About
Fourth Opinion is a word play on the term “Fourth Estate” which refers to ”a societal or political force or institution whose influence is not consistently or officially recognized” …and nowadays most commonly the news media. Rather than news this blog is opinion, and its influence is definitely not consistently or officially recognized.
Since January 2010 I’ve been teaching theology at Laidlaw College, moving to New Zealand from Vancouver, Canada. As well as introductory and advanced theology I also teach courses on mission and worldviews. This blog therefore arises out of a distinct theological perspective and from there attempts to celebrate and interpret life and culture.
Back in Vancouver I was working full time on my PhD (long-distance but based at Regent College) through London School of Theology supervised by J. Andrew Kirk (formerly Dean and Head of the School of Mission and World Christianity at Selly Oaks Colleges, University of Birmingham). My research critiqued contemporary Western theology from a missiological perspective and presented an approach to theology utilizing concepts from speech-act theory.
In the past, I have at various times been a pastor at West Point Grey Baptist Chruch, Vancouver, BC; teaching Assistant to Dr. J.I. Packer; Senior Lecturer in Law at The Robert Gordon University, Aberdeen, Scotland (where I am originally from); and a consultant with the UK’s leading Contracts Consultancy for the construction industry. (You can check out my CV for more details – to be posted on here soon).
I’m married to Ruth, who is a Senior Lecturer in Counselling (also at Laidlaw College), and have two amazing daughters - Karis and Alana. We currently live in Epsom, Auckland in a fantastic old villa once lived in by New Zealand’s famous aviatrix Jean Batten. At the end of June, however, abandoning the city for the beach and heading up to Red Beach.
Oh… and in case you were wondering… yes this blog did take a break from November 2009 – March 2012.
