New in 2024 is the David Edwards Theological Bequest which is offered to a student of Theology or current Anglican minister for a residency at St Paul’s College. It is a great pleasure to welcome David Wright to the College community as our first Edwards Fellow. David will be fulfilling the role of student minister for our post graduate community and will be involved in the Chapel life of the College assisting the Chaplain, Revd Antony Weiss.

David grew up on a property outside Orange NSW and studied Arts at UNSW while living at New College where he was also a resident advisor and a ministry trainee.

David is in his second year of study at Moore Theological College completing a BTh/ThM and hopes to gain a parish in the Armidale region after his ordination. He hopes to provide the Pauline community the benefit of his experiences ministering to students and is excited about living at St Paul’s while he completes his study.

Dr K D G (David) Edwards who was in College 1947-52, made a significant bequest to Paul’s on his death in 2016 which has been the subject of protracted probate while his overseas assets have been wound up. The Bequest specifically provides theological student fellowships in honour of Bishop Felix Arnott and Bishop Max Thomas (previous Wardens of St Paul’s College).

Dr Edwards graduated MB BS (Syd) in 1953 and he represented the College in athletics, cricket, golf, rugby and tennis, represented the University in cricket and tennis. David was a nephrologist who commenced his medical career in Sydney in 1954 and internationally in 1959. He was an inventor of the artificial kidney, published extensively and while living in the US was a professor at Cornell University and Rockerfeller University.

The College community welcomes David Wright as the first Student Minister.

Pictured above: The school-age David Edwards (right) with his brother Tony; David with his wife Margery.

(Margery Edwards 1933-89) was an artist influenced by Abstract Expressionism, the dominant movement in American painting in the late 1940s and 1950s. One of her paintings NY 906 is hung in the College Chapel. It is one of a series of images that trace a journey both earthbound and spiritual; in her own words: “a progression through darkness and light”.