Brendan Byrne

Biography

After returning from graduate studies (DPhil) in Oxford in 1977, Brendan Byrne SJ, as a faculty member of Jesuit Theological College, taught New Testament at the United Faculty of Theology, Parkville, Victoria, within the University of Divinity (formerly Melbourne College of Divinity), from 1978–2020. He was Academic Principal of the College 1992-97 and Rector of the Jesuit community there 2011–15. He was previously Rector of Campion College, Kew from 1979-84 and a delegate to the 33rd General Congregation of the Society of Jesus in 1983. In 1993, he was a visiting professor at the Pontifical Biblical Institute, Rome, and has also taught in East Asia and East Africa. Brendan was a member of the Pontifical Biblical Commission (Rome, Italy) from 1990-96; a Fellow at Jesuit Institute, Boston College (USA) in 1999; and D’Arcy Lecturer, Campion Hall, Oxford (UK) in 2007. From 2000-01, he served as President of the Melbourne College of Divinity. In 1999 he was elected a Fellow of the Australian Academy of the Humanities. He is also a member of the Australian Catholic Biblical Association; the Catholic Biblical Association of America (CBQ Associate Editor 2004-07); and the Society for New Testament Studies (Member NTS Editorial Board 2011-14). Brendan was among the first group of full Professors appointed when the Melbourne College of Divinity became a University in 2012. He was appointed Professor Emeritus in 2015 and has since engaged in publishing on both an academic and popular level and giving retreats to clergy across Australia.