Professor Diane Speed

Diane retired as the Dean and CEO of the Sydney College of Divinity on 30 September 2021. She started in the role at the beginning of 2008.

During her remarkable tenure, SCD saw the birth of:

• The Korean School of Theology
• The Graduate Research School
• The Centre for Gospels and Acts Research
• SCD Press
• The Learning and Teaching Conferences and Book Series
• The Theology Research Network
• SCD as a self-accrediting institution with TEQSA

Diane’s previous working life was based in the Department of English at the University of Sydney, where she was engaged in teaching, research, and supervision, alongside administration in the Faculty, and occasional teaching and supervision for the Department of Studies in Religion. In the United Kingdom she has also been an Honorary Associate at the University of Liverpool and a Visiting Fellow at Robinson College Cambridge. Her particular expertise is in medieval thought and texts, with particular interests in biblical paraphrase and commentary, romance, hagiography, exempla, and manuscript culture, underlying all of which is an abiding concern with historical theology.

Diane’s outside interests focus mainly on lay teaching and pastoring. She has preached in Anglican churches in Sydney and Presbyterian churches in Korea. She belongs to the Wellspring community and co-convenes the NSW Ecumenical Council’s Theological Reflection Commission. She enjoys time with her friends and her cat, opera, ballet, concerts, and reading.