Paul Joyce studied Theology before completing doctoral studies in Old Testament at Oxford, where he was Kennicott Hebrew Fellow. His first post was as Lecturer and subsequently Director of Studies at Ripon College, Cuddesdon, a Theological College of the Church of England. He then moved to the University of Birmingham as a Lecturer and subsequently to Oxford University, where he was University Lecturer in Old Testament and a Fellow of St Peter’s College. He was appointed as Samuel Davidson Professor of Old Testament/Hebrew Bible at King's in 2012.

He served as Chair of the Oxford Theology Faculty Board 2008 - 2011 and as Head of Department at King's 2013 - 2017. He was President of the Society for Old Testament Study for its centennial year of 2017. 

Research interests and PhD supervision

• The Exilic Age of Ancient Israel, especially the books of Ezekiel and Lamentations
• The book of Amos
• The History of the Reception of the Bible in Judaism and Christianity
• Psychological Interpretation of the Bible

Professor Joyce has extensive experience of supervising doctoral candidates, including in historical, literary and theological topics within Hebrew Bible study; the history of the reception of the Bible in Judaism and Christianity; and interpretation and method in biblical study.

For more details, please see his full research profile.

Teaching

Professor Joyce teaches in the following areas of undergraduate study:

• Introduction to Hebrew Bible/Old Testament
• Politics, society and history of Ancient Israel
• Law and ethics in the Hebrew Bible/Old Testament
• Biblical Hebrew

and in the following areas of postgraduate study:

• Cosmology and Chaos in the Hebrew Bible/Old Testament
• Theology in Practice
• Biblical Hebrew

Expertise and public engagement

Professor Joyce is involved in public engagement (and consultancy) on the Bible in the modern world, Christian-Jewish and Christian-Muslim Relations, and migration and hospitality in biblical and intercultural contexts.