Staff profile

In addition to my teaching and research in the Department I am also Principal of St Johns College.

Before working in Durham as a theologian, I was a scientist and then a Methodist minister in inner city Liverpool. My background is research in theoretical astrophysics, where my PhD was in the study of star formation, the chemical evolution of galaxies and terrestrial mass extinctions such as the event which wiped out the dinosaurs. I am a Fellow of the Royal Astronomical Society and have published a wide range of papers on these subjects.

After this research I trained for the Methodist ministry, studying theology at Cambridge. I then served in a variety of appointments, including a growing church in Liverpool and as Methodist chaplain at Liverpool University.

I arrived in Durham in 1999 and held a Fellowship in Christian Apologetics at St John's College, and was also Associate Director of the Centre for Christian Communication.

My current work involves the relationship of the Christian theology to contemporary culture, from science to pop culture. I have had a long interest in the dialogue of science and religion, especially as it impacts the physical sciences. God, Time and Stephen Hawking (Monarch, 2001) and Christian Eschatology and the Physical Universe (T&T Clark 2010) are examples of that work.  This work forms some of the undergraduate and postgraduate teaching that I do in the department where I teach modules in science and theology. My PhD is in Systematic Theology and explored Christian eschatology.

In addition, I am interested in the relationship of theology to contemporary culture in terms of preaching, missiology and apologetics. I have written on the spirituality in contemporary cinema in The Power of the Force: The Spirituality of the Star Wars Films (Lion, 2000), on the Christian doctrine of holiness in A Holiness of the Heart (Monarch, 2000) and a popular exposition of the biblical themes of creation in Creation: The Bible Speaks Today Bible Themes Series (IVP, 2002).

I have a range of research students working on the science and religion dialogue, the theology of preaching, Christian leadership, Fresh Expressions of church, Methodist ecclesiology, apologetics and the new atheism and the impact of reality television.

Research Supervision

Kate Bruce

Jon Reynolds

Andrew Holmes

Ben DeVan

Guerin Tueno

Stepehen Lindridge

Rob Haynes

Michael Greene

Andrew Bigg

Nathan Kirkpatrick

David Lunn

Lindsay Morgan

Available for media contact about:

• Ethics, Religion & Beliefs: Relationship of Science and Religion
• Philosophy: Relationship of Science and Religion
• Religion: Relationship of Science and Religion
• Religious Education: Relationship of Science and Religion
• Theology: Relationship of Science and Religion
• Science & Technology: Relationship of Science and Religion
• Astronomy, The Universe ...: Relationship of Science and Religion
• Science: Education, industry & the community: Relationship of Science and Religion
• Ethics, Religion & Beliefs: Relationship of Christian faith and pop culture
• Religion: Relationship of Christian faith and pop culture
• Religious Education: Relationship of Christian faith and pop culture
• Theology: Relationship of Christian faith and pop culture
• Ethics, Religion & Beliefs: Cosmology and Theology
• Philosophy: Cosmology and Theology
• Religion: Cosmology and Theology
• Religious Education: Cosmology and Theology
• Theology: Cosmology and Theology
• Physics: Cosmology and Theology
• Astronomy and Astrophysics: Cosmology and Theology
• Science & Technology: Cosmology and Theology
• Astronomy, The Universe ...: Cosmology and Theology
• Ethics, Religion & Beliefs: Vocational formation in the Church of England and Methodist Church
• Theology: Vocational formation in the Church of England and Methodist Church
• Ethics, Religion & Beliefs: SETI and Religion
• Philosophy: SETI and Religion
• Religion: SETI and Religion
• Religious Education: SETI and Religion
• Theology: SETI and Religion
• Physics: SETI and Religion
• Astronomy and Astrophysics: SETI and Religion
• Science & Technology: SETI and Religion
• Astronomy, The Universe ...: SETI and Religion

Authored book

• Hutchings, D. & Wilkinson, D. (2020). God, Stephen Hawking and the Multiverse. SPCK.
• Wilkinson, David A. (2015). When I pray what does God do. Monarch.
• Wilkinson, David (2010). Christian Eschatology and the Physical Universe. London: T&T Clark.
• Wilkinson, David (2007). God, the Universe and Everything: 42 days through faith and pop culture. London: Epworth.
• Young, John & Wilkinson, David (2006). The Case Against Christ. London: Hodder & Stoughton.
• Wilkinson, D (2002). Creation. IVP.
• Wilkinson, D. (2001). God, time and Stephen Hawking. Oxford: Monarch.

Chapter in book

• Wilkinson, D. (2017). Being Human in a Cosmic Context. In Issues in Science and Theology: Are We Special?: Human Uniqueness in Science and Theology. Fuller, M. Evers, D. Runehov,A. & Sæther, K-W. Publications of the European Society for the Study of Science and Theology: Springer. 3-16.
• Wilkinson, D. (2017). The Accelerating Universe and New Creation: Christian eschatology in the face of scientific futility. In Game Over? Reconsidering Eschatology. Chalamet, C., Dettwiler,A. Mazzocco,M. & Waterlot, G. Berlin, De Gruyter. 97-110.
• Wilkinson, D. (2016). The origin and end of the Universe: A challenge for Christianity. In Reason and Wonder: Why Science and Faith Need Each Other. Priest, E. SPCK. 64-73.
• Wilkinson, D. (2014). From Beginning to End: The Scientific Relevance of Creation and New Creation. In Faith and the Marvellous Progress of Science. Leahy, B. New City Press, New York. 171-188.
• Wilkinson, David (2009). Turning the corner: Educating the theological educators, shaping the church traditions and engaging a new generation. In The Call and the Commission: Equipping a New Generation of Leaders for a New World. Frost, Rob, Wilkinson, David & Cox, Jo Milton Keynes: Paternoster. 194-208.
• Wilkinson, David (2009). Worshipping the Creator God the doctrine of creation. In Darwin, Creation and the Fall. Berry, R.J. & Noble, T.A. Leicester: IVP. 15-29.
• Wilkinson, David (2009). Reading Genesis 1-3 in the light of modern science. In Reading Genesis After Darwin. Barton, Stephen & Wilkinson, David Oxford New York: OUP. 127-144.
• Wilkinson, David (2008). Creation Accounts in the Old Testament. In Creation and the Abrahamic Faiths. Spurway, N. Newcastle upon Tyne: Cambridge Scholars Press. 1-12.
• Wilkinson, David (2008). Natural Theology in Contemporary Cosmology. In The Edge of Reason? Science and religion in modern society. Bentley, A. London: Continuum. 186-192.
• Wilkinson, David (2008). What are the lessons from evangelism and apologetics for new communities? In Mission Shaped Questions: defining issues for today's church. Croft, S. London: Church House Publishing. 102-113.
• Murray, Paul & Wilkinson, David (2005). 'The Significance of the Theology of Creation Within Christian Tradition'. In God, Humanity and Cosmos. Southgate, C. London: T & T Clark. 39-61.
• D. Alexander (2005). ‘Hawking, Dawkins and The Matrix: The dialogue of science and religion in the media’. In Can We Be Sure About Anything? Science, Faith and Postmodernism. Leicester: IVP. 214-236.
• Wilkinson, D. (2005). The end of it all contemporary cosmology and Christian eschatology in dialogue. In Creation and complexity interdisciplinary issues in science and religion. Ledger, C. & Pickard, S. Canberra: Australian Theological Forum.
• Wilkinson, D. (2004). 'Jesus Christ: God's Way of Salvation'. In Proceedings of the Eighteenth World Methodist Conference. Lake Junaluska: World Methodist Council. 32-42.
• Wilkinson, D. (2004). The activity of God a methodist perspective. In Unmasking methodist theology a way forward. Marsh, C., Beck, B., Shier-Jones, A. & Wareing, H. London: Continuum. 142-154.
• Wilkinson, D. (2004). 'The God of the Physical Universe'. In Problems in Theology 4: Science and Religion. Astley, J., Brown, D. & Loades, A. London: T & T Clark. 49-51.

Edited book

• Frost, Rob, Wilkinson, David & Cox, Jo (2009). The Call and the Commission: Equipping a New Generation of Leaders for a New World. Milton Keynes: Paternoster.
• Barton, Stephen & Wilkinson, David (2009). Reading Genesis After Darwin. New York: OUP.

Journal Article

• Wilkinson, David A. (2020). Pop science and pop theology: new ways of exploring an old dialogue. Theology 123(1): 20-27.
• Wilkinson, D. (2018). Why should theology take SETI seriously? Theology and Science 16(4): 427-438.
• Wilkinson, D. (2016). Searching for Another Earth: The Recent History of the Discovery of Exoplanets. Zygon 51(2): 414-430.
• Bouveng, R. & Wilkinson, D. (2016). Going beyond the How and Why of Science-Religion? Senior Christian Leaders on Science and Personal Faith. Science and Christian Belief 28(2): 100-116.
• Wilkinson, D. (2015). Proofs of the divine power? Temple Chevallier and the design argument in the 19th century. Scottish Journal of Theology 68(1): 34-42.
• Wilkinson, D. (2009). Christian Apologetics in a Post-Christian Culture. Catalyst 35(2): 1-3.
• Wilkinson, David (2009). The Work of a Friend: Theology in the Light of the Origin of Species. Epworth Review 36(2): 45-65.
• Wilkinson, David (2008). Dawkins, the Simpsons and God: Public Theology and Pop Culture. Epworth Review 35(4): 6-20.
• Wilkinson, D (2002). ‘The Art of Apologetics in the 21st Century’. Anvil 19: 5-17.

Newspaper/Magazine Article

• Wilkinson, David (2010). Hawking and God. The Times Online