Revd Dr Stephen Finamore

College Principal

LLB, MA, DPhil

Contact Steve: finamores@bristol-baptist.ac.uk

Before becoming Principal, Steve was Minister of a church in north-west Bristol. In the past he has been a lawyer, led a community development project in inner London, and worked for a rural development project in the Andes of northern Peru. Steve maintains links with Peru especially with the Evangelical Seminary in Lima. He was involved with the agency Tearfund for over twenty years including ten as a trustee and director.

Steve trained for ministry and read theology in Oxford. His doctoral work is on the Book of Revelation. His interests include Biblical Studies, Christian Doctrine, Mission Studies, ecclesiology, and apocalyptic. He has made a particular study of the work of René Girard. Steve has recently finished as a trustee of the Baptist Union of Great Britain and of the West of England Baptist Network. His other interests include sport and film.

Research Interests:

The thought of Rene Girard, The book of Revelation, The letter to the Hebrews, 1 Peter, Paul’s letters, The Synoptic Gospels, Baptist ecclesiology.

Publications include:

2022: ‘First Things First; The White Horse, Its Rider, and the Interpretation of the Book of Revelation’, in Helen Paynter and Trevor Laurence (editors), Violent Biblical Texts: New Approaches, Sheffield: Phoenix

2021: Romans Unwrapped, BBF Resource Hub, https://www.brf.org.uk/product/romans-unwrapped/

2021: ‘Representing the Kingdom: René Girard and Baptist Celebrations of the Lord’s Supper’, in Anthony Clarke (editor), Being Attentive; Explorations in Practical Theology in Honour of Robert Ellis, Oxford: Regent’s Park

2021: ‘The Three Horizons of Mark 13’, https://cateclesia.com/2021/07/12/the-three-horizons-of-mark-13/

2017: ‘Wright, Wrong and Wrath; Apocalypse in Paul and Girard’, in Michael Kirwan and Sheelah T. Hidden, Mimesis and Atonement; René Girard and the Doctrine of Salvation, London: Bloomsbury

2016: ‘Hope: Prophetic Vision and the Lie of the Land’, in Paul Cloke and Mike Pears (editors), Mission in Marginal Places; The Theory, Milton Keynes: Paternoster

2014: ‘Veiled Presence: The Risen Christ in Spurgeon’s Great Communion Hymn and Baptist Communion Rituals’, in Anthony Clarke (editor), For the Sake of the Church; Essays in Honour of Paul S. Fiddes, Oxford: Regent’s

2012: (Editor with John Weaver), Wisdom, Science and the Scriptures; Essays in Honour of Ernest Lucas, Bristol and 2014: Eugene OR: Wipf and Stock

2012: ‘“Not Made with Hands”; The Heavenly Temple in Hebrews and Revelation’, in Stephen Finamore and John Weaver (editors), Wisdom, Science and the Scriptures, Bristol

2011: A Kinder, Gentler Apocalypse? René Girard, the Book of Revelation and the ‘Bottomless Abyss of the Unforgettable Victim’, in Michael Hardin (editor), Compassionate Eschatology, Eugene OR: Wipf and Stock

2009: God, Order and Chaos; René Girard and the Apocalypse, Milton Keynes: Paternoster

2008: With Paul Fiddes, ‘Baptists and Spirituality; a Rule of Life’ in Paul Fiddes (ed), Under the Rule of Christ; Dimensions of Baptist Spirituality, Oxford: Regent’s

2004: ‘Violence and Covetousness’ in Clarke, A. (editor), Expecting Justice, but Seeing Bloodshed; Some Baptist Contributions to Following Jesus in a Violent World, Oxford: Whitley

2002: ‘Baptists in Covenant’ in Clarke, A. (editor), Bound for Glory; God, Church and World in Covenant, Oxford: Whitley

2000: Violence, the Bible and the End of the World, Oxford: Whitley

1998: ‘The Gospel and the Wrath of God in Romans 1’ in Rowland, C. and Fletcher-Louis, C., (editors), Understanding, Studying and Reading; New Testament Essays in Honour of John Ashton, Sheffield

1997: ‘Worship, Social Action and the Kingdom of Heaven’, in Theology Themes 4.2, Manchester: Northern Baptist College

1996: (editor) On Earth as in Heaven; Towards a Theology of Social Action for Baptist Churches, Didoct: BUGB

1995: (contributor) Shadows; A Study Pack on Euthanasia, Didcot: BUGB and the Methodist Church

1994: (contributor) Belonging; A Resource for the Christian family, Didcot: BUGB

Reviews for Journal of Theological Studies, Theology, Evangelical Quarterly, Baptist Quarterly, Baptist Times, Regent’s Reviews, Baptist Ministers’ Journal