Robyn Whitaker to serve as Director of the Wesley Centre

Uniting Church theologian Rev. Dr Robyn Whiatker will serve as the inaugural Director of The Wesley Centre for Theology, Ethics and Public Policy in Victoria.

Launching in early 2024, the Centre is a collaboration between Wesley Church, Uniting Vic.Tas, Uniting Agewell, UEthical, and the eLM unit of the Synod of Victoria and Tasmania. The Uniting Church Congregation of Mark the Evangelist is one of the major donors.

The Centre will be a forum for public conversation about ethics and public policy through the lens of theology.

Rev. Dr Whitaker said she was, “convinced by the need for compassionate, loving, and intelligent Christian contributions in the public square.”

Rev. Dr Whitaker is the author of several books, including Even The Devil Quotes Scripture. She was included in The Conversation’s Yearbook of “50 Standout Articles from Australia’s Top Thinkers” in both 2017 and 2018, and has an article in the 2021 celebratory volume 50 standout articles from the first ten years of The Conversation, and has promoted debate through television, radio and newspaper comment.

Rev. Dr Whitaker will be seconded part time from her current role, but remains part time as Associate Professor of New Testament at the Pilgrim Theological College in the University of Divinity.