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Robyn J. Whitaker

Senior Lecturer in New Testament, Pilgrim Theological College, University of Divinity
I am a biblical scholar and historian with a particular interest in the contemporary use (and misuse) of the bible in debates about sexuality, gender and ethics. I have research expertise in apocalypticism and the related topics of end of the world speculation, martyrdom, and images of evil. I am published in the areas of the visual culture of the Graeco-Roman world, its impact on biblical rhetoric, New Testament, and Judeo-Christian apocalyptic literature.

Victim or victor? How the Easter story still resonates today

Apr 10, 2023 16:18 pm UTC| Insights & Views

At a March 2023 public talk, journalist Greg Sheridan argued that 40 years ago, the press was friendly to church leaders. Then, it became neutral, and now it is hostile. Sheridan is not alone in holding this...

'The blood of Jesus is my vaccine': how a fringe group of Christians hijacks faith in a war against science

Aug 06, 2021 09:51 am UTC| Insights & Views

The blood of Jesus is my vaccine read one of the signs at a recent protest against lockdown regulations in Sydney. While our tendency might be to roll our eyes at such ridiculous anti-science views, these sentiments have a...

Christmas is political, and always has been

Dec 29, 2020 14:36 pm UTC| Insights & Views Politics

The biblical Christmas story, the one that announces the birth of Jesus, seems so sweet it can appear almost saccharine. It is so often told as a childrens story and a sentimental one at that. Yet it is deeply political...

Pray, but stay away: holding on to faith in the time of coronavirus

Mar 23, 2020 12:07 pm UTC| Insights & Views

Plagues of global proportions might seem biblical, but coronavirus is creating new challenges for faith leaders. Last week in Australia, many churches, mosques and synagogues decided proactively to cancel their normal...

Hell, no! Halloween is not 'satanic' – it's an important way to think about death

Oct 31, 2019 06:31 am UTC| Insights & Views Entertainment

American televangelist Pat Robinson once claimed children who celebrate Halloween were unknowingly worshipping Satan. Despite the absurdity that a child dressing up as a witch is devil worship, the idea that Halloween...

Economy

Asian Stocks Slide as Semiconductor Selloff Weighs on South Korea and Japan

Asian stock markets retreated on Thursday, led by sharp declines in South Korea and Japan as renewed selling in semiconductor stocks erased part of the previous sessions AI-driven gains. Investors turned cautious after...

Asian Currencies Hold Steady as US Dollar Nears Seven-Week Low Ahead of Key Jobs Data

Asian currencies traded in a narrow range on Thursday as the U.S. dollar hovered near a seven-week low, with investors closely watching Middle East diplomatic developments and upcoming U.S. labor market data for clues on...

Gold Price Hits Seven-Week High as Fed Rate Hike Bets Fade and Hormuz Deal Hopes Grow

Gold prices climbed for a fourth consecutive session on Thursday, reaching their highest level in seven weeks as easing concerns over global energy supplies weakened the U.S. dollar and Treasury yields. The rally was...

Australia Trade Surplus Returns in June as Iron Ore, Coal and LNG Exports Surge

Australias trade balance returned to a larger-than-expected surplus in June, driven by strong exports of iron ore, coal, liquefied natural gas (LNG), and non-monetary gold, according to data released Thursday by the...

Singapore Says One-Third of U.S. Exports Hit by New 12.5% Tariff

Singapore said around one-third of its exports to the United States will be affected by a new 12.5% U.S. tariff introduced on July 24, with Trade Minister Gan Kim Yong estimating the impacted shipments at S$9.5 billion...

Politics

Russia Intensifies Drone and Bomb Attacks on Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia, Deepening Civilian Fear

Russia has intensified its aerial assault on the southeastern Ukrainian city of Zaporizhzhia, leaving residents facing growing danger as drone and glide bomb attacks become more frequent. The escalating strikes have...

Russian Strikes Kill Six in Eastern and Northern Ukraine, Dozens Injured

Russian attacks across several regions of Ukraine killed at least six people and injured dozens overnight, as rescue teams continued emergency operations on Thursday, according to Ukrainian authorities. In the eastern city...

Abdul El-Sayed Wins Michigan Democratic Senate Primary, Sets Up Key Midterm Showdown

Abdul El-Sayed secured the Democratic nomination for Michigans U.S. Senate race, positioning himself for a closely watched general election against Republican Mike Rogers in November. The victory marks a significant moment...

U.S. Unseals Charges Against Five Alleged CJNG Leaders, Raises Reward for New Cartel Chief

The U.S. Justice Department has unsealed criminal charges against five alleged senior members of Mexicos Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG), intensifying Washingtons crackdown on one of the worlds most powerful drug...

Mark Carney Jokes About Teleprompter, Takes Swipe at Trump

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney made light of a teleprompter malfunction during a housing policy news conference on Wednesday, using the unexpected interruption to take a subtle jab at U.S. President Donald Trump....

Science

Blue Origin New Glenn Explosion Could Delay Launch Operations Until 2028

Blue Origin is facing a significant setback after a dramatic explosion involving its New Glenn rocket severely damaged a launch pad at Cape Canaveral, Florida. According to NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman, repairs to the...

Blue Origin New Glenn Rocket Explodes During Launch Pad Test, Delaying Space Ambitions

Blue Origin suffered a major setback after its uncrewed New Glenn rocket exploded during a launch pad test in Florida on Thursday, raising new challenges for Jeff Bezos space company as it competes with Elon Musks SpaceX...

SpaceX Delays Starship V3 Launch Ahead of Potential Record IPO

SpaceX on Thursday postponed the highly anticipated launch of its 12th Starship rocket test from Texas after technical issues interrupted the final countdown. The company now plans to attempt the Starship V3 launch again...

Trump Administration Releases New UFO Files and Apollo Mission Records

The U.S. Defense Department has released dozens of previously classified UFO-related files following an order from President Donald Trump, sparking renewed debate over unidentified anomalous phenomena (UAP) and government...

China vs. NASA: The New Moon Race and What's at Stake by 2030

The space race is back and this time, its a direct competition between the United States and China for dominance on the lunar surface. NASAs Artemis II mission recently made history when four astronauts flew farther into...

Technology

SoftBank Q1 Profit Beats Forecast as Intel Rally and OpenAI Investments Boost Returns

SoftBank Group (TYO: 9984) reported a stronger-than-expected fiscal first-quarter profit despite higher operating and financing costs, supported by massive investment gains from Intel and its Vision Fund portfolio. For the...

DeepSeek to Raise AI API Prices as Demand for New Models Surges

Chinese artificial intelligence startup DeepSeek has announced plans to significantly increase the pricing of its API services as demand for its latest AI models continues to grow. The company revealed the upcoming change...

SK Hynix, Samsung Lead Asian Chip Stock Selloff After Sandisk, Western Digital Outlook

Shares of SK Hynix and Samsung Electronics tumbled on Thursday, leading a broad decline in Asian memory chip stocks after earnings guidance from Sandisk and Western Digital failed to meet investors high expectations. SK...

Alphabet Stock Slides as Google AI Pioneer Jeff Dean Exits to Launch Discovery Loop

Alphabet (NASDAQ: GOOGL) shares dropped as much as 5.4% during Thursdays session after news emerged that longtime Google AI leader Jeff Dean is leaving the company to launch a new artificial intelligence startup, adding to...

Western Digital Q4 Earnings Beat Estimates as FY2027 Outlook Tops Expectations

Western Digital (NASDAQ: WDC) reported stronger-than-expected fiscal fourth-quarter results on Wednesday, surpassing Wall Street estimates for both earnings and revenue while issuing an optimistic outlook for the first...