Mark O'Brien op

BSc (UNE) STB (S. Thomas, Rome) LSS (PBI) DTheol (MCD)

Department of Biblical Studies

Rev. Dr Mark O’Brien is a member of the Department of Biblical Studies and lectures in Old Testament studies. He is also a visiting lecturer at the Yarra Theological Union (Box Hill), and the United Faculty of Theology (Parkville).  He is a priest of the Order of Preachers (known as the Dominicans). 

The undergraduate units he teaches include:

• BS218/318 The Historical Literature
• BS326 Justice, Mercy and Theodicy in the Old Testament

The postgraduate units he teaches include:

• BS318 The Historical Literature
• BS326/426 Justice, Mercy and Theodicy in the Old Testament

Mark O’Brien holds the degrees of Bachelor of Science from the University of New England, Baccalaureate of Sacred Theology from the Pontifical University of St Thomas Aquinas (the Angelicum), Rome, Licentiate in Sacred Scripture from the Pontifical Biblical Institute (Rome), and Doctor of Theology from the Melbourne College of Divinity.

At YTU he was a lecturer in Old Testament from 1977-93 and was Academic Dean from 1990-93. He has also been Visiting Lecturer at Ecce Homo Institute in Jerusalem; visiting lecturer in Biblical Studies at St. Francis Xavier Seminary, SA; visiting lecturer in Old Testament at Blackfriars Hall, Oxford; visiting lecturer in Biblical Studies at the National Seminary, Karachi, Pakistan; and lecturer in Old Testament at the Catholic Institute of Sydney from 2005-08.

His current research interests are Narrative Criticism in the Pentateuch and Former Prophets.

His recent publications include: “The Bible and the Blurb” in Compass (2007); “Reflections on the Readings of Sundays and Feasts—February-April” in Australasian Catholic Record (2007); “Reflections on the Readings of Sundays and Feasts” in Australasian Catholic Record (2007).

Recent academic presentations include: “Deuteronomy 16:18-18:22. Meeting the Challenge of Towns and Nations” at Australasian Catholic Biblical Association Conference, St. Mary’s College, University of Melbourne, 2007; “Our Name is Legion for We are Many: Implied Readers in the Book of Isaiah” at Hermeneutics and the Authority of Scripture, Australasian Theological Forum, Canberra, 2007.

Contact: Email Mark O'Brien