Song of Songs: A metaphor for God and the church or a celebration of sexuality?

The Alf Stanway Lecture in Mission 2026 🎙️ S4 E14 — Creation Care: Integral to the Great Commission or Optional Extra? with Anna Radkovic and Revd Dr Wei-Han Kuan

🎙️ S4 E13 — Inside Ridley: A Conversation with Archbishop Ric Thorpe Episode Description In this special edition of Inside Ridley, our Principal, Rhys Bezzant, sits down with the Archbishop of Melbourne, Archbishop Ric Thorpe, for a warm and wide-ranging conversation about the church, leadership, and what the next season holds for the Diocese of Melbourne. Ten months into his time in Melbourne, Ric is already brimming with vision and energy. He shares what he's been discovering across the diocese, what excites and challenges him, and where he believes God is at work. They also talk about what it takes to raise leaders at every level, the upcoming church planting intensive at Ridley, and what he'd say to every theological student sitting in a lecture right now. Genuine, energising, and full of hope for the future of the church in Melbourne.

🎙️ S4 E12 — Inside Ridley: Semester Two, Reformation Tour & Women's Writing Retreat with Rhys Bezzant & Bec Muir Episode Description In this episode of Inside Ridley, our Principal, Rhys Bezzant, sits down once again with faculty member Bec Muir for a warm catch-up on everything that's been happening at Ridley over the mid-year break. They cover a lot of ground, from the new kitchen and caterers on campus, to a new COO and CFO joining the executive team, to a long-awaited upgrade of the library catalogue that's already making life easier for students on campus and online. Bec shares highlights from Ridley's Women's Writing Retreat, a two-day gathering that brought together 40 women for focused writing time, workshops, and the kind of encouragement that's hard to find elsewhere. Rhys then takes listeners along on his recent Reformation tour through Germany, France and Switzerland, sharing two standout moments: Luther burning the papal bull at the spot where the local hospital burned its rags, and a centuries-old procession at the abbey church where Zwingli was radicalised. They also look ahead to Open Day, and give a shout-out to Ridley's often-invisible doctoral community, currently 28 strong and researching across the globe. A warm, wide-ranging, and genuinely enjoyable episode.

🎙️ S4 E11 — The Leon Morris Lecture in New Testament Studies 2026 “I live by the faith of God and Christ: A Deep Dive into Galatians 2:20.” With Stephen Carlson Episode Description In Paul’s letters there are debates about whether certain Greek phrases should be translated as “faith in Christ” or “Christ’s faithfulness.” In this presentation, Dr. Stephen Carlson provides a comprehensive analysis of Galatians 2:20 to show how a close reading of the text, including some very interest textual variants, gives us a fresh perspective on Paul’s account of faith and faithfulness in Galatians. Speaker Bio: Dr Stephen C. Carlson is Associate Professor in the Biblical and Early Christianity program in the Institute for Religion and Critical Inquiry at the Australian Catholic University. He is author of three books, The Gospel Hoax: Morton Smith’s Invention of Secret Mark (2005), The Text of Galatians and its History (2015), and Papias of Hierapolis, Exposition of Dominical Oracles: The Fragments, Testimonia, and Reception of a Second-Century Commentator (2021). He is also the author of numerous peer-reviewed journal articles, including those on the so-called "inn" in Luke's infancy account and the donkeys in Matthew's triumphal entry. Got Questions? Got questions about Ridley College? We'd love to hear from you! Whether you're thinking about studying with us or just want to know what life at Ridley is really like. No question is too big or too small. Drop your questions in the comments below or email us at [email protected] and we'll do our best to answer every single one. 👇

🎙️ S4 E10 A Third Way: The Text and Theology of Galatians 2:20 with Stephen Carlson