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Prof John McDowell

BD(Hons1stCl), PhD

HDR Supervisor

John C. McDowell is Professor of Philosophy, Systematic Theology and Ethics, and is Academic Dean at Yarra Theological Union. Formerly Morpeth Professor at the University of Newcastle NSW and the Meldrum Senior Lecturer in Systematic Theology at the University of Edinburgh, he was Cambridge and Aberdeen educated. A prolific writer, John has published 7 monographs, edited 9 collections, and contributed over 80 peer-reviewed journal articles and book chapters. His research interests coalesce on the issue of hope, and cover interdisciplinary interests in theology (particularly Karl Barth and the German theological tradition), political theology, German philosophy, philosophical and theological ethics, cultural studies of popular cultural texts, critical theory and Marxist analysis.

Having been Director of Research at the University (2015-9), John is concerned to ensure Higher Education is driven by responsibility to values of excellence, and that academics’ claims to truth-telling be subjected to rigorous high-quality peer-review.

Among the various units John has designed and taught at the University, the following are his most current: Atheism, Philosophy for Beginners, The Human Person as Neighbour, Hope in Dark Times, Doing Justice in Theory and Practice, & Patristic Thought for the Good Life.

University Appointments

    Academic Dean (Yarra Theological Union)

Teaching disciplines

Philosophy; Moral Theology; Systematic Theology; History; Church History; Religious Studies; Religious Education; Spirituality; Ecumenical Studies

Research areas

hope; ethical philosophy and theology; Karl Barth; popular culture; critical theory

Recent Publications

All publications
2023 A New Myth: The Critical Study of Star Wars as Myth
2023 Category Mistake 101: The Idea of the Desocialising University and the Last Intellectual
2022 The Spectacle of Hope Beyond Capital’s Dehumanising Violence: Reading the Dystopian THX 1138
2021 T.F. Torrance on Prayer
2021 Donald MacKinnon
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