Theological study is at its best when committed to both theory and practice. An emerging method of biblical study – Biblical Performance Criticism – is well-placed to grapple with this dialectic due to its focus on performance as a method in understanding texts.

In this lecture, based on her new book Prophets as Performers, Jeanette Mathews will apply her unique triad of Creativity, Commentary, and Connections to several Old Testament prophets before turning her attention to how the St Mark’s academic community might be viewed in similar terms. ‘Creativity’ celebrates the artistry seen in individual prophetic performances and challenges us to respond to our context with inspired imagination. ‘Commentary’ enables academic analysis of underlying performative features in biblical texts and aids us in re-applying those traditions for contemporary audiences. ‘Connections’ is the essential step in relating biblical traditions to the concerns and issues of 21^st century society to enable practical application of our theological study.