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Associate Prof. Margaret Beirne

Senior Lecturer, Biblical Studies. St Andrew’s Greek Orthodox Theological College.
BA (UNE), MA (BostonCollege), BD (MelbColl.Div), MEd (UNSW), DTheol (MCD)

Margaret is a Sister of Charity. After several years as a teacher and administrator in congregational secondary schools, she undertook doctoral research for six months at the École Biblique in Jerusalem. On her return, she continued her studies while teaching at the Centre for Christian Spirituality Randwick; she graduated with a DTheol from Melbourne College of Divinity in 2000.

In 2002, she was elected to a full-time role on her religious congregation’s General Council, at the completion of which in 2009, she began teaching Biblical Studies at St Andrew’s Greek Orthodox Theological College. With the recent addition of further biblical studies staff, her primary teaching focus is on course units in the New Testament. 

Publications

  • 2020

    “Archbishop Stylianos Harkianakis, A Personal Tribute.”

    ,” in Vassilis Adrahtas et al (eds). Archbishop Stylianos, Pastor, Theologian, Poet. Sydney: St Andrew’s Orthodox Press, 125-132.

  • 2019

    “Women Leadership in the Church: Foundations in the New Testament.”

    in Gunter Prüeller-Jagenteufel et al (eds.). Towards Just Gender Relations. Rethinking the Role of Women in Church and Society (Vienna: Vienna University Press), 91-101.

  • 2019

    “St Irenaeus and the Scriptures.”

    Phronema 34(2), 59-86.

  • 2017

    “‘Breathing with Both Lungs’: Bringing East and West Together in Biblical Scholarship"

    Phronema 32(2), 31-48.

  • 2013

    “Scripture in the Works of St Gregory the Theologian,” and “Spiritual Enrichment Through Exegesis: St Gregory of Nyssa and the Scriptures.”

    In Cappadocian Legacy. Sydney: St Andrew’s Orthodox Press, 275-288, 395-409.

  • 2013

    “St Athanasius and the Scriptures, exemplified in his Letter to Marcellinus.”

    Phronema 28:2, 89-106.

  • 2012

    “Spiritual Enrichment Through Exegesis: St Gregory of Nyssa and the Scriptures.”

    Phronema 27:2, 83-98.

  • 2012

    “‘Old Habits Die Hard’: The Experience of Australian Women Religious in Australia in the Wake of Vatican II”

    In Vatican II. Reception and implementation in the Australian Church. VIC: Garratt Publishing.

  • 2011

    “Scripture in the Works of St Gregory the Theologian.”

    Phronema 26:2, 47-62.

  • 2006

    “The Birth of Jesus” and “The Death and Resurrection”.

    In Biblica: The Bible Atlas. Sydney: Global Book Publishers.

  • 2003

    Women and Men in the Fourth Gospel: A Genuine Discipleship of Equals."

    JSNT Supp series 242; London: Sheffield Academic Press.

Areas of Interest
  • Johannine and Pauline Literature
  • Adult faith formation in the Scriptures
  • Ignatian Spirituality, discernment, and synodality
Research Strengths
  • Narrative and character studies in the New Testament
  • Patristic exegesis
  • Biblical Spirituality
Currently Working On
  • “Acts 15: a Spirit-led Model for the Synod process”. Notification of acceptance for publication in the Gregorianum (academic journal of the Gregorian University Rome), was received 6 March 2023.
  • Introduction and English translation of the article by Christoph Schönborn. “Plaisir et douleur dans l’Analyse de S Maxime, d’après les Quaestiones ad Thalassium”, to be submitted to the editor of Phronema.