This episode of WTCLive comes to you from the student pub at WTC’s student residential (September 2016). Lucy Peppiatt, Matt Lynch and Brad Jersak interview Chris Kugler on the various aspects of his thesis, which looks at the Image of God in Paul’s writings and how that relates to a Sacramental Anthropology and Image Monotheism. Chris is also involved in a broader discussion amongst current New Testament scholars on Divine Christology and he argues for the bringing together of a high Christology and a high anthropology in Paul’s letters.
Chris Kugler PhD Candidate
New Testament
Chris holds a bachelor’s degree in Religious Studies and Biblical Languages, as well as two master’s degrees in Biblical Studies from Duke University and the University of St Andrews respectively. He is currently working on a PhD in New Testament at the University of St Andrews, Scotland, under N. T. Wright, where his research focuses particularly on Paul’s use of the Jewish and Greco-Roman imago Dei traditions in his Christology and theological anthropology. More broadly, his research interests include Jewish Monotheism, Jewish and Greco-Roman theological anthropology, Christology and Christian Origins. His primary passion is to help students encounter the New Testament in its rich and complex historical context. He is married to Katie Rae and both of them are based in Houston, Texas.
Rev. Brad Jersak PhD
New Testament and Patristics
Rev. Dr. Brad Jersak (Reader Irenaeus) is an author and teacher based in Abbotsford, Canada. He teaches New Testament and Patristics at WTC. After serving as pastor and church-planter for twenty years, he now travels for Fresh Wind Christian Fellowship and serves as reader at All-Saints Orthodox Monastery. Brad’s focus today is on writing accessible theology, facilitating ‘listening prayer’ seminars, and teaching college courses. His emphases are the Gospels, Cruciform theology , and contemplative spirituality applied to prophetic justice. He is currently editor of www.clarionjournal.com and senior editor Plain Truth Ministries (www.ptm.org).

Lucy Peppiatt PhD
Principal, Systematic Theology
Lucy has bachelor’s degrees in both English and Theology. She completed her MA in Systematic Theology at King’s College, London, and her PhD through the University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand. Lucy is the author of Women and Worship at Corinth: Paul’s Rhetorical Arguments in 1 Corinthians. (Wipf and Stock, 2015); and The Disciple: On Becoming Truly Human. (Wipf and Stock, 2012). Lucy’s research interests are Christ and the Spirit, Charismatic theology, discipleship, and 1 Corinthians.
Matt Lynch PhD
Dean of Studies, Old Testament
Matt teaches Old Testament and serves as Dean of Studies at WTC. He recently moved from Germany, where he completed post-doctoral research on conceptions of divine supremacy in Persian period biblical literature. Matt is the author of Monotheism and Institutions in the Book of Chronicles (Mohr Siebeck, 2014) and various articles on the Old Testament. Matt is particularly interested in helping students grasp the theological and literary contours of the Old Testament, wrestle through its ethical and historical challenges, and understand its ongoing significance.









Lucy Peppiatt PhD
Richard earned a Ph.D. from the Vrije Universiteit, Amsterdam, in a joint-degree program with the Institute of Christian Studies, Toronto. His other degrees include: M.A. in Philosophy, University of Guelph (Canada), 1985, and B.Th., Jamaica Theological Seminary, 1977. Dr. Middleton has done additional graduate studies in the Old Testament at Colgate Rochester Divinity School (1986-1988), and in religious studies and philosophy at Syracuse University (1984-1985).
William earned his Ph.D. at Emory University, his MDiv from Princeton Theological Seminary, and his BA from Whitman College. He has abiding interests in the use of scripture in the life of the church and the world, particularly in the context of ecology and justice. Specific interests include creation theology, faith and science dialogue, the Psalms, and wisdom literature (Proverbs, Job, and Ecclesiastes). Recent books include The Seven Pillars of Creation: Bible, Science, and the Ecology of Wonder (Oxford University) and Wisdom’s Wonder (Wm. B. Eerdmans). Recently, he helped Columbia Seminary earn one of 10 grants totalling $1.5 million awarded by the American Association for the Advancement of Science to integrate science into the seminary’s curriculum.


Brad is an author and teacher based in Abbotsford, Canada. He earned his Ph.D. from Bangor University, Wales, and has completed post-doctoral research at the University of Nottingham. He teaches Graduate Gospel Studies for WTC. After serving as a pastor and church planter for twenty years, he now attends Fresh Wind Christian Fellowship, an ‘Isaiah 58 church’, where his wife, Eden, is the lead pastor. Brad’s focus today is on writing accessible theology, facilitating ‘listening prayer’ seminars, and teaching college courses. His emphases are the Gospels, the theology of the Cross, and contemplative spirituality applied to prophetic justice. He is currently chair of the board of Soul Stream (www.soulstream.org) and associate editor of The Plain Truth magazine (www.ptm.org). Among Brad’s various books are Her Gates will Never be Shut: Hope, Hell and the New Jerusalem (Wipf and Stock, 2009), Fear No Evil: Breaking Free from the Culture of Fear (Fresh Wind, 2006), Kissing the Leper: Seeing Jesus in the Least of These (Fresh Wind, 2006), Can You Hear Me? Tuning in to the God who Speaks (Fresh Wind, 2003) and A More Christlike God, A More Beautiful Gospel (Plain Truth, 2015).
Richard is Dean and the George Washington Ivey Professor of New Testament at Duke Divinity School and is internationally recognized for his work on the letters of Paul and on New Testament ethics. His scholarly work has bridged the disciplines of biblical criticism and literary studies, exploring the innovative ways in which early Christian writers interpreted Israel’s Scripture.



Lincoln is Lecturer in Systematic Theology at St Mellitus College, and author of the recent
Andrew is Professor of Sport and Christian Outreach in the Faculty of Applied Sciences at the University of Gloucestershire, and is the co-author of the recent
Brian is a reader in the School of Divinity, History and Philosophy at the University of Aberdeen. Brian’s teaching focuses on practical theology, ethics, and scriptural interpretation. He is the author of Christian Ethics in a Technological Age (Eerdmans, 2010) and Singing the Ethos of God: On the Place of Christian Ethics in Scripture (Eerdmans, 2007), and has edited several other books. In addition, Brian has written a recent article entitled ‘