Dean of Faculty, Lecturer in Systematic Theology
PhD, ThM, MA, BA (Hons)
Bio
Christa started with Carey in 2020 and teaches both undergraduate and postgraduate students about the grandeur of the gospel by thinking with theologians from the Christian tradition and what that means for us today. In addition to teaching, she also researches, writes, and speaks on theological doctrines for the sake of the academy and church.
Christa has always had a passion for teaching, ever since being little, and bringing her love for teaching into Carey’s various learning platforms has been a natural fit. Her pursuit and completion of degrees in philosophy, bible exposition, and systematic theology has helped equip Christa to be an engaging and informative teacher. Further, as someone who did not see women leading or teaching in churches or Christian schools, she also wanted to do something about this. That something was founding Logia International, an organisation whose express aim is to encourage women to pursue postgraduate divinity education for the sake of the academy and church. Consequently, Christa is thrilled to support women in this academic journey, as well as helping men to know how to come alongside their sisters in this journey. Carey is the perfect place to bring all of these passions, skills and experience into one role.
“I believe that theology should matter for our daily lives and our daily lives should also inform our theology. At Carey, I am constantly being shaped and transformed by the Spirit through students, staff, and the whole ako experience. Ultimately, this looks like getting to sit at the feet of Jesus together as a community of co-learners and that is definitely my favourite part about working at Carey.”
Teaching Areas
- Humanity and Hope
- Christology
- Thinking Theologically
- Spirit and Church
- Spirit and Trinity
Current Research Areas
- Theological Anthropology
- Fundamental Need
- Christocentric Pneumatology
- Flourishing
- Science-Engaged Theology
Selected Publications
- McKirland, Christa L. “Analytic Theology” in T&T Clark Handbook on Modern Theology, Forthcoming.
- Tanya Lameta, Christa L. McKirland, Phil Halstead, “Learning from Ifoga.” Pacific Journal of Theological Research Vol. 17, No. 2 (Nov 2022): 1-10.
- McKirland, Christa L. God’s Provision, Humanity’s Need: The Gift of our Dependence. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic Press, 2022.
- McKirland, Christa L. “Autonomy and Flourishing: The Interplay of Divine and Human Freedom.” Pacific Journal of Theological Research Vol. 17, No. 1 (May 2022): 23-30.
- McKirland, Christa L. “Did Jesus Need the Spirit? An Appeal for Pneumatic Christology to Inform Christological Anthropology.” Perichoresis 19.2 (2021): 43-61.
- McKirland, Christa L. “Imago Dei and Divine Presence: A Critique of Gender Essentialism.” in Discovering Biblical Equality. Revised and Expanded edition. Edited by Ronald Pierce and Cynthia Westfall. Downers Grove, IL: Intervarsity Press, 2021.
- McKirland, Christa L. Review, “Singleness and the Church: A New Theology of the Single Life.” Journal of Biblical and Theological Studies, July 2018.
- McKirland, Christa L. “Era of Kings: Huldah: Malfunction with the Wardrobe-Keeper’s Wife.” in Vindicating the Vixens: Men and Women Revisiting Gendered Bible Stories. Edited by Sandra Glahn. Grand Rapids, MI: Kregel Publications, 2017.
- McKirland, Christa L. Review, “Sexual Difference in Christian Theology: Male, Female and Intersex in the Image of God.” Journal of Psychology and Theology (Spring 2016).
- McKirland, Christa L. Review, “Dignity and Destiny: Humanity in the Image of God.” Priscilla Papers, Vol. 29, No. 4 (Autumn, 2015), 27-29.
- McKirland, Christa L. and Matthew McKirland. “Who’s in Charge? Questioning our Common Assumptions about Spiritual Authority.” Priscilla Papers, Vol. 27, Issue 1 (Winter, 2013): 15-25.