‘It is so rare, in fact it never happens, that crimes are so well documented’ Manon Garcia www.theguardian.com/world/2025/o...

Great day of sharing research coming up in Leeds on 8 October. shilohproject.blog/religion-vio...

Am reading the ebook and learning a lot. Highly recommended.

This week has been early mornings to co-chair sessions in the 'Gendered and Queer Readings of Scripture' working group at the Global Network of Public Theology, hosted by Fuller, and timed for 4am-6:45am in Aotearoa. I learnt a lot and glad to now sleep. www.youtube.com/watch?v=moie...

Prof Halim Rane delivers the 2025 Peace Lecture at University Otago hosted by the Dunedin Abrahamic Interfaith Group with the Otago Tertiary Chaplaincy.

Wonderful new free film resource on Rape Culture and the Bible now available, linked to forthcoming open access Routledge book edited by Barbara Thiede. shilohproject.blog/heres-our-ne...

Delighted to have this chapter with Emily Colgan ‘Christianity: Accompanying Survivors of Sexual Harm: Responses, Activism, and Resistance to Sexual Harm within Christian Contexts’ published in a fantastic Open Access volume edited by Johanna Stiebert. doi.org/10.4324/9781...

'On July 16, the Association for Truth, Justice and Fair Reparations (AVJR), which consists of former members of all four branches of the SCV family, issued a statement ... urging Pope Leo XIV to ensure that reparations are swift.' cruxnow.com/church-in-th...

Wrapping up a wonderful sequence of conferences in Rome, Regensburg, and Melbourne, with a day to catch up on emails and reading in Victoria State Library. A fabulous space (and great cafe).

Sr Nirmala Nazareth speaking at ISC 2025 at Gregorian University.

‘There is little research that has been done concerning the issue, but Siabana says it doesn’t mean abuse doesn’t exist on the continent.’ Sister Linah Siabana (by Ngala Killian Chimtom) cruxnow.com/church-in-af...

'They thanked Pope Francis for “not having looked the other way” in sending the Special Mission and they also thanked Pope Leo XIV for his support of SCV victims' Elise Ann Allen cruxnow.com/church-in-th...

Watching a bit later in NZ and what a great result.

In remarks to BBC last week, Rocío Figueroa comments on the Sodalicio connections behind the complaints against Pope Leo XIV during his time in Peru, www.facebook.com/CatholicNZ/p...

Another excellent piece, by my colleague @universityofotago.bsky.social Greg Marcar for @newsroom.co.nz newsroom.co.nz/2025/05/13/i...

‘Accountability must mean more than gestures; it must be real, decisive, and consistent’, Juan Carlos Cruz in piece by Elise Ann Allen cruxnow.com/vatican/2025...

'They disappear them' theguardian.com/us-news/2025... It is many years since I wrote on forced disappearances and the cross in Latin America, and I never expected to be reading headlines like this for the US. My chapter 'He is not here' available at david-tombs.com/2000-2009/#2...

Great to read this piece on Pope Francis by my Otago colleague Greg Marcar on some of the early experiences that shaped his life and his theology @newsroom.co.nz newsroom.co.nz/2025/04/29/p...

Great 3-0 result, enjoyed by all but pretty exhausting.

It was a privilege to serve as a guest editor (with Miryam Clough) for the Autumn 2025 issue of the Anglican Journal of Theology in Aotearoa and Oceania on 'Trauma, Abuse, and Healing'. Available via the University of Otago archive at hdl.handle.net/10523/45808 (free download).

'I BELIEVE that teaching Jesus as Victim is one of the most critical responsibilities that church leaders, theologians, and others have today. .' Mark Stibbe www.churchtimes.co.uk/articles/202...

I published my chapter '"He is not here": Disappearance, Death and Denial' twenty four years ago. This Easter, abduction and extra-judicial detention in El Salvador seem as relevant as ever. Available open access on my web-site at www.david-tombs.com/2000-2009

“The suppression of the Sodalitium took too long, but if finally arrived. And it arrived with the taste of something very similar to earthly justice.” Pedro Salinas quoted in the piece below by Elise Ann Allen. cruxnow.com/vatican/2025...

Really pleased to have a chapter in this @scmpress.bsky.social collection. Our chapter describes a contextual Bible collaboration with colleagues at University of KwaZulu-Natal in 2019, scmpress.hymnsam.co.uk/books/978033...

'I feel a lot of happiness, it’s been 25 years of struggle, but I also feel a great burden because there are many voices that I am carrying,” said José Enrique Escardó.' cruxnow.com/vatican/2025...

Elise Ann Allen gives an overview on the Sodalicio dissolution. I have worked with Rocío Figueroa on Sodalicio research since 2015, and it is quite something to see this outcome. Read our work on Sodalicio at www.david-tombs.com cruxnow.com/vatican/2025...

The pbk is currently just GBP 10 in the SCM Press Winter sale @scmpress.bsky.social and the PDF is available open access for free download. Pbk scmpress.hymnsam.co.uk/books/978033... PDF scmpress.hymnsam.co.uk/media/75409/...

'...over $5 billion has been paid in costs due to the abuse crisis in the U.S. Catholic Church.' cruxnow.com/church-in-th...

Here’s a BB episode on the Bible and sexual violence against men in the stories of Lot and Jesus. Reflecting on recent cases of male sexual assault, we discuss how these biblical texts echo harmful myths and misperceptions that surround this crime today www.bloodybiblepodcast.com/episodes/blo...

‘The historic nature of Brambilla’s appointment was confirmed by Vatican Media, which headlined its report “Sister Simona Brambilla is the first woman prefect in the Vatican.’ Nicole Winfield apnews.com/article/vati...

Great to see this piece with Rocío Figueroa now available in Brazilian Portuguese (open access). Rocío Figueroa and David Tombs, ‘Vendo Sua Inocência, Eu Vejo Minha Inocência’, Estudos Teológicos 64 (2) (2024), pp. 1-17. revistas.est.edu.br/ET/article/v...

Otago Uni library Christmas book tree is always a great sign that Christmas is coming.

Coincidentally this has been reviewed by @revdwillrm.bsky.social in the Journal For the Study of Bible and Violence www.csbvbristol.org.uk/jsbv/v3/ The review includes a helpful summary of the chapters: www.csbvbristol.org.uk/jsbv/v3/book... @david-tombs.bsky.social @karenod.bsky.social

'Many of the men who assaulted her received far shorter sentences than Dominique Pelicot, some as little as 3 years. That figure is striking, given that some Just Stop Oil protesters... were jailed for as many as 5 years for non-violent crimes.' Tasia Scrutton shilohproject.blog/the-verdicts...

Read more on my work at my web-site www.david-tombs.com

With so many stories in the news of egregious church failures to address sexual abuse, I am really pleased that 'When Did We See You Naked?: Jesus as a Victim of Sexual Abuse' is now open access, and free to download as a PDF at: scmpress.hymnsam.co.uk/media/75409/...