Rate My Professor Daniel Madigan

Daniel Madigan serves as Senior Lecturer in Religious Education and Religious Education Advisor within the School of Education at the University of Notre Dame Australia, Sydney campus. He holds a Bachelor of Science from the University of Sydney (1987) and a Master of Theology from the John Paul II Institute, Melbourne (2008). Currently pursuing PhD research at the University of Notre Dame Australia, his work investigates the sacraments' dual role in teaching about Christ and facilitating a personal relationship with him. This exploration draws on Hans Urs von Balthasar's theology regarding humanity's creation in the image of God. Madigan's academic career emphasizes integrating lesser-known European research advances into the professional development of Religious Educators, particularly in English-speaking contexts. This approach empowers pre-service teachers to deliver a joyful and authentic witness to the beauty, truth, and practical benefits of the Catholic faith through pedagogies adapted for modern classrooms.

Prior to his university appointment, Madigan taught physics and chemistry at North Sydney Boys High School and Fort Street High School, where he cultivated an enduring interest in the intersections of science and religion, including topics like creation and the environment. He has extensive experience instructing Religious Education at primary and secondary levels across Catholic and independent schools. His contributions extend to postgraduate supervision, serving as second supervisor for A.M. Irwin's 2017 doctoral thesis, 'Towards a new approach for teaching Religious Education in Catholic secondary schools in the Archdiocese of Sydney.' Madigan has also engaged in scholarly presentations, such as at the 2012 St Andrew's Patristic Symposium, where he discussed St Athanasius's apophatic approach to divine names like 'Father' and its implications for understanding the human family in the Trinitarian image.