Sarah’s talk is a celebration of the glory in the mundane. That is the theme of the two wondrous Gwen Harwood poems that Sarah takes us through. But this leads naturally onto a view of the incarnation—the ultimate revealing of glory in the mundane. And Gwen Harwood pursued this glory in the mundane as a woman and mother—which leads her (and Sarah) to advocate a distinctly feminine view of incarnation and Christ. A view that Sarah brilliantly touches on in Luke’s gospel where the gentle domestic view of the women—and the mothers—seems a deliberate counterpoint to the chest-beating imperialism of the male disciples. This gorgeous talk is a work of art and will reward repeated listening.
Sarah is a teacher, literary critic and educational pioneer. She is currently Director of Teaching and Learning at a major Sydney school. Sarah brings literature to life and makes it shine light a light into everyday lives. She catches the undercurrents of meaning that lie beneath the surface of great texts—and she does the same with the texts of the bible.
In her teaching practice, Sarah has made an art of teaching by inquiry and dialogue and has inspired many students with a love for literature and the humanities. She has a particular love and adeptness for the Romantic poets, and for their use of metaphor to explore the boundaries of perception. Her handling of Scripture is enriched by this literary expertise and sensitivity to context; as such she represents one of the finest trends in modern biblical studies—the new light that people trained in poetics and literature can shine on the text.
Sarah speaks with passion and fiery eloquence that brings text and literature to life.