Paddy has both undergraduate and post–graduate degrees in Theology from the University of Nottingham, and a PhD from Queen’s University Belfast. His academic interests include twentieth century Roman Catholic theology, the Catholic/Evangelical interface, creedal theology, the Emerging Church Movement and Fresh Expressions.
Prior to ordination in the Church of England, he worked as a school teacher and later as the Coordinator of the City of Belfast YMCA’s Cross Community Schools’ Programme. His pastoral experience, which includes the planting of a joint Anglican/Baptist church in the Diocese of Norwich, has been motivated by his concern that the Church engage missionally with the culture. Prior to coming to the Church of Ireland Theological Institute, he was the Church of Ireland chaplain to Queen’s University, Belfast. He is currently on the Church of Ireland Board of Mission and was previously on the board of CMSI. He is married to Helen and they have three adult children, Paul, Patrick and Timothy.