Rev. Dr Sarah Penwarden is Lecturer in the School of Theology on a part-time basis.

Sarah is a professional counsellor and supervisor who has previously been a counsellor educator. She has written articles and co-edited a book on the integration between theology and counselling. She is interested in how the realities of ordinary life can be held in tandem with hope; and how we live in the midst of both suffering and hope. 

She has a doctorate from the University of Waikato, and has a passion for academic writing and research. She loves to encourage others to take steps in growing their academic interests in writing and publishing.

Since 2020, she has been an ordained Anglican priest in a Local Shared Ministry context in west Auckland. 

In the School of Theology, she contributes in the area of qualitative research. 

She is married to David, has three adult step-children and lives in leafy west Auckland.

Recent publications

Penwarden, S. (2022). Grief as the sounding of multiple notes: Grief and loss as seen through the movements of the Triduum. In L. Spriggens & T. Meadowcroft (Eds.). Practicing faith: Theology and social vocation in conversation (pp. 162-178). Wipf & Stock

Penwarden, S. (2022). Thera-poiesis: An exploration of the work of resonant images in found poetry to create newness in counselling. European Journal of Psychotherapy & Counselling, 24(3), 339-356. https://doi: 10.1080/13642537.2022.2072927.

Penwarden, S. (2021). Crafting order and beauty from loss: Using found poetry as a form of grief therapy. Journal of Poetry Therapy, 35(1), 13-26. https://doi.org/10.1080/08893675.2021.2004370.

Penwarden, S. (2020). A person as becoming over time: Contrasting the theological view of a person as imago Dei with the narrative therapy notion of telos. Practical Theology,  DOI: 10.1080/1756073X.2020.1792676.

Penwarden, S. (2020). Developing a thera-poetic practice. International Journal of Narrative Therapy & Community Work, 2, 44-53.

McMillan, L., Penwarden, S., & Hunt, S. (2017). Stories of therapy, stories of faith. Eugene, OR: Wipf & Stock.