
Email Address
Andrew Court
Title of Thesis
“Blessed Be Ye Poor”: Wealth and Apocalyptic Eschatology in Luke’s Gospel and Second Temple Judaism
Summary
Luke’s Gospel has a distinct focus on the theme of wealth. The current state of scholarship is uniquely situated for the implementation of an underutilised approach to wealth in Luke, namely, a comparative study of Luke’s theology of wealth in light of Second Temple Jewish texts. This avenue suggests promising insights for several reasons:
Firstly, while Second Temple text traditions have been readily employed to shed light on Matthew’s Gospel, they have been used far less in Lukan studies (mainly due to the characterisation of Matthew as Jewish and Luke as Hellenistic).
Secondly, comparative methodologies in New Testament Studies have been applied and scrutinized with rigour, and the technique has been refined such that proper restraint and strategy is now better understood than before.
Thirdly, recent studies of apocalyptic and wisdom traditions have challenged the view that apocalyptic and wisdom motifs in the Gospels are indications of different redactional strata. Blending of these motifs in Second Temple texts shows the two are not so mutually exclusive/corrosive. This in turn has provided a better understanding of the eschatology of the Synoptic Gospels, but these formulations are yet to have been properly integrated into the understanding of Luke’s wealth ethic.
Funding Information
Moore College PhD Scholarship
Email Address
Stephen Rockwell
Title of Thesis
Remnant Theology in the Gospel of John
Summary
Clement of Alexandria described the Fourth Gospel as the “spiritual gospel”. From the church’s earliest engagement with John’s Gospel it has been apparent that this rather enigmatic book has deep levels of theology running through its veins. A complex series of theological motifs are woven together by the author of the Gospel to form a tapestry which presents Jesus in a fresh light, with a view to promoting belief in him.
This thesis seeks to highlight one such thread which has been underrepresented if not largely overlooked in mainline scholarship on the Gospel of John – the theological concept of remnant. Indeed this research will seek to demonstrate that there is a consistent undercurrent of Old Testament remnant theology that plays an important role in the Gospel’s narrative and which contributes to the reader’s understanding of Jesus and his mission as presented in the Gospel.
Funding Information
Moore College PhD Scholarship
Email Address
Stephen.Rockwell@student.moore.edu.au
James Rutherford
Title of Thesis
Biblical Metaphysics and the Son of God: A Christological, Philosophical Investigation
Summary
At the heart of the Christian faith is the doctrine of the incarnation, a doctrine that has been articulated for 1600 years within a framework of metaphysical assumptions concerning the nature of things (what it means for something to be what it is, for Jesus to be “God” and “man”) and the capacities of the human mind for knowing the external world. As the doctrine of the incarnation has been debated throughout the centuries, these assumptions have remained constant. If we are committed to having a truly Biblical theology of the incarnation, we must analyze these assumptions to see if they are Biblically compatible. Reformed Presuppositionalism provides the lens for this study. The result of this investigation may lead to a further clarification of the doctrine of the incarnation and an articulation of a particularly Christian approach to metaphysics, which may have far reaching implications across many fields of study.
Funding Information
Marcia Abel Scholarship
Email Address
jalexanderrutherford@teleioteti.ca
Paul White
Title of Thesis
Rhetorical Criticism and Homiletics: A Study in Method
Summary
The important interrelationship between rhetorical criticism and homiletics remains substantially unexplored. It is proposed that the discipline of rhetorical criticism offers the exegete and preacher a means of both unlocking authorial intent behind the ancient text (using classical approaches to rhetorical criticism) and translating its impact into a contemporary context (using modern rhetorical theory).
Two problems arise. Firstly, while sophisticated approaches to classical rhetorical criticism have been developed, there is currently no model for the broad-based application of modern rhetorical criticism to the NT. Secondly, very little of substance has been written that systematically relates modern rhetorical criticism to homiletics. Thus, the vast advances in modern rhetorical theory are yet to be meaningfully applied to NT criticism, and find little to no representation in homiletic literature.
My research seeks to redress this imbalance by developing: a rubric for the systematic application of modern rhetorical criticism to Scripture; a new method of ‘rhetorical exegesis’; and a heuristic for exegesis and sermon preparation for the non-specialist preacher.