Introduction
Rev. Dr Myk Habets is Senior Lecturer in Theology and Director of Research and past Head of the School of Theology at Laidlaw College. Myk Habets lectures in Systematic Theology and Ethics, focusing on constructive contemporary dogmatics, moral theology, Third Article Theology, Spirit Christology, theosis, and theological interpretation of Scripture. He is an Associate Fellow of the Kirby Laing Centre for Public Theology at Cambridge, a Research Fellow, University of the Free State, and a Research Associate of the Centre for Baptist Studies, Regent’s Park, University of Oxford, and serves as an associate Baptist pastor.
He is Member-At Large and past President of the Thomas F. Torrance Theological Fellowship; Associate Editor of Participatio: The Journal of the Thomas Torrance Theological Fellowship; and Co-editor of Re-envisioning Reformed Dogmatics Series (Cascade Books), past Co-editor of Journal of Theological Interpretation (Penn State University Press), past editor of the Pacific Journal for Theological Research, past Co-editor of Colloquium Journal, past Chair of the New Zealand Association of Theological Schools (NZATS), and past Vice-President of the Australian and New Zealand Association of Theological Schools (ANZATS). His work is widely published in international journals, and he has published over twenty-five books, a hundred book chapters and academic articles. Myk’s teaching and research centre around constructive contemporary dogmatics and moral theology (ethics). He has a special interest in pneumatology and is a world- leading scholar of Third Article Theology, theosis, Spirit Christology, the theology of Thomas F. Torrance, Evangelical Calvinism, the theology of C. S. Lewis, and the theological interpretation of Scripture.
Quote
“Theology is a vocation, hobby, and passion. I aim to teach the great doctrines of the Christian faith—founded in Scripture, forged in tradition, applied to culture, and lived out in experience.”
Something Personal
Myk enjoys family, preaching, sport, motorbikes, and Auckland’s North Shore beaches.
Qualifications
PhD (Theology) | University of Otago
Master of Theology (Research, Merit – highest distinction) | BCNZ / Laidlaw College
Graduate Diploma in Teaching (Primary) | AUT University
Bachelor of Ministry | BCNZ / Laidlaw College
Professional Experience
Senior Lecturer & Head of School of Theology, Laidlaw College
Associate Baptist Pastor, Albany Baptist Church
International lecturer in Systematic Theology and Ethics
Books
Starting with the Spirit: The T&T Clark Introduction to Third Article Theology. London: T&T Clark Bloomsbury, 2024 (with Greg J. Liston).
Journal Essays
“The Vagaries of Theology: Thomas F. Torrance and Practical Theology.” Participatio 12 (2025): 175–213.
“Herman Bavinck’s Rejection of Theosis: An Explanation.” Journal of Reformed Theology 18 (2024): 50–75.
“Fat Bodies, Diet Culture, and Human Flourishing: How Did We Get it so Wrong?” Dialog 63.4 (2024): 166–173. https://doi.org/10.1111/dial.12859 (with Jennifer Bowden, 50%).“Priestly Work or Corporate Sellouts: God, Creation and Order.” Academy of Management Journal Proceedings, vol 2024, no. 1 (2024): Spirituality and Nature: Alternative Ontologies to Innovate for the Future. | Academy of Management Proceedings (aom.org) (with Peter McGhee, 50%)“Critical Review Essay: Anatolios, Deification Through the Cross,” Pacific Journal of Theology 17, no.2 (2022): 24-33.
“Theological Theological Interpretation of Scripture.” International Journal of Systematic Theology 23 no. 2 (2021): 235-258 http://doi.org/10.1111/ijst.12474
Edited Books
Thomas F. Torrance and Evangelical Theology: A Critical Analysis. Bellingham: Lexham Press, 2023. (with R. Lucas Stamps)
T&T Clark Handbook of Colin E. Gunton. London: Bloomsbury T&T Clark, 2021. (with Andrew Picard and Murray Rae)
Book Chapters
“Thomas F. Torrance.” In T&T Clark Handbook of Modern Theology. Ed. Philip G. Ziegler and R. David Nelson. London: T&T Clark Bloomsbury, 2026, 731–736.
“Schlatter and the Early Adoption of Spirit Christology.” In Engaging with Schlatter: Global Conversations on Faith, Jesus Christ, and the Cross. Ed. Michael Brautigam and Jason Lam. Tübingen: Mohr Siebeck, 2026. 281–297.
“Spirit Christology and the Power of Jesus.” In T&T Clark Companion to Christology. Ed. Darren Sumner and Chris Tilling. London: T&T Clark Bloomsbury, 2025, 209–225.
“Deification: Recent Anglican and Protestant Approaches.” In The Oxford Handbook of Deification. edited by Andrew Hofer, Matthew Levering, and Paul Gavrilyuk. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2024, 497-521.
“The Global Theology of Veli-Matti Kärkkäinen: A Free Church View from Down Under.” The Dialogic Evangelical Theology of Veli-Matti Kärkkäinen: Exploring the Work of God in a Diverse Church and a Pluralistic World. Ed. Amos Yong, Patrick Oden, Peter Heltzel. Lanham: Fortress Press/Lexington Books, 2022, 121-134.
“Levinas and Lewis on Loving the Other in Organizations.” In Love and Organization: Lessons of Love for Human Dignity, Leadership and Motivation. Edited by Michael Pirson. London: Routledge, 2022), 112-131. (with Peter McGhee).
“The Value of CD 1 For Systematic Theology.” Marty Folsom, Karl Barth’s Church Dogmatics For Everyone: Vol 1: The Doctrine of the Word of God (Grand Rapids: Zondervan Academic, 2022), 249-250.
“The Spirit Cannot Be Ignored’: Gunton on Pneumatology.” T&T Clark Companion to Colin Gunton. Ed. Myk Habets, Andrew Picard, Murray Rae. London: Bloomsbury T&T Clark, 2021, 121-136.
“‘We Played the Flute for You and You did not Dance’: A Theology of Play.” 9-27. In Sports and Play in Christian Theology. Edited by John Tucker and Philip Halstead. Lanham: Lexington Books/Fortress Academic, 2021.
Quality Assured Magazines
“Hearts and Minds: Home at Last: A Meditation on Renewed Creation.” Stimulus 30 no.1 (2023).
Editorials
Conference Presentations
“The Future of Schlatter Studies.” Adolf Schlatter Symposium. Fulda, Germany, October 24-25, 2026.
2026 “Is Mimicking Jesus the Way to Holiness? Participatio Christi and the Reimagining of Pastoral Leadership,” Evangelical Foundation for Biblical Research: 2026 New Testament Symposium, May 28-30, Surfside Beach, South Carolina, USA.
‘Stories of Hope: Theoria, Poiēsis, and Praxis,’ Association of Practical Theology in Oceania (APTO), Adelaide, 4-5 Dec 2025.
“Theosis in Recent Christian Thought: Ecumenical Potentials and Pitfalls.” Religion and Philosophy in Antiquity Seminar program unit, SBL, November 2025.
“The Spiritual Saga of a Creaturely Soul—Revisited.” Deification Panel, ETS, November 2025.
“Nicaea and TAT: The Art of Looking Along the Creed,” Edinburgh Dogmatics Conference, Keynote address, 3-5 June, 2025, Edinburgh.
“Hope in Action: Theoria, Poiēsis, and Praxis” [Or] “Habets Hears a Who.” Hope Conference, Laidlaw College, 26-28 March, 2025 (with Odele Habets 80%).
“Theosis in Recent Protestant Thought: Movers, Shakers, Mystics, and More.” Evangelical Theological Society, San Diego, 22 Nov, 2024.
“Thomas F. Torrance: A Critical Appreciation.” Evangelical Theological Society, San Diego, 20 Nov, 2024.
“Priestly work or corporate sellouts: God, creation and order.” Annual Meeting of the Academy of Management, Chicago, August 2024. (With Peter McGhee who presented the paper).
“A False Hope? A Theological Response to Ilaria L. E. Ramelli, A Larger Hope? Universal Salvation from Christian Beginnings to Julian of Norwich, Universalism in Christianity session at AAR, San Antonio, 18 November 2023, Hosted by the Society of Christian Philosophers.
Moderator and respondent to Paul Molnar, Freedom, Necessity, and the Knowledge of God, TFTTF Annual Meeting, AAR, San Antonio, November 2023.
“The Deification of Nature and a Christian Response to the Ecological Crisis,” Oceania Biblical Studies Association Conference, Malua Theological College, Upolu, Samoa, Aug 30-Sept 1, 2023.
“Theosis in the Theology of Herman Bavinck.” Bavinck Centenary Conference, Brisbane School of Theology, 6-7 December 2021.
“Theological Theological Interpretation of Scripture.” ANZATS Annual Meeting, Perth/Online, 6 July, 2021.
“The Future of Theology: A Personal View from Oceania.” The Future of Academic Theology seminar, Free University of Amsterdam, October 27, 2006.
“Creation Proleptically Conditioned by Redemption.” Tyndale Fellowship Annual Meeting, Keynote address, June 30-July 2, Derbyshire, England.
“C.S. Lewis and the transformative Process to become Gods/goddesses,” C.S. Lewis Summer Institute, Keynote address, 24-30 July, Belfast, Northern Ireland.
Teaching & Expertise
Systematic Theology & Ethics
Third Article Theology & Spirit Christology
Soteriology / Theosis
Trinity / Doctrine of God
