Matthew is a life-long Anglican who spent his school years in Sydney. He spent most of the next 20 years in Canberra, except for four years overseas studying for a Masters in Christian Studies at Regent College (Vancouver) and a PhD (cum laude) at Vrije Universiteit (Amsterdam), in Biblical Hebrew linguistics. He was ordained to the priesthood in 2009 and in 2010 moved to Adelaide to be Principal of St Barnabas Theological College (2010-2017).
In September 2022 Matthew took up the position of parish priest at St Theodore’s, Toorak Gardens, where along with Liz (and their three adult children, when they’re home) he loves being involved in the local community (including, spending much of his spare time as a referee with Football South Australia).
Matthew has always loved parish ministry and academic scholarship and remains active in both areas. In addition to parish ministry, Matthew enjoys preaching and speaking, and has presented Bible Studies at the National Anglican Deacons Conference; the National Anglican Bishops Conference; the Willochra and Adelaide Synods; the Willochra, Adelaide, Ballarat, and Canberra-Goulburn Clergy Conferences; General Synod; and the National Anglican Deans Conference. He was Canon Theologian in the Diocese of Adelaide from 2015-2017.
Matthew has been on General Synod since 2017 and is actively engaged with Anglicans from around the country in the promotion of an inclusive, comprehensive, and open-hearted Anglicanism. He is a member of the National Comprehensive Anglicanism Network.
In academia, Matthew’s expertise in Biblical Hebrew lingusitics has led him to supervise and/or lecture at many Australian universities, University of Sydney, University of Queensland, University of Adelaide, Flinders University, the University of Divinity, and Charles Sturt University, where he has been a research fellow many years. Matthew founded and co-chaired the Biblical Hebrew Language and Linguistics Unit, Society of Biblical Literature (International), and for many years was a member of the Linguistics and Biblical Hebrew Unit, Society of Biblical Literature. He is a member of The National Association of Professors of Hebrew (USA), and a trustee of The Australian Research Theological Foundation Incorporated (ARTFinc).
In this project, Matthew is seeking to bring together not only his ministry and academic experience, but also his deep love of and interest in poetry and music.
You can read more about Matthew at www.matthewanstey.com.