Steven Singleton (PhD) Principal

Steven Singleton (PhD)

Helping people to understand and engage with the Bible is a major focal point in my Christian journey. I came to faith through reading the Bible when I was an engineering student (I hadn't read it much before then); I experienced God's call on my life to teach the Bible and I have had both the privilege of studying it (BA in Theology, MA in Aspects of Biblical Interpretation) and researching how other people have experienced engaging with the Bible (PhD [DCU]: “Because it tells me so:” A qualitative investigation of the lived experience of engaging with the Bible in evangelical faith communities).

I am deeply convinced not just about the truth and relevance of the Bible to today's world, but also about how important it is to help others engage with it. I spent seven years in the UK encouraging and enabling students of theology and religious studies to remain committed to the Bible. I then spent 12 years from 1995 in Thurles, Co Tipperary as a pastor teaching the Bible to a local church, attempting to put into practice the things I had said to and learned from others.

I have been involved with IBI since 1995, at first as a volunteer teacher in the Irish Bible School (Co Tipperary) and then with IBI. In 2003 I became a part-time employee with IBI to set up the MA Programme. I have had various roles in IBI, and was appointed Principal in 2018.

My teaching at IBI follows the theme of the Bible and its engagement, linking together the personal experience of my Christian journey and my research interests. Christian life and ministry is built on the Bible and handling it responsibly is a crucial skill; I teach modules in Bible interpretation to 1st, 2nd and 3rd years. But not only is it vitally important to handle the Bible responsibly, it is also critical to use it to engage with the complexities of life; I teach a 2nd and 3rd year Christian ethics module that seeks to do just that. If the Bible is so important for Christian communities, preaching and teaching the Bible is a skill that needs to be thought about and enhanced; I teach an MA modules that aims to enable teachers and preachers of the Bible to reflect on their practice.

I am married to Joan, who also teaches at IBI and we have two grown-up children. We are involved in various aspects of ministry in a local church in west Dublin. My interests include walking, working in the garden, DIY projects, reading, and drinking coffee with family and friends.