Professor James Harrison

Professor of Biblical Studies & Research Director, Office of the Dean
PhD FAHA

James R. Harrison (PhD, Macquarie University, 1997) has been Professor of Biblical Studies and the Research Director at the Sydney College of Divinity, Australia, since 2013. Formerly he was the Head of Theology at Wesley Institute, Drummoyne, from 2002-2012, having taught there as a senior lecturer from 1998. Prior to his appointment at Wesley Institute, he was the Director of the School of Christian Studies at Robert Menzies College, Macquarie University, 2000-2001.

Jim has been a member of the Society of New Testament Studies since 2011. With Professor L. L. Welborn (Forham), he co-convened the Polis and Ekklesia Session at the SBL Annual Meeting (2011-2016) and, with Professor Peter Arzt-Grabner (Salzburg), currently co-convenes the ‘Papyrology, Epigraphy and the New Testament’ Seminar at the annual SNTS General Meeting (2019-2023). He has published four monographs, edited 13 edited books, and has published many articles and book chapters with international presses. He is the editor of the series New Documents Illustrating the History of Early Christianity Vols 11-15 (Eerdmans) and is co-editor, with L. L. Welborn, of The First Urban Churches Vols 1-5 (2015-2019: SBL Press), with four additional volumes forthcoming. Before his academic career, he taught ancient history in two state high schools from 1976-1990.

Currently working on

In addition to completing the remaining four volumes of The First Urban Christians (2020-2023), Jim will be working with Dr Brad Bitner and Dr Alan Cadwallader to publish, respectively, New Documents Illustrating the History of Early Christianity Volume 11 (Ephesus: 2020) and ibid., Volume 12 (Colossae, Hierapolis, and Laodicea: 2021). A new monograph on the gospel of Luke (Jesus, Agent of Mercy and Forgiveness: Studies on the Social Perspective of Luke’s Gospel) is being prepared for publication in 2023. A Zondervan volume in the ALNTS series (Vol. 10), co-edited with Professor Randy Richards (Palm Beach Atlantic University), is being prepared for 2022, titled Inscriptions, Graffiti, Documentary Papyri, Ostraca, Coin Legends. Two other volumes on the Gospels and Acts, edited with Professor Bolt from the SCD Gospels Centre 2018 conference, will be published in 2020. Further articles and invited book chapters for international publications are also being written currently.

Awards/Honours

Fellow of the Australian Humanities Academy (2018);

2005 Winner of the Biblical Archaeology Society Publication Award for Best Book Relating to the New Testament published in 2003 and 2004 for Paul’s Language of Grace in Its Graeco-Roman Context (Tübingen: Mohr Siebeck, 2003).

Only a limited number of publications are listed here.