St Mellitus College is thrilled to announce the promotion of two new Senior Lecturer’s. Dr Sara Schumacher has been appointed as Senior Lecturer in Theology & The Arts, and Revd Dr Mark Scarlata now holds the position of Senior Lecturer in Old Testament. Their expertise enriches our community and our commitment to theological education and spiritual formation.
“It is so pleasing that we are able to recognise Sara and Mark and the contribution they make to the overall life of the College. I have personally benefitted from both their teaching and as wonderful colleagues, who evidence a love for their subject specialism and a passion for teaching. Through conversations with those that they have taught and formed, the writing they offer and the research they are engaged with, it is exciting to recognise their gifts and encourage them in further service of the church.”
Dr Sara Schumacher studied at the Institute for Theology, Imagination and the Arts (University of St Andrews) and completed a doctorate on contemporary church patronage of the visual arts. While at St Andrews, Sara co-founded and served as editor-in-chief of Transpositions. Sara lectures widely on a range of subjects and recently published a Grove booklet titled Reimagining the Spiritual Disciplines for a Digital Age. In July 2020, Sara began a three-year Pedagogy Fellowship through the Yale Centre for Faith and Culture’s Christ and Being Human project. Prior to her academic life, Sara trained and worked as a graphic designer in a variety of professional settings and continues to enjoy all things art related.
Dr Sara Schumacher, Senior Lecturer in Theology & The Arts, "It remains an honour to be a part of the staff team at St Mellitus, and I am grateful for the opportunity to continue my contribution to the College and the wider church as Senior Lecturer in Theology and the Arts.”
Revd Dr Mark Scarlata grew up in the USA and did his theological studies at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary and Yale Divinity School. He received his PhD from Cambridge University, which has been published as 'Outside of Eden: Cain in the Ancient Versions of Gen. 4.1-16' (T & T Clark, 2012). His book 'Am I my Brother's Keeper?: Christian Citizenship in a Globalized Society', (Wipf and Stock/Cascade) deals with issues related to Christian life and the response of faith within a global community. Mark has contributed articles to the T & T Clark Companion to the Septuagint and other volumes on Bible translation. His current research interests are in Exodus, Leviticus and more broadly in the Pentateuch. He was the Distinguished Academic Visitor at Queens College, Cambridge when completing his commentary on Exodus, The Abiding Presence (London: SCM Press, 2018). He went on to write Sabbath Rest: The Beauty of God’s Rhythm for a Digital World (London: SCM Press, 2019). His current research is in Leviticus and he has just published a lay introduction called Journey Through the World of Leviticus: Holiness, Sacrifice, and the Rock Badger (Wipf and Stock, 2021). His forthcoming work, A Theology of Leviticus (Cambridge University Press) will be available soon. Mark is also the Vicar-Chaplain at St. Edward, King and Martyr, Cambridge where he serves as a priest in one of the oldest churches in Cambridge that was integral in the English Reformation. He is the director of the St. Edward’s Institute for Christian Thought which seeks to nurture Christian scholars and bring theology to the heart of the church.
Dr Mark Scarlata, Senior Lecturer in Old Testament, ‘It is a great pleasure and honour to be promoted to Senior Lecturer. Having worked at the college for the past thirteen years, it has been a privilege to be a part of such a fantastic and dynamic team that has embraced the vision of the college to bring theology back to the heart of the church and to create a place where ordinands and students can engage from all different theological and liturgical backgrounds. I’m tremendously grateful for the opportunities that I’ve been given to thrive within the college and becoming a Senior Lecturer both affirms what I have done in the past and for how I will serve in the future. St. Mellitus is an institution that has grown in breadth and depth over the years and it has been such a joy to be a part of it was we continue to play our role in the growth and revitalisation of the Church of England.’
Both Sara and Mark make valuable contributions to the College community and the broader field of theological formation and education.