Fergus holds a Master of Arts with Honours (Classical Studies) from the University of St Andrews, and a Bachelor of Divinity with Honours (New Testament) from the University of Edinburgh. In his Doctor of Theology (University of South Africa), he explored how the phenomenon of inculturation or contextualisation was used by the gospel writers to explain the phenomenon of Jesus’ life and death, and the church’s response to those events.

He is an elected member of the International Association for Mission Studies, The Fellowship of Biblical Studies, and the Societas Novi Testamenti Studiorum.

Fergus has a particular interest in the missiological implications of the New Testament. In his doctorate, awarded by the University of South Africa, he explored how the phenomenon of inculturation or contextualisation was used by the gospel writers to explain the phenomenon of Jesus’ life and death, and the church’s response to those events. Critical to this is an understanding of “re-accentuation” (Mikhail Bakhtin): the process by which terms may be invested with a fresh meaning by their application to a new situation. This is undertaken using a methodology which recognises the significance of lexical fields (James Barr) and explores “family resemblances” (Ludwig Wittgenstein) rather than genealogical (cause and effect) links. All this is founded on Martin Hengel’s judgment that the NT is missiological in nature.

In his more recent work, he has researched how the NT writings resonate with the religious, philosophical and literary traditions of the ancient world to present the Christian faith to their first audiences.

This research is then complemented by a hermeneutics of correspondence (Clodovis Boff) or resonance (Fidon Mwombeki) to suggest appropriate missiological theory and practice for today.

Ordained in the Scottish Episcopal Church, Fergus has worked in Scotland, Tanzania, England and Australia. he is an Honorary Canon and Canon Theologian of the Diocese of Tanga (Tanzania)

University Appointments

Farnham Maynard Lecturer in Ministry (Trinity College Theological School)

External Affiliations

• International Association for Mission Studies (Member)
• Fellowship of Biblical Studies (Member)
• Societas Novi Testamenti Studiorum (Member)