Dr Kevin Wagner

BSc (Maths) - USyd, BTeach (Sec) - UWS, MA (Maths) - USyd, MDiv (Phil) - SCD, PhD - JPII-Melb
Associate Dean Learning and Teaching

Email: [email protected]
Phone: 02 8204 4163

  • Biography

    Dr Kevin Wagner is the Associate Dean Learning and Teaching for the Faculty of Education, Philosophy and Theology. He is the principal convener of the Theology at the Beginning of the Third Millennium conference series and co-editor of the eponymous book series. He is also the President of the Catholic Scholars Guild. His teaching, research, and HDR supervision is predominantly in the areas of Patristic Theology, Early Church History, and Scripture. Kevin was previously the Director of the Emmanuel School of Mission in Rome, a role he shared with his wife. He has a background in Secondary school teaching and has taught Mathematics, Religious Education, and Information Technology at both government and Catholic schools in Sydney, Melbourne and London. Kevin and his wife are currently responsible for the La Communauté de l'Emmanuel (Emmanuel Community) in Sydney.

  • Teaching Areas

    Patristics
    Early Church History
    Scripture

  • Research Expertise and Supervision

    I have co-supervised (or am currently co-supervising) HDR projects in the areas of scriptural hermeneutics, Wisdom literature, patristics, mystical theology, natural theology, the work of Luigi Giussani, and other related fields.

    My current research is in the areas of scriptural exegesis, the Patristic reception of the Hebrew Scriptures, and the hymns of the Neoplatonic Christian bishop Synesius of Cyrene.

  • Books

    • Wagner, Kevin, Peter J. McGregor, and Danijel Uremovic (eds). Eschatology at the Beginning of the Third Millennium. Eugene, Oregon: Pickwick, forthcoming 2025.
    • Wagner, Kevin, M. Isabell Naumann, and Peter J. McGregor (eds). Pneumatology at the Beginning of the Third Millennium. Eugene, Oregon: Pickwick, 2023.
    • Wagner, Kevin, M. Isabell Naumann, and Peter J. McGregor (eds). Theological Anthropology at the Beginning of the Third Millennium. Eugene, Oregon: Pickwick, 2022.
    • Wagner, Kevin, M. Isabell Naumann, and Peter J. McGregor (eds). Ecclesiology at the Beginning of the Third Millennium. Eugene, Oregon: Pickwick, 2020.
    • Neil, Bronwen, Doru Costache, and Kevin Wagner. Dreams, Virtue and Divine Knowledge in Early Christian Egypt. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2019.
    • Wagner, Kevin, M. Isabell Naumann, Peter J. McGregor, and Paul Morrissey (eds). Mariology at the Beginning of the Third Millennium. Eugene, Oregon: Pickwick, 2017.

  • Book chapters

    • Wagner, Kevin. "The Spirit as Dove in Patristic Interpretations of the Canticle of Canticles." In Pneumatology at the Beginning of the Third Millennium, edited by Kevin Wagner, Peter J. McGregor, and M. Isabell Naumann. Eugene, OR: Pickwick, forthcoming 2024.
    • Wagner, Kevin. "Becoming a Social Human Being: Communal Life as a Path to Deification in the Ascetical Works of Basil of Caesarea." In  Theological Anthropology at the Beginning of the Third Millennium, edited by Kevin Wagner, M. Isabell Naumann, and Peter McGregor, 151-170. Eugene, OR: Pickwick, 2022.
    • Wagner, Kevin. "Theology and the Koinonial Christian Life." In Healing Fractures in Contemporary Theology, edited by Peter J. McGregor and Tracey Rowland, 206-228. Eugene, OR: Cascade, 2022.
    • Wagner, Kevin. "The Festal Letter in the Life of the Church: A Study of the Festal Letters of St Cyril of Alexandria." In  Ecclesiology at the Beginning of the Third Millennium, edited by Kevin Wagner, M. Isabell Naumann, and Peter McGregor, 191-212. Eugene, OR: Pickwick, 2020.
    • Wagner, Kevin. "Towards a Patristic Theology of Barrenness." In Mariology at the Beginning of the Third Millennium, edited by K. Wagner, M. I. Naumann, P. J. McGregor, and P. Morrissey, 226-242. Eugene, OR: Pickwick, 2017.

  • Journal articles and proceedings

    • Wagner, Kevin. "Book Review - Jonathan Hicks, Trinity, Economy, and Scripture: Recovering Didymus the Blind (Winona Lake, Indiana: Eisenbrauns, 2015)." Phronema 32 (2017): 106-114.
    • Wagner, Kevin. "The Second Person of the Trinity in the Hymns of Synesius of Cyrene and Gregory of Nazianzus' Poemata Arcana and Orations." Phronema 31 (2016): 59-96.
    • Wagner, Kevin. "Theophilus of Alexandria and the Episcopal Ordination of Synesius of Cyrene." Phronema 29 (2014): 127-172.

  • Conference papers

    • Wagner, Kevin. "“Patristic Reception of Jewish Liturgical Texts: The Tabernacle.” Paper presented at 'Shepherd at the Crossroads’ Symposium on Early Christianity. Campion College, September, 2024.
    • Wagner, Kevin. "Synesius of Cyrene’s Hymn VIII—A Christian Neoplatonist’s Account of Holy Saturday." Paper presented at Eschatology at the Beginning of the Third Millennium Conference, University of Notre Dame, Australia. Sydney, Feb 2024.
    • Wagner, Kevin. "Indoctrination or Theological Education?" Two keynote papers presented at Thinking for Ourselves for God's Sake Conference. Sydney College of Divinity. April, 2023.
    • Wagner, Kevin. "The Spirit as Dove in Patristic Interpretations of the Canticle of Canticles." Paper presented at Pneumatology at the Beginning of the Third Millennium Conference, University of Notre Dame, Australia. Sydney, July 2022.
    • Wagner, Kevin. "Becoming a Social Human Being: Communal Life as a Path to Deification in the Ascetical Works of Basil of Caesarea." Paper presented at Theological Anthropology at the Beginning of the Third Millennium Conference, University of Notre Dame, Australia, Sydney, Feb 2020.
    • Wagner, Kevin. "The Outsiders: A Survey of Exclusion and Inclusion in the Christian Scriptures." Paper presented at Third Annual Religious Freedom Conference: Religious Freedom and Inclusivity – Compatibility, Conflict and the Future. November 28th - 29th 2019. University of Notre Dame Australia, Sydney. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gOzzMM2mpEI&feature=emb_logo.
    • Wagner, Kevin. "Sharers in the Mission: A Step towards a Renewed Understanding of the Relationship between Pastors and Laity". Paper presented at ACTA Conference, Melbourne, July 2018.
    • Wagner, Kevin. "The Festal Letter in the Life of the Church–A Study of the Festal Letters of St Cyril of Alexandria." Paper presented at Ecclesiology at the Beginning of the Third Millennium Conference, University of Notre Dame, Australia, Sydney, Feb 2018.
    • Wagner, Kevin. "Called to Attention: Prosocheē in John Chrysostom's Homilies on Genesis." Paper presented at St Andrew's Patristics Symposium 2016, St Andrew's Greek Orthodox Theological College, Sydney, September 2016.
    • Wagner, Kevin. "Virginity and Infertility: Barren Fruitfulness in 'de virginitate' Literature of the Fourth and Fifth Centuries." Paper presented at Mary at the Beginning of the Third Millennium, University of Notre Dame, Australia, Sydney, March 4-5, 2016.
    • Wagner, Kevin. "The Second Person of the Trinity in the Hymns of Synesius of Cyrene and Gregory of Nazianzen's Poemata Arcana and Orations." Paper presented at St Andrew's Patristics Symposium 2014, St Andrew's Greek Orthodox Theological College, Sydney, September 2014.
    • Wagner, Kevin. "Theophilus of Alexandria and the Episcopal Ordination of Synesius of Cyrene." Paper presented at St Andrew's Patristics Symposium 2013, St Andrew's Greek Orthodox Theological College, Sydney, September 2013.
    • Wagner, Kevin. "The Authority and Power of a Regional Bishop in Late Antiquity – A Case Study based on the Letters of Synesius of Cyrene." Paper presented at XL Incontro di Studiosi dell' Antichità Cristiana, Institutum Patristicum Augustinianum, Pontificia Universitas Lateranensis, Rome, May 2012.
    • Wagner, Kevin. "The Duty to Truth - A Case Study from the Early Church." Paper presented at the Sixth National Symposium on Religious Education - Perspectives on Religious Education: Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow, ACU, Sydney, June-July 2009.

  • In the media

  • Professional Affiliations:

    • Catholic Scholars Guild (Inaugural President)
    • Association Internationale d'Études Patristiques / International Association of Patristic Studies (AIEP-IAPS)

  • Community Engagement

    • Co-responsible for the La Communauté de l’Emmanuel (Emmanuel Community) in Sydney.
    • Member of the advisory board of Sumner House.