Tumuaki │ Principal

The Venerable Michael Tamihere

BTh (Auckland), PGDipTheol (Laidlaw), PhD Candidate (Otago)

Ngāti Porou

Indigenous Theology, Public Theology, Māori Ecclesiology, History, Te Reo, Mātauranga Mihinare, Ministry Formation

Having originally studied history at the University of Auckland and worked as a social and historical researcher, Michael then trained at St John’s Theological College and was ordained in 2008.

Michael became Archdeacon for Kāhui Rangatahi (Young People) in Te Pīhopatanga o Aotearoa (the Māori Anglican Church), leading the Te Māra Rangatahi Ministry School, before serving as the inaugural Three-Tikanga Youth Commissioner for the province, 2011-2017.

Michael was a member of the Anglican Indigenous Network in 2001, 2005, and 2019; served on the International Anglican Youth Network, 2005-2013; and was a member rof the Anglican Consultative Council, 2005-2014.

As part of the first generation to come through total immersion schooling in Te Reo Māori, Michael is passionate about forming people for ministry and teaching the principles of the Christian faith through an indigenous incarnational model expressed through wānanga and praxis grounded in Te Tairāwhiti and Aotearoa.

Kaiwhakahaere Akoranga│ Academic Registrar

Vania Ria

Dip Bus Studies (EIT)

Ngāti Porou, Ngāti Whakaūe, Ngāti Rakaipaaka

Project Management, Event Management, Communication, Human Resource Management

Vania has 16 years experience in the banking and finance industry. Joining our team in 2021, she has since spearheaded many of TRC’s programmes and events including secondments to Te Pīhopatanga o Aotearoa to resource national and international kaupapa. With the launch of the Te Takawai Diploma in 2025 Vania stepped into the role of Kaiwhakahaere Akoranga | Academic Registrar.

Vania is married to Tipene (Ngāti Porou, Rongowhakaata), with their four tamariki, and resides in Tūranganui-ā-Kiwa.

Kaiwhakaako Toi Whakairo │ Theology & Art

Wi-Kuki Hewett

Te Takapū o Rotowhio Pōkairua

Rongowhakaata, Ngāti Porou, Ngāi Tahu, Kuki Airani

Visual Theology, Indigenous Art, Sacred Art

Wi-Kuki trained at Te Puia Māori Arts and Crafts Institute at Te Takapū o Rotowhio (National Stone and Bone Carving School) subsequently teaching there for several years as a Pouako Whakaairo.

Returning home to Te Tūranganui a Kiwa as Kaiwhakaako Toi Whakairo for TRC, Wi-Kuki is leading the development of a carving studio and programme to do, teach and share indigenous theology through the medium of whakaairo and traditional Māori decorative arts.

Ahorangi Turuki │ Adjunct Professor

Canon Dr Jenny Te Paa-Daniel

MEd (Auckland), PhD (GTU), DD (EDS), DD (VTS)

Te Rarawa

Social Justice, Gender Justice, Theological Education, Public Theology, Indigenous Rights, Race Polictics, Feminist Politics

A pioneer among indigenous women Jenny was the first Māori in the world to gain an academic degree in Theology and the first indigenous lay woman appointed to lead an Anglican Theological College in the Anglican Communion – serving as Ahorangi at St John’s Theological College for 23 years.

Having written and researched extensively on gender and social justice, theological education and race politics, Jenny’s globally based work teaching students and mentoring young women, particularly those from the third world and indigenous communities, is well-recognized.

Jenny is popularly sought after–nationally and internationally– as guest speaker, lecturer, facilitator, media commentator, preacher, and panellist, on a wide range of political and theological issues.

Jenny is Taiahorangi (Professor Emeritus) at Hoani Tapu.

Ahorangi Turuki │ Adjunct Professor

Professor Daniel Smith-Christopher

BA (GFU), M.Div (AMBS), PhD (Oxon)

First Testament Studies, First Testament Theology, Religion and Peace Nonviolence, Cross-cultural Interpretation of the Bible, Indigenous Christianity, Postcolonial Interpretation of the Bible

Daniel is Professor of Theological Studies at Loyola Marymount University, LA, with specialization in Old Testament Studies and Theology.

Daniel’s teaching reflects wide interests from scripture, particularly of the Exilic and Persian periods, issues of peace, justice and non-violence, the role of Scripture in African-American Gospel and Blues musical and lyrical traditions, through to the Bible in Māori cultural contexts, and cross-cultural interpretation of the Bible more generally.

Daniel has brought both undergraduate and graduate students to Te Tairāwhiti and Aotearoa New Zealand for nearly 20 years.

Daniel is especially committed to finding ways to listen to diverse voices today and is fascinated by the intellectual challenges, and the gifts, of readings from ethnically, culturally, and spiritually diverse Christians. Daniel seeks to invite Christians from many backgrounds to share their readings of the Scripture and how their own insights can transform everyone’s readings of the book we share.