Bio
Robyn is Associate Professor in Spirituality and Spiritual Care at Whitley College. She received an ORSAS scholarship and additional funding from the University of St Andrews, Scotland, to study her PhD in theology full-time. She also has a Masters in Spiritual Theology (Regent College, Canada), MA (University of London) and B.Ed Hons 1, University Medal (University of Sydney). Robyn also holds her Graduate Diploma in Spiritual Direction from Wellspring (University of Divinity) and an ATCL in piano (Trinity College London). Robyn was an exchange student at the University of Oxford for a term as part of her Regent College Master’s degree.
Robyn researches and teaches in historic Christian spirituality. She is an expert on the life and writings of Evelyn Underhill and Baron Friedrich von Hugel. She has also researched spiritual care for people with dementia and spiritual care for aged care chaplains. For the past decade, Robyn has led spiritual retreats in Australia and England, Quiet Days in the USA and UK and she is a spiritual director. She has given many keynote lectures at conferences and has received several research grants. Robyn is on the Executive Committee for the International Network for the Study of Spirituality and the Editorial Board and Book Reviews Editor for the Journal for the Study of Spirituality.
Robyn has three decades of experience in tertiary education teaching theology and spirituality and received the “Excellence in Teaching Award” from Alphacrucis University College in 2020. She attends Northside Baptist Church.
Robyn is the author of two books, including the “Archbishop of York’s Advent Book for 2021”. Alongside an extensive list of journal publications in highly ranked journals such as Church History: Studies in Christianity and Culture Theology and the Journal of Religion, Spirituality and Aging, Robyn has been a guest on ABC RN’s “God Forbid”, Renovaré podcasts & Radix Magazine (both USA) and Church House (UK).
Qualifications:
- PhD, University of St Andrews, Scotland
- MCS (Spiritual Theology), Regent College, Vancouver, Canada
- MA, University of London. England
- BEd (Hons), University of Sydney, Australia
- GDSD (Spiritual Direction), Wellspring, University of Divinity, Australia
- ATCL (Piano), Trinity College London, England
Units Currently Teaching:
- Patterns in the Practice of Spirituality
- Dementia and Spiritual Care
- Grief, Loss and Trauma-informed Spiritual Care
Research Areas/ Preferred Areas of Supervision:
- Historic Christian Spirituality
- Spiritual formation
- Spiritual Care
- Soul care
- Pneumatology
- Theological Anthropology
Recent Publications:
Books:
Wrigley-Carr, Robyn. Spirit and Becoming. London: SPCK, 2027.
Wrigley-Carr, Robyn. Bearing the Beams of Love: The Monastic Ideal of Evelyn Underhill. Nashotah: Nashotah House Press, 2025.
Wrigley-Carr, Robyn. Music of Eternity: Meditations for Advent with Evelyn Underhill. The Archbishop of York’s Advent Book. London: SPCK, 2021.
Wrigley-Carr, Robyn. The Spiritual Formation of Evelyn Underhill. London: SPCK, 2020.
Wrigley-Carr, Robyn. Evelyn Underhill’s Prayer Book (ed). London: SPCK, 2018.
Articles:
Wrigley-Carr, Robyn. “Enduring Suffering: Spiritual Practices recommended by Baron Friedrich von Hügel”. Studies in Spirituality 35 (2026).
Hughes, Philip, Robyn Wrigley-Carr et al. “Organisational Contributions to Meaning in Life: A Qualitative Study of Retirees”. Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences Communications (2026).
Hughes, Philip, Robyn Wrigley-Carr et al. “How Religious Organisations Contribute to Meaning in Life: A Qualitative Study of Australian Retirees”. Journal for the Academic Study of Religion, 39, no. 1 (July 2026): 87-108.
Hughes, Philip, Robyn Wrigley-Carr et al. “The Christian Faith and Meaning in Life at the Council of Nicaea and Now.” Journal of Contemporary Ministry 11, no.1 (June 2026): 27-45.
Wrigley-Carr, Robyn. “Baron Friedrich von Hugel’s spiritual theology interpreted by Gwendolen Greene (1918-1959)”. Church History and Religious Culture 105, no.2 (August 2025): 219-243.
Wrigley-Carr, Robyn. “Passion for the Unseen’: Elder Justice and Spiritual Pilgrimage.” Journal for the Study of Spirituality 14, no.2 (2024): 183-196.
“Love and ‘Spiritual Ecumenism’: a foundational backdrop for Underhill’s ‘The Spiritual Life’.” Journal of Spiritual Formation and Soul Care 17, no. 1 (2024): 83-100.
Wrigley-Carr, Robyn. “Reservoir or canal: Spiritual retreats for chaplains caring for people with dementia”. Journal of Religion, Spirituality & Aging 36, no.2 (2024): 157-172.
Wrigley-Carr, Robyn. “History and Spiritual Formation: Baron Friedrich von Hugel’s spiritual nurture”. Church History: Studies in Christianity and Culture 92 (2023): 42-67.
Wrigley-Carr, Robyn. “Evelyn Underhill: An Anglican ‘Spiritual Ecumenist’”. Anglican Theological Review 105, no. 1 (2023): 5-23.
Wrigley-Carr, Robyn. “Peace and Spirituality: ‘The Theological Kindergarten’”. Journal for the Study of Spirituality, 12, no. 2 (2022): 120-130.
Wrigley-Carr, Robyn. “A practitioner’s reflection upon the spiritual formation of teachers: the wisdom of Evelyn Underhill”. Journal of Religious Education 70, no. 1 (2022): 109-125.
Wrigley-Carr, Robyn. “Glimpsing Eternity humbles us: Visions and Women Mystics”. St Mark’s Review 260 (2022): 29-44.
Wrigley-Carr, Robyn. “Bearing the Beams of Love: The Spiritual Nurture of Lucy Menzies”. The Scottish Episcopal Institute Journal 5, no.4 (2021): 27-38.
Wrigley-Carr, Robyn. “‘Essentials’ for Worship: Evelyn Underhill’s Prayer Book”. Studia Liturgica 51, no. 2 (2021): 187-202.
Wrigley-Carr, Robyn. “Duplicity behind stained glass: shattered pride, childlike ‘self-knowledge’ and the role of community.” Theology Today78, no. 2 (2021): 106-122.
Wrigley-Carr, Robyn. “Corporate Worship for People with Dementia: Rituals and Sensory Stimulation.” Journal of Religion, Spirituality and Aging 33, no. 2 (2021): 206-222.
Wrigley-Carr, Robyn. “Our Spiritual War-Work in the Age of COVID-19.” Stimulus 27, no. 2 (2020).
Wrigley-Carr, Robyn. “Darkness and Light in Evelyn Underhill.” Journal of Spiritual Formation and Soul Care 12, no. 1 (2019): 135-151.
Wrigley-Carr, Robyn. “’Supernatural’ forgiveness: Evelyn Underhill’s insights in dialogue with Monique Lisbon.” Theology Today 75, no. 4 (2018): 458-468.
Wrigley-Carr, Robyn. “‘Suffering Well’: Insights for spiritual directors from Friedrich von Hügel and Abbé Huvelin.” Journal for the Study of Spirituality 8 no. 2 (2018): 130-141.
Wrigley-Carr, Robyn. “Proclaiming and cultivating ‘childlikeness‘: a subversive thread in Christian anthropology.” International Journal of Children’s Spirituality 23, no. 1 (2018): 45-52.
Wrigley-Carr, Robyn. “Echoes of von Hügel in the Spiritual Direction of Evelyn Underhill.” Studies in Spirituality 28 (2017): 257-280.
Wrigley-Carr, Robyn. “‘Soul Care’ for people with dementia: Insights from Friedrich von Hügel’s ‘three Elements of Religion.’” Journal of Religion, Spirituality and Aging 28, no.3 (2016): 155-166.
Wrigley-Carr, Robyn. “Mysticism and the Atonement: Experiential Insights from Evelyn Underhill.” Pacifica 29, no. 1 (2016): 99-111.
Wrigley-Carr, Robyn. “The Mystical Theologian: the influence of Abbé Huvelin on Baron Friedrich von Hügel.” Downside Review 131 (2013): 184-195.
Wrigley-Carr, Robyn. “The Abbé and the Baron: Henri Huvelin’s Spiritual Nurture of Friedrich von Hügel.” Studies in Spirituality 23 (2013): 135-200.
Wrigley-Carr, Robyn. “The Butterfly and the King: Self-knowledge in Teresa of Avila’s Interior Castle.” Studies in Spirituality 19 (2009): 113-133.
Wrigley-Carr, Robyn. “Mature Spirituality according to von Hügel: a practitioner’s voice.” Pacifica 21, no. 3 (2008): 329-346.
Book Chapters:
Wrigley-Carr, Robyn. “Gwendolen Greene (1878-1959).” In Women in the British Churches, 1880-1960, edited by Andrew Chandler, (forthcoming). London: Bloomsbury, 2027.
Wrigley-Carr, Robyn. “Lucy Menzies (1882-1954).” In Women in the British Churches, 1880-1960, edited by Andrew Chandler, (forthcoming). London: Bloomsbury, 2027.
Wrigley-Carr, Robyn. “Evelyn Underhill (1875-1941).” In Women in the British Churches, 1880-1960, edited by Andrew Chandler, (forthcoming). London: Bloomsbury, 2027.
Wrigley-Carr, Robyn. “Maisie Spens (1904-1994).” In Women in the British Churches, 1880-1960, edited by Andrew Chandler, (forthcoming). London: Bloomsbury, 2027.
Wrigley-Carr, Robyn. “Transformation and Evelyn Underhill’s Life of Prayer.” In Transformation Theology: Interdisciplinary, Biblical, Theological, Practical and Integrated Perspectives, edited by Charles Ringma and Athena Gorospe, (forthcoming). London: Langham Publishing, 2026, in press.
Wrigley-Carr, Robyn. “Rituals, sensory stimulation, liturgy and spiritual care for people living with dementia.“ In Memory Loss and Remembrance of God. Theological Explorations on Liturgy and Dementia, edited by Predrag Bukovec and Benedikt Kranemann, (page numbers tbc). Freiburg/Br: Herder, 2026 (Quaestiones Disputatae Series), in press.
Wrigley-Carr, Robyn. “Esther de Waal.” (Chapter 20) In The Vitality of Tradition: British Anglican Spirituality, edited by Michael Brierley and Stephen Burns, (251-261). Leiden: Brill (Series on Anglican and Episcopal History), 2026, in press.
Wrigley-Carr, Robyn. “Baron Friedrich von Hügel as spiritual adviser: ‘guide into the deepest things of the spirit’”. Bibliotheca Ephemeridum Theologicarum Lovaniensium 343. Leuven: Peeters Publishers, 2026.
Wrigley-Carr, Robyn. “Soul Care and Liturgical Theology According to Evelyn Underhill.” In Doing Liturgical Theology: Method in Context, edited by Stephen Burns and Jason McFarland, 93-111. Leuven: Peeters, 2026.
Wrigley-Carr, Robyn. “Corporate Worship for People with Dementia: Rituals and Sensory Stimulation.” In Changing Cultures of Ageing and Spirituality, edited by Elizabeth MacKinlay & Ann Harrington, Chapter 9. London: Routledge, 2024.
Wrigley-Carr, Robyn. “Evelyn Underhill’s perennial significance: attentive to beauty.” In The Scholar-Gipsy Volume 1: Thrownness, Memoricide & The Great Tradition, edited by Matthew Steem and Wayne Northey, 232-250. Abbotsford, BC: St. Macrina Press, 2024.
Wrigley-Carr, Robyn. “Liturgy and Spiritual Formation.” In Spiritual Formation for the Global Church: A Multi-Denominational, Multi-Ethnic Approach, edited by John Frederick, 80-99. Downers Grove: IVP Academic, 2021.
Wrigley-Carr, Robyn. “Being Human: Spiritual retreats and soul care” In Companioning at the Edges: Exploring New Dimensions of Spiritual Direction in Australia, edited by Peter Bentley & Ann Lock, 291-310. Melbourne: Wellspring, 2021.
Wrigley-Carr, Robyn. “Ecumenical beauty: Evelyn Underhill’s Prayer Book.” In When We Pray: The Future of Common Prayer, edited by Stephen Burns & Robert Gribben, 89-111. Bayswater: Coventry Press, 2020.
Wrigley-Carr, Robyn. “Teresa of Avila: the Mystic Christian.” In Sources of the Christian Self, edited by James M. Houston and Jens Zimmerman, 423-441. Grand Rapids, Eerdmans, 2018.