On 28 September 2017 Sydney College of Divinity launched the Centre for Gospels and Acts Research. In launching the Centre, then Associate Professor Peter Bolt in his speech said, “Why should a 21st century person read these 1st century documents? Because although firmly anchored in the 1st century, Jesus Christ comes to the world as the key for all centuries to come. Always relevant, always contemporary, because a man has risen from the dead. And because we therefore know God has become flesh and dwelt amongst us for a little while. The Gospels bring us to that set of events that herald that greatest of all manifestations when God became flesh.”
Professor Diane Speed in her launch speech noted, “Academically speaking, SCD embraces the ideal of research-led teaching and the value of making an original contribution to knowledge in the discipline and the teaching of it. In this context, the Centre for Gospels and Acts Research may be expected to provide a special encouragement to faculty and senior students to engage in research in the Gospels and Acts, books that are central to the discipline of Biblical Studies, and to share their interests and discoveries in classes, conferences, and publications.”
The Sydney College of Divinity Centre for Gospels and Acts Research (CGAR) promotes research into the four Gospels and, due to the connections with Luke, the Book of Acts. It seeks to foster better understanding of these foundational documents of historical Christianity, and encourages research from a variety of methodological perspectives, including historical, archaeological, theological, exegetical, literary, sociological, feminist, and text-critical approaches. A key part of the Centre’s work is the publication of its journal, JGAR, the Journal of Gospels and Act Research, by SCD Press.