The core of Philip's research involves the application of social-scientific ideas and perspectives to biblical and extra-biblical texts and to ancient legal papyri (especially in the Babatha archive). He also writes on New Testament theology and the Bible and the visual arts, the latter most recently in an ongoing collaboration on 1 Enoch with Angus Pryor, Head of the School of Arts in the University of Gloucestershire (see https://www.bookofenoch2020.com).

Administrative

Eleven years experience as litigation solicitor and barrister up to September 1992

Philip Esler is the Portland Chair in New Testament Studies at the University of Gloucestershire in Cheltenham (appointed in September 2013). But from October 1992 to September 2010 he was on the staff at St Mary’s, from 1995 as Professor of Biblical Criticism. He has served as the Chief Executive of the Arts and Humanities Research Council (2005-2009, on leave from St Andrews) and as Principal and Professor of Biblical Criticism, St Mary’s University College Twickenham (2010-2013). He was born and raised in Sydney, Australia and had an earlier career as a litigation solicitor and then barrister in Sydney.