sustain:if:able kiwi

the practice of breath prayer in the Gospel of John

Breath prayer is present in the ministry of Jesus. In John 20:19-23, Jesus greets the disciples after the Resurrection. This Gospel account is generally theologised in relation to the Spirit (Receive the Spirit) and connected with creation and new creation (God breathing the breath of life into the Adam in Gen 2:7). The Gospel account is also a matter of theological dispute, with different denominations debating the relevance of John 20:22 for the practice of the Christian sacrament of confession.

Amid these theological debates, what is regularly overlooked is the practice by Jesus of breath prayer – defined as “a form of contemplative prayer linked to the rhythms of breathing: (1) breathe in, calling on a biblical name or image of God, and (2) breathe out a simple God-given desire” (Calhoun, Spiritual Disciplines, IVP, 2005, page 204).

The actions of Christ (“breathed on them” John 20:22) are a drawing in of oxygen and out of carbon dioxide that is mixed with saying of words of peace. In breathing, Jesus is offering a calm physical practice to a group of “freeze, flight, flee” people. We’ve all been told to “just breathe” when we feel strong emotions, because breathing reduces stress and promotes well-being. So the “peace be with you (John 20:19; 21) is not only words. It is the embodied act of breathing when your “doors are locked for fear of the Jews” (20:19). The practical shared practice of breath prayer is present in this Biblical text.

Further, the practical shared practice of breath prayer provides another way of interpreting verse 23 – If you forgive anyone (breathe out in release), they are forgiven … if you do not forgive (hold breath and not release), they are not forgiven. These words, said after Jesus has offered the disciples breath in verse 22, provide a way of interpreting the words about forgiveness in verse 23. The in and out of breathing illustrates the in and out of human forgiveness. We are hurt and we hurt. It is better to release than to hold on. In breath prayer, we can physically explore what it means to breathe in peace and forgiveness, in order to breathe out peace and forgiveness. Sometimes in the simple act of doing something, our emotions find new pathways.

Try it with me. As you consider how someone betrayed you, deeply breathe in God’s peace, hold for a few seconds, then imagine breathing that peace from God out over the person who betrayed you. Repeat these with ongoing deep breaths. This is not something you start, or feelings you need to manufacture. Rather, it is something you share, as you join God’s first and initiating breath of peace in all of life. Sometimes in the simple act of doing something, our bodies find new possibilities.

Psychology Cross-Training for Theologians resources

Through much of 2024 and 2025, i was privileged to participate as a Fellow in the Psychology Cross-Training for Theologians Project, delivered by the University of Birmingham and funded by John Templeton. The Project encouraged collaboration between theology and psychology and fitted well with the empirical research I do for AngelWings Ltd, studying how change happens in communities and religious groups.

The Psychology Cross-Training for Theologians Project involved three visits to the University of Birmingham, for training in psychology engaged theology, along with 12 months of online meetings for research project development, complemented by online mentoring from an experienced psychologist. This was excellent professional development, particularly in qualitative and quantitative research skills and updating me on developments in open science approaches.

The Project also included small grant funding for a research project. For many years I have explored listening processes in educational and community settings. So I used the small grant funding to reflect on these experiences. Specifically, I conducted research into the social impact of spiritual practices, focusing on several practices that encouraged listening. I drew together cohorts of people in local congregations to share in a repeated spiritual practice of four or eight weeks. I gathered data on people’s experience including pre and post surveys, focus group reflection and research diaries.

I have presented initial findings of this research at several conferences, including a poster at the Psychology-engaged Theology Conference and papers at the International Association for the Psychology of Religion (IAPR) and Ecclesiology and Ethnography. I have submitted two journal articles which are under peer review and am analysing data for two further journal articles.

The Psychology Cross-Training for Theologians Project has now made some of the resources available to the public. These include:

• a training course aimed towards researchers. This includes the modules, “Introduction to Psychology for Theologians,” “Foundations of Psychology-Engaged Theology,” “Research Methods and Practices,” and “Research Outputs and Dissemination”.
• a podcast series aimed towards practitioners, bringing current psychological research into practical dialogue with theological and pastoral questions:
• a resource list aimed towards RE teachers (or potentially those teaching undergraduate psychology of religion). This includes introductory animations developed by our team, including an “orientation to psychology of religion”:
• a blog series featuring reflections and reports from cross-training team members, fellows, mentors, and friends

I am delighted that some of my work during the Project occurs in these publicly facing resources.

Two blog posts I wrote are online. Interruptive Interviews at the Intersection of Psychology and Theology is co-authored with two other Fellows  Dr. Alison Woolley and Dr. Allen Jorgenson. It reflects on our experience of semi-structured interviews in dialogue with psychology and how interviews can be spaces of hospitality that support the wellbeing of participants and deepen the spiritual encounter with self and others.  Listening with Purpose II: A Theologian Reflects on the Interface between Theology and Psychology and reflects on what practical theology can learn about listening from psychology.

Finally, in the podcast series aimed towards practitioners, I have an interview reflecting on The social impacts of listening in community settings. I talk about initial findings from the research, how different congregations engaged and how spiritual practices can benefit congregations and community organisations. (While for some reason the Episode is listed as “coming soon” it’s still good to be profiled as producing practitioner resources!)

• Episode 1 – Ageing as a liminal experience in theological and psychological terms
• Episode 2 – Moral injury, spiritual damage, and abuse in Catholic ecclesial contexts
• Episode 3 – God and self-representations among Christians with intellectual disabilities
• Episode 4 – Necessary interdisciplinary reflections on racism in the Church of England, informed by psychological research
• Episode 5 – Associations between perceptions of God’s “where-being” (transcendent, immanent, or indwelling) and contemplative prayer practices
• Episode 6 – Patient and chaplain perspectives on the success of spiritual care visits
• Episode 7 – The social impacts of listening in community settings

At a personal level, while the Psychology Cross-Training for Theologians Project has finished, I continue with various dimensions. I have since used several psychology scales in survey design and in my writing. I am hosting with Dr Lynne Taylor a monthly Soul Space in our local congregation, which introduces a spiritual practice, locates it in Scripture, names the psychological benefits and invites sharing about what we as a congregation are learning as we practise a practice. I have continued research, including working with 7 congregations on a quantitative study around Lent. I continue to analyse data, hoping to write at least two further journal articles.

a new role as editor for Colloquium research

I am delighted to have been announced this week as the newly appointed (part-time) Editor of Colloquium: The Australian and New Zealand Theological Review.

The journal began in 1967. It belongs to the Australian & New Zealand Association of Theological Studies (ANZATS) and for the last 59 years has played a unique role in supporting theological scholarship in Aotearoa New Zealand and Australia. The journal has just gone open access, so it’s an exciting time to be able to make a contribution.

As I wrote for the announcement to ANZATS members:

“I applied to be editor of Colloquium because I am looking for opportunities to support authors, encourage reviewers and foster partnerships that enhance knowledge-making that is with, from and for this region. I have worked in higher education in different settings in Australia and New Zealand, and am delighted that as an editor I will get to connect and reconnect with you across theological networks and ministry contexts.”

Colloquium has a broad focus across the range of theology. This means the role as Editor of Colloquium will sit nicely alongside my ongoing Co-editor role with Ecclesial Futures journal, which is focused internationally on mission and the development and transformation of ecclesial communities and systems. It also sits nicely alongside my AngelWings Ltd role, keeping me networked with high-quality research and regional academic networks.

I have published several times in Colloquium. Once in a special issue in 2007

Even the Dogs Eat the Crumbs that Fall from their Masters’ Table”: A Contemporary Reflection on the Sacramentality of Communion,” Colloquium 39 (2), 2007, 209-225

Again last last year, (here).

“Making and Christian witness in Australia today,” Colloquium 55 (2) (2025): 30–45. Doi: 10.2478/colloquium-2025-0004

Both of those experiences affirmed for me the importance of a journal like Colloquium and the unique role it plays in promoting scholarship in our part of the world. I’m excited about the next few years.