John Hirt

The Rev. Dr. John Hirt OAM (born 1943) is an Australian pastor, educator, and one of the leaders of the radical discipleship movement in Australia.[1]

Education

Hirt attended the NSW Baptist Theological College, where he obtained the Licentiate in Theology, and was subsequently ordained as a Baptist minister.[2] Later he studied in the Department of Studies in Religion, at the University of Sydney, where he obtained a Doctor of Philosophy degree.[3]

Professional career

Hirt was one of the founders of the House of the New World in Sydney, described by one church historian as “a Christian counter-cultural experiment”.[4] He has pastored at Avalon Peace Baptist Church and Leichhardt Uniting Church, has served as a University Chaplain and theological lecturer, and has been instrumental in developing various Christian training programmes.[5]

Activism

Hirt has been a campaigner for many years on issues of peace, nuclear disarmament, and social justice,[6] and he has linked this with the notion of radical Christian discipleship.[7] He was jailed briefly following a protest sit-in in the USA, and, in 1985, the Avalon Peace Baptist Church, at which he was then pastor, was attacked, as a result his advocacy for refugees from Central America.[8]

Writing and publications

Hirt, J.A. 1988. Radical Discipleship: Narrative Theology towards the History and Theological Implications of the House of the New World. The Baptist Recorder. No.4/88. pp. 7–10.

Hirt, J.A. 1998. Radical Discipleship: Towards the Theology and Sociopolitical Implications. PhD thesis. University of Sydney.

Hirt, J. A. 2002. Catechetical Evangelism as Radical Discipleship in the Mission of the Church. In: D. Neville (Ed.). Prophecy and Passion: Essays in Honours of Athol Gill. (300-325). Adelaide: Australian Theological Forum.

Recognition

On 26 January 2016, Hirt was admitted as a Member of the Order of Australia, in recognition of “significant service to the Uniting Church in Australia, particularly through theological direction, to youth, and to the community”.[9]

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References
  1. Emerson Teusner, P. 2014. Online religious advertising: the case of Australian Christian youth festivals. In: J.D. James (Ed.) The Internet and the Google Age: Prospects and Perils. (63-80). Dublin: Research Publishing. p.76, notes John Hirt and Athol Gill as leaders of the RDM in Australia; Hughes, P.J. and D. Cronshaw. 2013. Baptists in Australia: A church with a heritage and a future. Melbourne: Christian Research Association. P. 29, notes John Hirt and Athol Gill as leaders of the RDM in Australia; Munro, M. 2002. A History of the Gentle Bunyip (1975-1990): A Challenge to Australian Church Life. MA History Thesis, University of Melbourne. P.45, lists John Hirt and Athol as leaders of the RDM in Australia.
  2. McGregor, A 1970. Surfie Minister Rides Sydney’s Waves. Sydney Morning Herald. 20 September 1970. p.41.
  3. Hirt, J.A. 1998. Radical Discipleship: Towards the Theology and Sociopolitical Implications. PhD thesis. University of Sydney.
  4. Munro, M. 2002. A History of the Gentle Bunyip (1975-1990): A Challenge to Australian Church Life. MA History Thesis, University of Melbourne. p.45; see also The House of the New World Newsletter 1970-77 (held in Australian National Library); McGregor, A 1970. Surfie Minister Rides Sydney’s Waves. Sydney Morning Herald. 20 September 1970. p.41; The Shore Record, Vol.33, No.35, 1971. p.143; McKnight, J. 1985. Christian intentional community in New South Wales: a study of the desecularisation process. PhD Thesis, University of Wollongong, at p.110; Hirt, J.A. 1988. Radical Discipleship: Narrative Theology towards the History and Theological Implications of the House of the New World.(Extract).The Baptist Recorder. No.4/88. pp.7-10; Lim, A. 2016. News: Australia Day Honours celebrate seed sown on good soil. Bible Society of Australia. 25 January 2016. http://www-archive.biblesociety.org.au/news/australia-day-honours-celebrate-seeds-sown-on-good-soil; Morecombe, J. 2016. 14 locals honoured for their service for community and others. 25 January 2016. http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/newslocal/northern-beaches/14-locals-honoured-for-their-service-to-their-community-and-to-others/news-story/f2687ed5e08f56af99b12fe782c0b40c
  5. Levinson, A. 1985. Christ was a rugged, tough guy. Sydney Morning Herald. 2 March 1985. P179; Uniting Church Records: http://ume.nswact.uca.org.au/our-work/parish-missions; Lim, A. 2016. News; Australia Day Honours celebrate seed sown on good soil. Bible Society of Australia. 25 January 2016. http://www-archive.biblesociety.org.au/news/australia-day-honours-celebrate-seeds-sown-on-good-soil; Morecombe, J. 2016. 14 locals honoured for their service for community and others. Daily Telegraph. 25 January 2016. http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/newslocal/northern-beaches/14-locals-honoured-for-their-service-to-their-community-and-to-others/news-story/f2687ed5e08f56af99b12fe782c0b40c
  6. Smash the bureaucracy! Humanity is one! (1978) Woroni. 18 July 197. p.18; Downe, G. 1980. Nuclear horizon calls for prophetic response. Canberra Times. 20 August 1980. p.22; Downe, G. 1983. Christians for peace trying to act as a barometer for sanity. Canberra Times. 23 November 1983. p.24; and Levinson, A. 1985. Christ was a rugged, tough man. Sydney Morning Herald. 2 March 1985. p.179; Schwartz, L. 1985.
  7. Hirt, 1998.
  8. Brick attack linked to pastor’s politics. 1985. Sydney Morning Herald 13 March 1985. p.3; Schwartz, L. 1985. Peaceful pastor's revolution. The Northern Herald. 21 March 1985. p.11; Gerrish, G. 1985. Activist target of racist attacks. Tharunka. 2 April 1985. p.7.
  9. It’s an Honour: website for the Order of Australia. http://www.itsanhonour.gov.au/honours/honour_roll/search.cfm?aus_award_id=1152785&search_type=advanced&showInd=true; See also Morecombe, J. 2016. 14 locals honoured for their service for community and others. 25 January 2016. http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/newslocal/northern-beaches/14-locals-honoured-for-their-service-to-their-community-and-to-others/news-story/f2687ed5e08f56af99b12fe782c0b40c
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