Dr Paul Middleton

Senior Lecturer in Biblical Studies and Academic Manager (Partnerships)

I joined the TRS Department in January 2010. I teach in the areas of New Testament and Christian Origins, and manage the Department's Collaborative Provision. I am interested in most areas of New Testament literature and theology, and my research centres around the phenomenon of martyrdom in both the ancient and modern world.

Telephone 01244 511036
Email p.middleton@chester.ac.uk

Qualifications

BMus; BD (Glasgow); ThM (Princeton Theological Seminary); PhD (Edinburgh); FRSA; FHEA

Overview

Having first studied Music at Glasgow University, I went on to read Theology at Glasgow, Princeton, and finally Edinburgh, where I wrote my PhD on early Christian martyrdom under Prof. Larry Hurtado. 

I was a researcher for Edinburgh's Centre for Theology and Public Issues on a Scottish Government funded project on Faith Communties in Glasgow, before moving to my first full-time academic post, teaching New Testament at the University of Wales, Lampeter. After four and a half years in rural Wales, I moved to Chester where I teach New Testament and Christian origins and manage the collaborative provision of TRS. 

I am an ordained minister of the Church of Scotland, and held posts at St Giles' Cathedral and The Old Kirk of Edinburgh, as well as serving on the Kirk's Panel on Worship, Board of Social Responsibility, and Mission and Discipleship Committee.

Teaching

My teaching has covered many areas of the New Testament, including text classes on John and the Book of Revelation; and a course on Jews, Christians, and Pagans, examining the social, political, and religious backgrounds to the New Testament. 

I have also given lectures on Liturgy and Worship, Music in Worship, and Music and Theology.

Supervision

  • Recent areas of PhD and Masters supervision include:
  • Grammatical Obscurities in the Epistles of John;*
  • A Biblical Defence of the Tripartite Division of the Law with reference to the Westminister Confession of Faith;*
  • Equality and Subordination in the Godhead of John*;
  • The Son of Man and the Psalms
  • Imperial background to the Gospel of Matthew;
  • The contribution of Samuel Wesley to Church Music.

*successful PhD completion 

 

Other Activities

  • External Examiner for the Queen's Foundation, University of Birmingham
  • Alexander Bruce Visiting Lecturer in New Testament Language, Literature, and Theology at the University of Glasgow (2006)
  • Member of University of Wales Validation Boards
  • Contributor to BBC Radio 4, BBC Scotland, Scottish Television, BBC Radio Scotland, and BBC Northern Ireland on a range of topics including: Martyrdom; Prostitution tolerance zones; Jesus and sexuality; Pope Benedict's book on Jesus; and Deliverance Ministry.
  • External Examnier for York St. John's
  • Secretary for the British New Testament Society

Research

I am interested in many aspects of New Testament Literature and Theology, particularly the way in which Christian and Jewish communties encountered and reacted to/against their wider environment. 

My recent research has been in the area of persecution and martyrdom in Judaism, Christianity and Islam. I am also fascinated by the way in which music interprets biblical texts and contributes to the History of Interpretation. I would welcome Postgraduate students in any of these areas.

Published work

Martyrdom: A Guide for the Perplexed (London/New York: T & T Clark, 2011).  Click here for more information

‘Martyrdom’ in The Cambridge Dictionary of Christian Theology (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2011), 301-303.

‘Review article: The Queer Bible Commentary’ in Theology and Sexuality 16 (2010), 109-114

(ed.) with A. Paddison, and K. Wenell (eds), Paul, Grace, and Freedom: Essays in Honour of John K. Riches (London: T & T Clark, 2009)

‘Paul and Martyrdom’ in Paul, Grace, and Freedom, 82-93

(ed.), The God of Love and Human Dignity: Essays in Honour of George M. Newlands (London: T & T Clark, 2007)

Radical Martyrdom and Cosmic Conflict in Early Christianity (LNTS 307; London: T & T Clark, 2006; repr. 2008)

Who to contact