On 18 May, acclaimed New Testament Scholar, Dr Paula Gooder, joined the Anglican Centre in Rome Friends to explore the world of the first Christians through the lens of her novel Phoebe. In this book, Paula explores who Phoebe may have been, the kind of life she lived and her first-century faith – and in doing so opens up St Paul’s theology, giving a sense of the cultural and historical pressures that shaped Paul’s thinking, and the faith of the early church.

Dr Gooder read theology at Worcester College, Oxford, before completing her DPhil at The Queen’s College, Oxford. She was a tutor in biblical studies at Cuddesdon and later taught at The Queen’s Foundation, Birmingham, an ecumenical theological college. After some years as an independent scholar and writer, she was appointed Director of Mission, Learning and Development for the Diocese of Birmingham in 2017. She is Canon Chancellor of St Paul's Cathedral, London, and until 2020 was a member of ARCIC III.

Her other books include Searching for Meaning: An Introduction to Interpreting the New Testament and Journey To The Empty Tomb (Biblical Explorations).

If you were unable to join the seminar, you can watch the podcast here: