Email:
mattflannagan@gmail.com, mflannagan@st-peters.school.nz
Address:
PO Box 559
Orewa
Auckland 0946 New Zealand
Education:
PhD, (Theology) University of Otago, 2006
MSocSci(Hons) Philosophy, University of Waikato 1998
BSocSci(Philosophy), University of Waikato 1997
GradDipTchng(Sec) Religious Education, Bethlehem Tertiary Institute, 2010
GradDipArts(Hist), Massey University 2017
Specialities:
Philosophy
Ethics
Theology
Apologetics
Philosophy of Religion
Dr Matthew Flannagan taught philosophy and theology at several New Zealand Universities and Bible colleges for several years before taking on the role of a teaching pastor in a small church in south Auckland from 2011-2018. Passionate about theological education he currently works as a full-time religious education teacher at St Peters College in Epsom. Matthew teaches 5- 6 classes a day to year 9-13 boys, teaching ethics, church history, biblical studies, philosophy and theology as part of the schools Cambridge and NCEA programmes. These experiences have honed his vocation as a teacher and taught him how to communicate philosophical concepts to people from diverse backgrounds.
Outside of his day job as a high-school teacher Matthew has gained an international reputation as a Theologian. He has contributed to eight books on Philosophy and Theology. Authored over 30 articles in both popular and scholarly journals and is a co-author of Did God Really Command Genocide, with Paul. Matthew has appeared on radio and TV in New Zealand, America, Canada and the UK and spoken at several international conferences and panel discussions. In 2008 Matthew’s Theology blog MandM was labelled one of the top 20 most influential blogs in New Zealand by National Radio.
Matthew is an engaging and challenging speaker who regularly speaks to churches, sceptics, youth groups and university groups on topics relating to theology and philosophy. He does not believe in pat answers, but in offering rigorous intellectual answers to sceptical challenges. He is not afraid to challenge the philosophical assumptions of his audience and stretch them to rethink these assumptions. He combines high academic knowledge and rigour this with down to earth experience dealing with audiences of all sorts. From philosophy professors to year 9 boys.