David Perry is vice president and provost of Alphacrucis College, Australia. He holds a PhD from Australian Catholic University, where his dissertation, Pentecostal Spirit Baptism: An Analysis of Meaning and Function, was published by Brill.
An ordained minister with Australian Christian Churches, he has lectured in theology and has been involved in theological education and institutional leadership within the higher education sector.
Dr David has served in leadership roles in theological education, including membership on the Higher Education Standards Panel advising the Federal Minister for Education. He has also served as chair of Independent Higher Education Australia, secretary of the Council of Deans of Theology, commissioner for the APTA Theological Commission, and president of the Association of Pentecostal and Charismatic Bible Colleges.
Having been involved in various ecumenical dialogues over the past three decades, I have gained some important insights. Much progress has been made, yet the question remains: How can we, despite our diverse histories and identities, live and function as the Church together? Secularising tendencies in our societies that bring about new challenges, especially in the large urban centres. For the sake of a credible Christian witness, we need to be able to address common concerns together. There are fundamental spiritual desires that are not met in a secular context. The Christian churches have the opportunity to respond to these human yearnings, to a void that is felt, and present the Good News of Jesus Christ in relevant ways. Furthermore, as we live in increasingly pluralistic societies, we witness a growing polarisation of attitudes. This is evident in one-sided nationalist agendas and a discourse rooted in fear. The ecumenical work done so far can serve as a bridge for a common Christian witness “so that the world may believe.”
