The reproduction of Carpaccio’s “St. Augustine in his Study” serves as a reminder that, accompanied by his little dog and with books on his shelves and strewn around open, Augustine at his desk did for biblical studies in his day something similar to what needs to be done in ours. He was, of course, a man of his time, as most evident in his thinking about sex and gender, but what drove Augustine’s work and remains of value was the conviction that humans are made to love, that what we love is what defines us and that generous love is in fact the key to interpreting the Bible.
The International Centre for Biblical Interpretation in the School of Humanities aims to promote scholarship that both studies the Bible in its various ancient contexts and engages with its subject matter in such a way as to advocate its continuing significance for life in church and society.
Five major dimensions of the International Centre’s activities are:
- Enhancing staff research and writing
- Training postgraduate students in research
- Receiving visiting scholars
- Developing a community of scholarship
- Facilitating and hosting a variety of projects in biblical interpretation
