Paul Wilson (BTh MTh PhD can.)

Thesis title: Migration in the Book of Acts

Biography

Background

Paul Wilson is a PhD Candidate in New Testament and Christian Origins. His research is an interdisciplinary analysis of the Book of Acts through the lens of migration studies. The study investigates how the text was shaped by mobility and migration in the Roman Empire and analyses how the text describes, narrates, and theologises migration.

Paul has been involved in refugee and asylum support in the third sector for nearly two decades, in both Greece and the United Kingdom. He is also an Associate Lecturer at the Scottish Baptist College, a Visiting Lecturer at the London School of Theology, and the Reviews Editor for the Scottish Bulletin of Evangelical Theology.

Qualifications

University of Edinburgh (2021-Present)

  • PhD candidate in New Testament and Christian Origins (in progress)
  • Passed one-year review (2022)

University of Edinburgh (2014-2016)

  • Master of Theology in Biblical Studies
  • Awarded with Distinction
  • Dissertation examined the function of narrative asides in the Gospel of Mark

University of Strathclyde (2009-2010)

  • Postgraduate Certificate in Counselling Skills

Queen’s University Belfast (2003-2005)

  • Bachelor of Theology
  • First Class Honours

Responsibilities & affiliations

Memberships:

  • Society of Biblical Literature
  • British New Testament Society
  • European Association of Biblical Studies
  • Tyndale Fellowship

Undergraduate teaching

Associate Lecturer, Scottish Baptist College, University of the West of Scotland

Academic Tutor, University of Edinburgh

Visiting Lecturer, London School of Theology

Invited speaker

  • 'Christians and Immigration: A Roundtable Discussion on the Bible, Theology, and Immigration Policy'. Panellist; Mockler Center for Faith and Ethics in the Public Square (Online) 2025.
  • ‘Acts and Migration'. Interviewee on 'The Bible (Unmuted)' with Dr. Matthew L. Halsted (Online) 2024.

Organiser

  • Delegate and IT Support, (Scottish Graduate School for Arts and Humanities),. SGSAH Scottish Universities Theology, Religion and Biblical Studies Postgraduate Workshop, June 2025
  • Organising Committee of the School of Divinity’s Graduate Colloquium, University of Edinburgh, 2025.
  • Organising Committee and Secretary, New Testament Study Group, Tyndale Fellowship Conference, 2025 & 2026.
  • Delegate and IT Support, British New Testament Society Conference, 2024.

Participant

  • ‘The Materiality of Texts’. Culture, Religion and Society – Interdisciplinary Studies in the Ancient World (CRASIS) Masterclass with Prof. Roberta Mazza; Rijksuniversiteit Groningen, Groningen, 2026.
  • ‘No Fixed Terminus: (De)constructing Physical and Ideological Space in Acts’. Institute of Classical Studies; King’s College London (Space and Oppression in the Roman World), London, 2025.
  • ‘The Scattered Ones: An Interdisciplinary Exploration of Acts as Literature of Migration’. League of European Research Universities in Theology and Religious Studies Doctoral Seminar (LERU), Universität Heidelberg, Heidelberg, 2024.

Papers delivered

  • ‘In/visible Luminaries: The Mobility and Agency of the Four Prophets of Caesarea’. Society of Biblical Literature Annual Meeting (Exile [Forced Migrations] in Biblical Literature Section), Boston, MA, 2025.
  • ‘Competing Cosmopolitanisms: Border Vocabulary and Experience in the Areopagus Speech’. Society of Biblical Literature Annual Meeting (Book of Acts Section), Boston, MA, 2025.
  • ‘Terminus Limited, God Unbound’. British and Irish Association for Jewish Studies Conference: ‘Border-crossing in Jewish Studies’, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, 2025.
  • ‘A Migration-Informed Reading of Acts 17:26–28’. European Association of Biblical Studies Graduate Symposium, Rijksuniversiteit Groningen, Groningen, 2025.
  • ‘What’s in a Nickname? Barnabas and the Dynamics of Displacement, Belonging, and Identity’. Society of Biblical Literature Annual Meeting (Exile [Forced Migrations] in Biblical Literature Section), San Diego, CA, 2024.
  • ‘Fabrications of Magic: A Reassessment of Paul’s Handkerchiefs and Belts’. Scottish Universities Biblical Studies Postgraduate Conference, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, 2024.
  • ‘Joseph Barnabas, Cypriot, Levite, Migrant?’. British New Testament Society Conference (Acts Seminar), University of Exeter, Exeter, 2023.
  • ‘So That You Might Not Only Believe: Simon Magus and the Missional Spirit’. Tyndale Fellowship Conference (New Testament Study Group), London, 2023.
  • ‘Those who were scattered: A Migration Studies Perspective on Acts’. British New Testament Society Conference (Acts Seminar), University of St Andrews, St Andrews, 2022.
  • ‘The Migrant Messiah: Biblical Perspectives on an Ethical Claim’. Tyndale Fellowship Conference (New Testament Study Group), London, 2022.

Articles:

  • Fabrications of Magic: A Reassessment of Paul’s Handkerchiefs and Belts.’ The Journal of Theological Studies, (forthcoming). 
  • ‘What’s in a Nickname? Barnabas and the Dynamics of Displacement, Belonging, and Identity.’ Biblical Interpretation, (forthcoming). 
  • ‘How much evil he has done to your saints?’: Ananias, Saul, and a Christian approach to the Contact Hypothesis in the Scottish refugee context.’ Theology in Scotland, 32.2 (2025): 21-34. 
  • ‘Borders for a Purpose: Rethinking God’s Delimitations in Acts 17:26.’ Scottish Bulletin of Evangelical Theology, 43.2 (2025): 126-150. 
  • A Review Essay: ‘Glenn Butner, Jesus the Refugee’ Scottish Episcopal Institute Journal 9.1 (2025): 118-127.
  • ‘Precarious Migrants: Priscilla, Aquila, and the Subversion of Expectations.’ Scottish Episcopal Institute Journal, 8.3 (2024): 35-45. 
  • ‘Reframing the Present through “Vocabulary from the Past”: Stephen’s Speech and the Reshaping of Christian Perspectives on Israel and Palestine.’ Scottish Episcopal Institute Journal 7:2 (Summer 2023): 39-52.
  • ‘Rethinking Refujesus: Biblical Perspectives on a Popular Icon.’ Theology and Ministry 8 (2022): 16–33. 

Book Reviews:

  • ‘Hans Burger, Life in Christ: The Significance of Jesus’ Story.’ European Journal of Theology, 35:1 (2026): 205-207.

  • ‘Tomas Bokedal, Ludger Jansen and Michael Borowski (eds), Scripture and Theology: Historical and Systematic Perspectives.’ European Journal of Theology, 35:1 (2026): 184-186.

  • ‘Daniel Marguerat, Les Actes des apôtres (13-28), 2e édition actualisée et corrigée.’ Scottish Bulletin of Evangelical Theology, 43:2 (2025): 212-215.

  • ‘Damon Di Mauro, Introduction to Theological French.’ Scottish Bulletin of Evangelical Theology, 43:2 (2025): 201-203.

  • ‘Steve Walton, Acts 1-9:42, Volume 37A.’ Scottish Bulletin of Evangelical Theology, 43:1 (2025): 103-106.

  • ‘Svetlana Khobnya, Arseny Ermakov, Deirdre Brower Latz, Peter Rae and MiJa Wi (eds), The Holy People of God. Identity, Contexts, Challenges.’ European Journal of Theology (2025): 396-398.

  • ‘Julius-Kei Kato, Reading the Bible in a Secular Age. The New Testament as Spiritual Ancestry.’ European Journal of Theology (2025): 359-361.

  • ‘Peter Admirand, Destruction, Ethics, and Intergalactic Love - Exploring Y: The Last Man and Saga.’ Studies in Christian Ethics, 37:4 (2024): 910-913.

  • ‘Matthew Halsted, Paul and the Meaning of Scripture: A Philosophical-Hermeneutic Approach to Paul’s Use of the Old Testament in Romans.’ European Journal of Theology, 33:2 (2024): 299-301.

  • ‘Markus Zehnder, The Bible and Immigration: A Critical and Empirical Reassessment.’ European Journal of Theology, 32:1 (2023): 131-133.

  • ‘David M. Crump, Like Birds in a Cage: Christian Zionism’s Collusion in Israel’s Oppression of the Palestinian People.’ International Journal for the Study of the Christian Church (2022): 257-261.

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