Staff
If you are at the Durham campus or Queen's Campus, Stockton, dial the last five digits of the phone number. From outside the UK, the number is +44 191 33 and the last five digits.
Revd Prof David Wilkinson
(email at david.wilkinson@durham.ac.uk)
Biography
In addition to my teaching and research in the Department I am also Principal of St Johns College.
Before working in Durham as a theologian, I was a scientist and then a Methodist minister in inner city Liverpool. My background is research in theoretical astrophysics, where my PhD was in the study of star formation, the chemical evolution of galaxies and terrestrial mass extinctions such as the event which wiped out the dinosaurs. I am a Fellow of the Royal Astronomical Society and have published a wide range of papers on these subjects.
After this research I trained for the Methodist ministry, studying theology at Cambridge. I then served in a variety of appointments, including a growing church in Liverpool and as Methodist chaplain at Liverpool University.
I arrived in Durham in 1999 and held a Fellowship in Christian Apologetics at St John's College, and was also Associate Director of the Centre for Christian Communication.
My current work involves the relationship of the Christian theology to contemporary culture, from science to pop culture. I have had a long interest in the dialogue of science and religion, especially as it impacts the physical sciences. God, Time and Stephen Hawking (Monarch, 2001) and Christian Eschatology and the Physical Universe (T&T Clark 2010) are examples of that work. This work forms some of the undergraduate and postgraduate teaching that I do in the department where I teach modules in science and theology. My PhD is in Systematic Theology and explored Christian eschatology.
In addition, I am interested in the relationship of theology to contemporary culture in terms of preaching, missiology and apologetics. I have written on the spirituality in contemporary cinema in The Power of the Force: The Spirituality of the Star Wars Films (Lion, 2000), on the Christian doctrine of holiness in A Holiness of the Heart (Monarch, 2000) and a popular exposition of the biblical themes of creation in Creation: The Bible Speaks Today Bible Themes Series (IVP, 2002).
I have a range of research students working on the science and religion dialogue, the theology of preaching, Christian leadership, Fresh Expressions of church, Methodist ecclesiology, apologetics and the new atheism and the impact of reality television.
Publications
Articles: newspaper
- Wilkinson, David (2010). Hawking and God. The Times Online
Books: authored
- Wilkinson, David (2010). Christian Eschatology and the Physical Universe. London: T&T Clark.
- Wilkinson, David (2007). God, the Universe and Everything: 42 days through faith and pop culture. London: Epworth.
- Young, John & Wilkinson, David (2006). The Case Against Christ. London: Hodder & Stoughton.
- Wilkinson, D (2002). Creation. IVP.
- Wilkinson, D. (2001). God, time and Stephen Hawking. Oxford: Monarch.
Books: edited
- Barton, Stephen & Wilkinson, David (2009). Reading Genesis After Darwin. New York: OUP.
- Frost, Rob, Wilkinson, David & Cox, Jo (2009). The Call and the Commission: Equipping a New Generation of Leaders for a New World. Milton Keynes: Paternoster.
Edited works: contributions
- D. Alexander (2005). ‘Hawking, Dawkins and The Matrix: The dialogue of science and religion in the media’. In Can We Be Sure About Anything? Science, Faith and Postmodernism. Leicester: IVP. 214-236.
- Wilkinson, D. (2005). The end of it all contemporary cosmology and Christian eschatology in dialogue. In Creation and complexity interdisciplinary issues in science and religion. Ledger, C. & Pickard, S. Canberra: Australian Theological Forum.
- Wilkinson, D. (2004). The activity of God a methodist perspective. In Unmasking methodist theology a way forward. Marsh, C., Beck, B., Shier-Jones, A. & Wareing, H. London: Continuum. 142-154.
Essays in edited volumes
- Wilkinson, David (2009). Reading Genesis 1-3 in the light of modern science. In Reading Genesis After Darwin. Barton, Stephen & Wilkinson, David Oxford New York: OUP. 127-144.
- Wilkinson, David (2009). Turning the corner: Educating the theological educators, shaping the church traditions and engaging a new generation. In The Call and the Commission: Equipping a New Generation of Leaders for a New World. Frost, Rob, Wilkinson, David & Cox, Jo Milton Keynes: Paternoster. 194-208.
- Wilkinson, David (2009). Worshipping the Creator God the doctrine of creation. In Darwin, Creation and the Fall. Berry, R.J. & Noble, T.A. Leicester: IVP. 15-29.
- Wilkinson, David (2008). Creation Accounts in the Old Testament. In Creation and the Abrahamic Faiths. Spurway, N. Newcastle upon Tyne: Cambridge Scholars Press. 1-12.
- Wilkinson, David (2008). Natural Theology in Contemporary Cosmology. In The Edge of Reason? Science and religion in modern society. Bentley, A. London: Continuum. 186-192.
- Wilkinson, David (2008). What are the lessons from evangelism and apologetics for new communities?. In Mission Shaped Questions: defining issues for today's church. Croft, S. London: Church House Publishing. 102-113.
- Murray, Paul & Wilkinson, David (2005). 'The Significance of the Theology of Creation Within Christian Tradition'. In God, Humanity and Cosmos. Southgate, C. London: T & T Clark. 39-61.
- Wilkinson, D. (2004). 'Jesus Christ: God's Way of Salvation'. In Proceedings of the Eighteenth World Methodist Conference. Lake Junaluska: World Methodist Council. 32-42.
- Wilkinson, D. (2004). 'The God of the Physical Universe'. In Problems in Theology 4: Science and Religion. Astley, J., Brown, D. & Loades, A. London: T & T Clark. 49-51.
Journal papers: academic
- Wilkinson, D. (2009). Christian Apologetics in a Post-Christian Culture. Catalyst 35(2): 1-3.
- Wilkinson, David (2009). The Work of a Friend: Theology in the Light of the Origin of Species. Epworth Review 36(2): 45-65.
- Wilkinson, David (2008). Dawkins, the Simpsons and God: Public Theology and Pop Culture. Epworth Review 35(4): 6-20.
- Wilkinson, D (2002). ‘The Art of Apologetics in the 21st Century’. Anvil 19: 5-17.
Media Contacts
Available for media contact about:
- Theology: Relationship of Christian faith and pop culture
- Ethics, Religion & Beliefs: Cosmology and Theology
- Religion: Relationship of Christian faith and pop culture
- Religious Education: Relationship of Christian faith and pop culture
- Religious Education: Relationship of Science and Religion
- Religion: Relationship of Science and Religion
- Philosophy: Relationship of Science and Religion
- Ethics, Religion & Beliefs: Relationship of Science and Religion
- Astronomy, The Universe ...: Relationship of Science and Religion
- Science: Education, industry & the community: Relationship of Science and Religion
- Ethics, Religion & Beliefs: Relationship of Christian faith and pop culture
- Theology: Relationship of Science and Religion
- Science & Technology: Relationship of Science and Religion
- Philosophy: Cosmology and Theology
- Religion: Cosmology and Theology
- Religious Education: Cosmology and Theology
- Theology: Cosmology and Theology
- Physics: Cosmology and Theology
- Astronomy and Astrophysics: Cosmology and Theology
- Science & Technology: Cosmology and Theology
- Astronomy, The Universe ...: Cosmology and Theology
- Ethics, Religion & Beliefs: Vocational formation in the Church of England and Methodist Church
- Theology: Vocational formation in the Church of England and Methodist Church
- Ethics, Religion & Beliefs: SETI and Religion
- Philosophy: SETI and Religion
- Religion: SETI and Religion
- Religious Education: SETI and Religion
- Theology: SETI and Religion
- Physics: SETI and Religion
- Astronomy and Astrophysics: SETI and Religion
- Science & Technology: SETI and Religion
- Astronomy, The Universe ...: SETI and Religion