Professor Robyn Horner
Professor of Theology
School of Theology; Institute for Religion and Critical Inquiry
Areas of expertise: fundamental theology; Continental philosophy; hermeneutic phenomenology; poststructuralism; enhancing Catholic School identity
Phone: 03 9953 3130
Email: robyn.horner@acu.edu.au
Location: ACU Melbourne Campus
ORCID ID: 0000-0001-9189-1600
Professor Robyn Horner is a teaching and research academic within the School of Theology, and a member of the Institute for Religion and Critical Inquiry (IRCI) at Australian Catholic University. She is the author of The Experience of God: The Event of Revelation. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2022; Jean-Luc Marion: A Theo-Logical Introduction. Aldershot, Hants: Ashgate, 2005; Rethinking God as Gift: Marion, Derrida and the Limits of Phenomenology. New York: Fordham University Press, 2001 and numerous journal articles, book chapters and musical compositions.
Select publications
A1 AUTHORED BOOKS
- Horner, Robyn. The Experience of God: The Event of Revelation. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2022.
- Horner, Robyn. Jean-Luc Marion: A Theo-Logical Introduction. Aldershot, Hants: Ashgate, 2005.
- Horner, Robyn. Rethinking God as Gift: Marion, Derrida and the Limits of Phenomenology. New York: Fordham University Press, 2001.
B1 AUTHORED BOOK CHAPTERS
- Horner, Robyn and Claude Romano, "Atheism, Faith and Experience," in The Experience of Atheism: Phenomenology, Metaphysics and Religion. Ed. Robyn Horner and Claude Romano. London: Bloomsbury, 2021.
- Horner, Robyn. "Revelation as a Problem for our Age." The Enigma of Divine Revelation Between Phenomenology and Comparative Theology. Ed. Jean-Luc Marion and Christiaan Jacobs-Vandegeer. Contributions to Hermeneutics. Ed. Claude Romano and Jeff Malpas. Zug: Springer, 67-DOI: 10.1007/978-3-030-28132-8
- Horner, Robyn. "A Phenomenology of Revelation: Contemporary Encounters with Saint Ignatius Loyola." In The Challenge of God. Ed. Colby Dickinson, Hugh Miller and Kathleen McNutt. London: Bloomsbury, 69-Trans. "Een fenomenologie van de openbaring. Hedendaagse ontmoetingen met de heilige Ignatius van Loyola." Tijdschrift voor Theologie 58.4 (2018): 329-349.
- Horner, Robyn. "Jesus and the Woman Caught in Adultery: Phenomenology as Lectio Divina." Phenomenologies of Scripture, edited by Adam Wells. New York: Fordham University Press, 114-24.
C1 AUTHORED REFEREED JOURNAL ARTICLES
- Horner, Robyn. "Enhancing Catholic Identity: A Response to Peter McGregor." Irish Theological Quarterly. 88.2 (2023).
- Horner, Robyn. "Experience of God: Revelation as Affective Knowledge in the Works of Ignatius Loyola." Ephemerides Theologicae Lovaniense 98.1 (2022): 85-DOI:10.2143/ETL.98.1.3290283
- Rowland, Bosco, Adrian Kelly, Bill Hallam, Jess Heerde, Michelle Benstead, Elizabeth Clancy, Mohammadreza Mohebbi, Jennifer Bailey, Robyn Horner, Paul Sharkey and John Toumbourou. "School Sector Influences on Adolescent Depression: A Six Year Longitudinal Study." Journal of Religion and Health 60 (2022). DOI: 10.1007/s10943-022-01515-7.
- Horner, Robyn, Didier Pollefeyt, Jan Bouwens, Teresa Brown, Christiaan Jacobs-Vandegeer, Maeve Heaney, and Michael Buchanan. "Openness to Faith as a Disposition for Teachers in Catholic Schools." International Journal of Practical Theology 24.2 (2020): 231-51.
- Horner, Robyn. "Towards a Hermeneutic Phenomenological Methodology for Theology." International Journal of Practical Theology 22.2 (2018): 153-https://doi.org/10.1515/ijpt-2017-0026.
- Horner, Robyn. "Words that Reveal: Jean-Yves Lacoste and the Experience of God." Continental Philosophy Review. First Online:28 May 2017 DOI: 10.1007/s11007-017-9420-x. Print version 51 (2018): 169-192.
Projects
- "The Religious Identity of Flexi-Schools." Stakeholder Engaged Scholarship Unit (SESU) in partnership with Edmund Rice Education Australia $41K
- "Bridging the Gap" 2021-2022 (with KU Leuven) Unfunded
- “Atheism and Christianity: Moving Past Polemic” ACU Research Fund 2017-2019 $450K
- "How Effective is THCT605 in Supporting Leadership for Change in Schools?" ACU Teaching Development Grant 2016-2017 $20K
- "Understanding the Enhancing Catholic School Identity Project" (with KU Leuven) ACU Postgraduate Strategy Funding 2016 $50K
- "The Enhancing Catholic School Identity Project: Building Understanding in Pre-Service Teachers" Victorian Bishops Research Grant 2015-2016 $120K
- "Embracing Leadership in Catholic Contexts: Theological Education a Formative Outcomes, A Study in the Health Sector" ACU Institute for Catholic Identity and Mission 2013 $20K
- Research Group "Anthropos in the Antipodes." 2012
- Research Group "Anthropos." KU Leuven 2011
- "Theological contributions to the development of teachers for Victorian Catholic Schools at Australian Catholic University" Victorian Bishops Research Grant 2010 $15K
- "How to Begin Speaking (Again) / Of the Theological Virtues." ACU Research Awards for Women Academic Staff 2008 $10K
- "What's So Original About Sin?" Australian Research Theology Foundation 2003 $3K
- "Exceeding Excess." Australian Research Council Small Grant 2000 $7K
Accolades
- Vice-Chancellor's Award for Excellence in Teaching 2020 $10,000
- Australian Learning and Teaching Council Teaching Citation 2009 $10K
- President's Prize for Academic Excellence, Yarra Theological Union, 1994 $500
Appointments
Professional Experience
- Professor, School of Theology and Institute for Religion and Critical Inquiry, ACU 2023-
- Associate Professor, School of Theology and Institute for Religion and Critical Inquiry, ACU 2016-
- Associate Dean (Learning and Teaching, Core Curriculum) and Associate Professor, Faculty of Theology and Philosophy, ACU. 2010-2015
- Assistant Head, School of Theology, ACU 2008-2009
- Senior Lecturer, School of Theology, ACU 2006-2010
- Lecturer, School of Theology, ACU 2002-2005
- Associate Dean, Director of Postgraduate Studies, Melbourne College of Divinity 2001-2002
- Lecturer, Centre for Studies in Religion and Theology, Monash University 1999-2000
- Teacher, Music & Religious Education in Catholic Primary and Secondary Schools in Victoria 1986-1998
Affiliations/Memberships
- Society for the Phenomenology of Religious Experience 2020-
- Society for Phenomenology and Existential Philosophy 2016-
- ACU Institute for Religion and Critical Inquiry 2016-
- ACU Xavier Centre for Theological Formation 2018-
- International Network for Philosophy of Religion 2015-
- ACU La Salle Academy for Faith Formation and Religious Education 2015-
- Australasian Society for Continental Philosophy 2015-2018
- Higher Education Research and Development Society of Australasia 2010-2016
- American Academy of Religion 2002-2019
- Australian Catholic Theological Association 1996-
- Melbourne Diocesan Liturgical Commission 1994-1998
- Victorian Music Teachers' Association 1985-1994
Editorial roles
International journal review panels
- Pacifica Theological Studies Association 2001-2012
Grant agency review panels
- Australian Research Council Discovery Project Assessor (2013, 2014)
- Australian Research Council DECRA Grant Assessor (2014)
- Research Foundation Flanders Grant Assessor:
- Research Grant G048314N (2013)
- Postdoctoral Fellowship: 12Q5915N (2014)
- Postdoctoral Fellowship 12O5416N (2015)
- Katholieke Universiteit Leuven Research Council Grant Assessor:
- Senior Research Professor Grant BZAPS/13/004 (2013)
- Research Grant Application GOA/15/001 (2015)
- Le Studium Research Fellowship Grant Assessor 20-30592J (2018)
- Czech Science Foundation Grant Assessor 20-30592J (2019)
Public engagement activities
- "Election campaign goes to hell over religious debate," The Age/Sydney Morning Herald, 16 May 2019
- "The unholy row over God's gender," 4BC Drive Assoc Prof Robyn Horner Catholic Gendermark braybrook June 2019
- "After the Catholic Church's sexual abuse crisis, female theologians are calling for changes to leadership" ABC Radio National/ By Siobhan Hegarty, Posted 16 August 2020, https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-08-16/after-catholic-church-sexual-abuse-crisis-change-women-leaders/12543146.
- "After the Catholic Church's sexual abuse crisis, female theologians are calling for changes to leadership" CathNews 17 August 2020.
- Radio 2BS Bathurst Interview with Jaclyn Underwood. Women in Leadership in the Church. 25 August 2020.
- ABC Radio Adelaide Drive Interview with Jules Schiller Women in Leadership in the Church. 25 August 2020.
- ABC Radio Soul Search Interview with Meredith Lake on Atheism and Experience book. 20 July First went to air 01 August 2021.
- Radio 2CC Canberra Interview with Ian Meikle: Why Christmas matters to Atheists. 11 December 2022.
Videos of presentations
