Dr Michelle Eastwood
Director of Research
Research areas: Gender and Sexuality, Psalms, Shame, Feminist Theologies
About
Michelle started at ALC in February 2021 as Research Administrative Officer to assist the Associate Dean for Research. In March 2022, she took up the role of Director of Research.
Michelle has previous experience as a secondary teacher in the areas of English, Literature, Psychology, Humanities, Drama, and Music. She has also worked as a research assistant for the Centre for Human Ageing, and Australian Women in Religion project.
Michelle has just completed her PhD titled ‘The Shame of the Old Woman: A Feminist Reading of Psalm 71’. Her research interests include gender and sexuality, Hebrew Bible, and worship and liturgy.
Special interests
- Shame
- Ageing
- Feminist Theology
- Psalms
- Worship and Liturgy
- Gender and sexuality
Research supervision
Research areas: Gender and Sexuality, Psalms, Shame, Feminist Theologies
Community engagement
- Secretary, Association of Practical Theologians (2021)
- Asian Women’s Resource Centre, South East Representative (2020–)
- Australian Women in Religion Project, writing Wikipedia pages about women in religion in Australia.
- Member of Australian Academy of Liturgy, Fellowship of Biblical Studies, Society of Biblical Literature, Association of Practical Theology in Oceania
- Book Review Editor, Australian Journal of Liturgy
Qualifications in detail
- Bachelor Arts (Psychology, History) (Deakin University, 2000)
- Graduate Diploma in Education (Secondary) (Ballarat University, 2006)
- Master of Education (Deakin University, 2012)
- Thesis: ‘Beyond Word Processing – The Integration of Technology in the English and Humanities Classroom’
- Masters of Arts (Theology) (Pilgrim Theological College, University of Divinity, 2016)
- Extended Essay: ‘Hearing their Voices – Female Prophetic Voice in the Christian Tradition’
- Doctor of Philosophy (Theology) (Catholic Theological College, University of Divinity, 2022)
- Thesis: ‘The Shame of the Old Woman: A Feminist Reading of Psalm 71’
Papers and publications
Book chapters
2020
‘Theologies of Ageing: A Review of the Literature.’ In Embracing Life and Gathering Wisdom (ed. Stephen Smith, Edwina Blair and Catherine Kleemann). Occasional Series 2. Macquarie Park: SCD Press.
Articles
2022
'Rethinking the purpose of ministry', Lutheran Theological Journal 56, no.2 (August): 81–82
2021
‘There's A Fine Line Between Pleasure and Pain.’ Australian Journal of Liturgy Vol. 17, No. 4 (2021): 208–226.
‘Reading Proverbs 31:10–31 from a literary perspective.’ Lutheran Theological Journal 55, no.3 (December): 139–150.
2020
‘Reflection on Zoom Church.’ Australian Journal of Liturgy Vol 17, No. 2 (2020): 83.
Presentations
2025
'Shame Language in Isaiah.' ALC Seminar Series
'Never Seek Their Peace or Prosperity: On Purity Impulses and Constructing Identity.' OBSA, Tonga,
'Understanding the Shame Cognates.' ISBL, Uppsala
'Negotiating Identity as Demonstrated in the Psalms of Ascent.' ISBL, Uppsala
'Clanging Symbols.' AAL, Brisbane
2024
'I am for Peace (Psalm 120).' Talanoa, Sydney
'Reading Psalms from the Edges.' ALC Festival of Learning, Online
'Barbie, Bathsheba and Female Agency.' ISBL, Amsterdam,
CRA Research Presentation, UD, Box Hill
'Complaint! An Exercise in Reflective Practice.' ANZATS, Adelaide
2023
'Clothing, Embodiment and Purity Culture.' ALC Festival of Learning
'What Are You Wearing.' ALC Festival of Learning
'Reading the Bible as Women.' International Conference on Religion and Education, Online (invited keynote)
'Treaty Now.' SBL, San Antonio
'Yothu Yindi in Conversation with Psalm 126.' UD Lightning Talks, Box Hill
2021
‘Naomi, Isaac and Eli: Shame, Ageing and Reading Psalm 71.’ SBL, San Antonio, Online.
‘The Shame of the Old Woman.’ Adelaide Joint Seminar, Online.
‘Religion as Rhetoric, Reading the Bible in Australia Stream.’ ANZATS, Online.
(with Dr Tracy McEwan and Dr Cathie Lambert) ‘Exploring Transformations in Christian Women’s Praxis through the Lens of HDR Research Panel.’ (Women Reading the Bible), AASR, Online.
2020
‘There’s a Fine Line Between Pleasure and Pain: How a Literary Reading of the Psalms Can Inform Worship and Liturgy.’ Keynote AAL Victorian May Chapter Meeting, Online.
2019
‘Do Not Forsake Me When I Am Old (Psalm 71:9).’ SBL, San Diego.
‘Shame as Control Mechanism.’ ACFT, Pilgrim Theological College.
(with Rev Dr Alan Niven and Rev Dr Laurie McNamara) ‘Towards a Richer Spiritual Understanding of Human Ageing.’ 8th International on Ageing and Spirituality, Canberra.
‘Reframing Theologies of Shame in Light of the Empirical Evidence.’ ANZATS, Auckland.
‘Beyond the Honour-Shame Paradigm: How Empirical Research on Shame Changes the Narrative.’ UD Research Day.
‘The Shame of the Old Woman.’ Spiritual Care Pre-Conference, Melbourne.
2018
‘Old and Young: When Missional Priority Sacrifices Our Aged Members.' ANZATS, Brisbane.
‘Theologies of Ageing: A Review of the Literature.’ Embracing Life and Gathering Wisdom, Sydney.
‘Hillary, Shame and Psalm 71.’ ACFT, Pilgrim Theological College.
2017
‘Missional Messy Church.’ IAMS Reimagining Home Conference, Whitley College.
Other
2025
A reflection on Luke 12:49-53, Madonna Magazine
Review of 'A Most Useful Bethrothal', Women in Theology Blog, https://womenintheology.org/2025/10/21/review-of-a-most-useful-betrothal/
'Chasing Waterfalls', Women in Theology Blog, https://womenintheology.org/2025/10/08/chasing-waterfalls/
'Reading the Bible Down Under', ISBL Adelaide 2026, https://womenintheology.org/2025/07/08/reading-the-bible-down-under-isbl-adelaide-2026/
'At Last', Women in Theology Blog, https://womenintheology.org/2025/04/13/at-last/
2024
Reading the Bible in Australia, Through the Lens of Psalm 133, Tilling the Soil
'Forgive as we have been Forgiven', Women in Theology Blog, https://womenintheology.org/2024/12/08/forgive-as-we-have-been-forgiven/
'Haunted by the Voice', Women in Theology Blog, https://womenintheology.org/2024/09/02/haunted-by-the-voice/
'Reading the Parable of the Sower', Women in Theology Blog, https://womenintheology.org/2024/08/06/reading-the-parable-of-the-sower/
'In the Middle', Women in Theology Blog, https://womenintheology.org/2024/05/19/in-the-middle/
'Mrs Job and Mr Job', Women in Theology Blog, https://womenintheology.org/2024/03/20/mrs-job-and-mr-job/
'Why I haven’t Returned to Church Post-COVID', https://womenintheology.org/2024/02/18/why-i-havent-returned-to-church-post-covid/
2023
Treaty in Australia Presentation, Feminist Liberation Theology Network, San Antonio
'What you hear in the Dark', Australian Women Preach Sermon https://open.spotify.com/episode/0miTP2D9sttcQheRaeaJzu
'Remember the Alamo!' Women in Theology Blog, https://womenintheology.org/2023/12/14/remember-the-alamo/
'Being Female and Lutheran in Australia', Women in Theology Blog, https://womenintheology.org/2023/11/08/being-female-and-lutheran-in-australia-2/
'Pavlovian Male God Language Training', Women in Theology Blog, https://womenintheology.org/2023/10/08/pavlovian-male-god-language-training/
'Barbie…..and Ken', Women in Theology Blog, https://womenintheology.org/2023/08/09/barbie-and-ken/
2022
‘Reflections on the Festival of Learning.’ VOX: News, Articles and Events from the University of Divinity. https://vox.divinity.edu.au/news/reflections-on-the-festival-of-learning/
2021
‘Australian Women in Religion Edit-a-thon.’ VOX: News, Articles and Events from the University of Divinity. https://vox.divinity.edu.au/news/australian-women-in-religion-edit-a-thon/, (23/03/21).
2020
‘Turn Up and Write.’ VOX: News, Articles and Events from the University of Divinity. https://vox.divinity.edu.au/opinion/turn-up-and-write/, (07/12/2020).
2019
‘Diversity in Citations.’ VOX: News, Articles and Events from the University of Divinity. https://vox.divinity.edu.au/opinion/diversity-in-citation, (09/09/2019).
