Dr. David Bennett

Dr. David Bennett recently completed his doctorate (DPhil) in theology at Oxford University where he now works as a postdoctoral research fellow in the Theology and Religion Faculty. His thesis is in the process of being published, tentatively entitled, Queering the Queer: A Theological Ethics of Same-Sex Desire and Gay Celibacy in Contemporary Anglican Thought. He specialises in the relationship between the Trinity, Christian ethics, patristics, queer theology, discipleship and contemporary Anglican theology, especially the role of desire in knowing God. For two months of the year, he is a theologian in residence at Reality San Francisco and Church of the City, New York. He is also Associate Research Fellow at Wycliffe Hall.

David is from Sydney, Australia where he studied creative writing, journalism, international relations, and French. He moved to Oxford to pursue his studies in theology and train as an apologist from an atheist background. David now holds undergraduate and postgraduate degrees in theology from Oxford University, a master’s degree in Analytic and Exegetical Theology from the University of St Andrews, Scotland. His bestselling book A War of Loves (Zondervan, 2018) describes his own story of encountering the love of God and meeting the person of Jesus in a pub in the gay quarter of Sydney. He recounts the story of a life of atheistic gay activism to becoming a follower of Jesus, in which he advocates for a positive moral vision of biblical sexuality and discipleship.

David is an author, speaker, and theologian scholar who speaks and writes on a wide range of topics including theology, desire, beauty, gender, theodicy, suffering, ethics, and sexuality. He is frequently asked to appear and speak internationally in a variety of settings including churches, academic conferences, national radio and TV including VICE Australia, and on BBC platforms such as the BBC One Documentary, Young, Gay, Christian. As a gay celibate Christian, he seeks to be a fresh voice on the topics of love, holiness, desire and sexuality in order to show how people can live and flourish through Christ’s cross-shaped teaching. He is passionate about equipping the Church to better love the LGBTQI+ and other minority communities, and the art of showing solidarity to those who are different or other to us. His other interests include French, Latin, church history, writing, travel, cooking, reading books, and living in Christian community.

As a member of the Archbishop of Canterbury’s College of Evangelists, David has spoken for Oriel College, St Aldates Church, New Wine Network, HTB, Kings Cross Church London, the Synod of the Church of England, Church of the City NYC, St Edwards School and Magdalen School, Oxford, Christ Church London and much further afield. He offers corporate consulting on diversity and inclusion, as well as work in the academy and with the Church as a theologian scholar and speaker.