People

Role at SMBC:

Kit, as Director of Teaching and Learning, seeks excellence in the academic life of the college. He chairs the Academic Board, coordinates curriculum, supports faculty in their teaching and development, and advises students in academic matters. He also lectures in Old Testament.

Prior to SMBC:

Kit joined the faculty at SMBC in 2010 as lecturer in Old Testament. His primary areas of teaching include the Former Prophets, Psalms and Ezekiel. Before coming to SMBC, Kit spent several years lecturing in theology at Wesley Institute (now Excelsia College) and ministering at his local church. His doctoral studies were in the field of theological interpretation and the Psalms, and his thesis, Imprecation as Divine Discourse: Speech Act Theory, Dual Authorship and Theological Interpretation was published by Eisenbrauns.

Academic Interests:

Kit is currently researching and writing on the following areas: Psalms, Ezekiel, Former Prophets, Hermeneutics, Rhetorical Criticism, Theological Interpretation, Biblical Violence, and Forgiveness. He is currently available to supervise doctoral candidates in these and related fields.

Publications:

• Barker K. 'Drawing Pictures in Water: The Place of Penitence in the Art of Forgiveness', Pages 17–35 in The Art of Forgiveness, P. Halstead and M. Habets (eds.), London: Lexington/Fortress Academic, 2018.
• Barker, K. 'Theological Interpretation in Theological Education: Teaching Old Testament Studies' Pages 3–16 in Theological Education: Foundations, Practices and Future Directions, A.M. Bain and I. Hussey (eds.) ACT Monograph Series, Eugene: Wipf & Stock, 2018.
• Harper, G.G. and Barker, K. (eds.) Finding Lost Words: The Church’s Right To Lament. ACT Monograph Series, Eugene: Wipf & Stock, 2017. (Available for purchase from the SMBC online store)
• Barker K. 'Finding Our Words in His: Christology and Lament' in Finding Lost Words: The Church’s Right To Lament, G. G. Harper and K. Barker (eds.) ACT Monograph Series, Eugene: Wipf & Stock, 2017. 
• Barker K. 'Lament as Divine Discourse' in Finding Lost Words: The Church’s Right To Lament,  G. G. Harper and K. Barker (eds.) ACT Monograph Series, Eugene: Wipf & Stock, 2017.
• Barker K. 'Psalm 137: A Sermon' in Finding Lost Words: The Church’s Right To Lament,  G. G. Harper and K. Barker (eds.) ACT Monograph Series, Eugene: Wipf & Stock, 2017.
• Barker, K. Imprecation as Divine Discourse: Speech Act Theory, Dual Authorship and Theological Interpretation, Journal of Theological Interpretation Supplementary Series 16, Winona Lake: Eisenbrauns, 2016. (Available for purchase from the SMBC online store)
• Barker, K. 'Psalms of the Powerless: A Theological Interpretation of Imprecation.' in Stirred by a Noble Theme: The Book of Psalms in the Life of the Church. Edited by A. G. Shead. Nottingham: IVP, 2013, 205-229.
• Barker K. 'The Day of the Lord', In The Dictionary of the Bible and Western Culture, Mary Ann Beavis & Michael Gilmour (eds.) Sheffield Phoenix Press, 2012, 109 – 110.
• Barker K. 'I Am who I Am', In The Dictionary of the Bible and Western Culture, Mary Ann Beavis & Michael Gilmour (eds.) Sheffield Phoenix Press, 2012, 226.
• Barker K. 'Nahum', In The Dictionary of the Bible and Western Culture, Mary Ann Beavis & Michael Gilmour (eds.) Sheffield Phoenix Press, 2012, 357 – 358.
• Barker, K. 'Speech Act Theory, Dual Authorship and Canonical Hermeneutics: Making Sense of Sensus Plenior', Journal of Theological Interpretation 3.2, (2009) 227-239.
• Barker, K. 'Divine Illocutions in Psalm 137: A Critique of Nicholas Wolterstorff’s Second Hermeneutic', TynBull 60.1 (2009) 1-14.

Speaking Ministry:

• Tyndale Fellowship (Cambridge, 2021)
• OMF, Regional Retreat (Bangkok, 2020)
• Evangelical Theological Society (San Diego, 2019)
• ​Evangelical Theological Society (Denver, 2018)
• Christian Convention Darwin (2018)
• Evangelical Theological Society (San Antonio, 2016)
• Cary Baptist College, Art of Forgiveness Conference (Auckland, 2015)
• Evangelical Theological Society (San Diego, 2014)
• Himalayan Graduate School of Theology, Visiting Lecturer (Nepal, 2013)
• Evangelical Theological Society (Milwaukee, 2012)
• Moore College, School of Theology (Sydney, 2012)
• Australasian Conference for the Academy and the Church (Brisbane, 2009)
• Society of Biblical Literature (Auckland, 2008)
• Australasian Theological Forum (Canberra, 2007)
• Chalcedon: International Conference for Christian Apologetics (Sydney, 2005)

Personal:

Kit lives on the northern beaches with his wife Robyn and their three young children. They attend Narrabeen Baptist Church where Kit serves as an elder. In his spare time he enjoys surfing, fishing and roasting coffee.

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