Dr Janina Hiebel has been teaching Old Testament and languages at Yarra Theological Union (YTU) since 2015, and is an adjunct lecturer at Catholic Theological College (CTC).

Janina completed her PhD at Murdoch University, WA, in 2014 and holds a degree in theology (with specialisation in Old Testament studies) from the Otto-Friedrich University Bamberg in Germany (2005), as well as a Graduate Certificate in Theological Education from the University of Divinity (2019). Her doctoral thesis with the title Ezekiel’s Vision Accounts as Interrelated Narratives: A Redaction-Critical and Theological Study was published by De Gruyter in 2015.

Areas of particular interest in Janina’s research are the period of the Babylonian Exile, and especially the book of Ezekiel. While her doctoral thesis mainly employs a redaction-critical approach, her recent research is exploring how questions emerging from exilic biblical texts, surrounding the topics of crisis and hope, might relate to today’s world.

Janina currently teaches “Entering the World of the Old Testament,” “Exile, Trauma and the Presence of God: The Book of Ezekiel,” “Biblical Hebrew” and “Theological German” at YTU. She co-teaches “Interpreting Biblical Texts” at YTU and “Exploring the Old Testament” at CTC.

A member of the Focolare Movement, Janina coordinates a basic theological formation program for members in Melbourne and in the wider region of Oceania, as well as contributing to similar programs internationally. She also enjoys speaking on biblical topics to other local groups and parishes.

University Appointments

External Affiliations

• Society of Biblical Literature (Member)
• Fellowship of Biblical Studies (Member)