Westar Institute

Institutional Affiliation
Charter Member

James Veitch

Institutional Affiliation

Strategic Studies Programme of the School of Government

Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand

Credentials

• B.A., University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand • B.D., University of Otago, Dunedin • M.Th., University of Otago, Dunedin • Ph.D., University of Birmingham, UK • Th.D., Australian College of Theology

Biography

James Veitch is Associate Professor in the Strategic Studies Programme of the School of Government, Victoria University of Wellington, and New Zealand Co-Chair of the Council for Security Cooperation in Asia Pacific. He previously served as Associate Professor of Religious Studies at Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand, where he had taught courses in Christianty since 1978 and served as Chairperson for seven years. An ordained Presbyterian minister, he also served as parish minister for more than twenty years. During the mid-1980s, he took time off from teaching to help establish the Council for Mission and Ecumenical Cooperation of the Methodist and Presbyterian Churches of New Zealand.Veitch is the author of several books, including a modern translation of the New Testament arranged in chronological order, and the editor of International Terrorism: New Zealand Perspectives (2005). Prior to his appointment to the staff of Victoria University, he taught in Singapore, where he was also Dean of Students and Director of the Institute for the Study of Religion and Society, and in Eastern Indonesia at Ujung Pandang on the island of Sulawesi, where he was Academic Dean for a time.Read an abstract from James Veitch’s article “Defending Nicea,” which appeared in The Fourth R in 1998.

• D. F. Strauss Medal, Westar Institute, 1999• Distinguished Visiting Preacher, St. Michael’s Uniting Church Melbourne, Australia, Summer 1997• Reid Visiting lecturer, Westminster College, Cambridge 1991• Begg Travelling Scholar, Presbyterian Church of New Zealand, 1966

Academic Appointments

• Senior Lecturer/Associate Professor, Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand, 1978–• Director, The Institute for the Study of Religion and Society, Singapore, 1977–1978• Lecturer in New Testament, Trinity Theological College, Singapore, 1975–1978• Dean of Students, The Institute for the Study of Religion and Society, Singapore (English speaking section), 1976–1978• Lecturer in Biblical Studies and Asian religions, The Theological College for Eastern Indonesia, Ujung Pandng (Makasar) Sulawesi (Celebes)• Academic Dean, The Theological College for Eastern Indonesia, Ujung Pandng (Makasar) Sulawesi (Celebes), 1971–1975

Professional Service

• Editor of the Fourth R, Westar Institute 1999–• Chair, Department of Religious Studies, Victoria University of Wellington, 1986–1994.