Gillian grew up in England and studied Oriental Studies at the University of Oxford. She taught in schools in England and Australia before moving into theological studies. She has tutored at Ridley College, taught at the Presbyterian Theological College and lectured in Early Christianity at the Australian Catholic University. Gillian teaches biblical studies at MST and has developed MST’s archaeology study tour program. She regularly takes students on digs to Israel and is at her happiest when hot and dirty with a trowel in her hand. Gillian’s doctoral studies used documentary papyri to analyse the communicative impact of unexpected high-register words in Paul’s letter openings. Gillian is a member of the Steering Committee for the Society of Biblical Literature’s Biblical Lexicography program unit and vice-chair of the board of Summer Institute of Linguistics Australia. In the wider Christian community, Gillian has preached at churches and conferences in Victoria and interstate.