Description
About the book
This collection of articles provides a useful supplement to the standard biographies of Fr Julian Tenison Woods. Nearly forty years of reflection on the life of Fr Julian enable the author to provide insights into his pioneering science, his complex spirituality, his educational achievements, and especially his fascinating work in Asia. But the life of Tenison Woods is not just important in our history, it is relevant for religion and for science today.
Why Julian Tenison Woods?
‘His final monument, more lasting than bronze, as one of his favourite poets had written, stands in his unique contribution to the church in Australia: two congregations of sisters serving the people of God according to his ideals of simplicity, prayer, and poverty; the concept of church schools to be established in every parish, especially for the children of the poor; a tradition of study, writing, and scientific work that made unique and colourful the fifty nine years that he lived the fullness of a generous heart.’ [Sr Margaret Press, 2004]
‘Tenison Woods had a lifelong commitment to public education. This was demonstrated from his time in Penola where he saw the education of the children of the poor as essential, and throughout his later period as a public intellectual and scientist. It is difficult to separate his zeal for public education and his enthusiasm for science.’ [Emeritus Professor Robert J King, 2016]
‘For the last thirty years his name has been a household word “by the long wash of the Australasian seas”. No one in this country so enlisted the sympathies of
the people in the cause of science. The public looked for his opinions, and when an opportunity presented itself showed in an unmistakeable way an appreciation of his efforts. When he read in his own happy way from the pages of the great book of Nature he was listened to with an interest that never flagged. Thousands who have known Tenison Woods only by his writings or by repute will doubtless like to know something of his life, his history, and his work. And many will be glad to get a glimpse of quite another side of his character – that of the priest and missionary.’ [John Milne Curran, 1890]
About the author
Roderick O’Brien is a pastor, missionary, and scholar. As a pastor, ordained priest, he has ministered in parishes of the Archdiocese of Adelaide, Tenison Woods’ own diocese. As a missionary, he has served in Asia for seven years. As a scholar, he has specialised studies in law, Asian studies, theology, and ethics. He has taught at universities in Asia and Australia. For ten years he served as adjunct Research Fellow of the University of South Australia. He has published dozens of articles in a variety of fields, all written “on the run” in an active and joyous life.
Archbishop’s speech @ Book Launch
“Unveiling Julian Tenison Woods”
Insights from Fr Roderick O’Brien
Introduction
Good afternoon ladies and gentlemen. Today we gather to reflect upon a singular life—one that wove together the disciplines of science, education, and faith into a vibrant tapestry of mission.
Today, I want to explore, just for a few moments, the life and legacy of Father Julian Tenison Woods through the unique lens that our own Father Roderick O’Brien, himself—a priest, missionary, and scholar whose decades-long reflections on Father Julian Tenison Woods offer fresh depth to our understanding of Julian’s broader significance.
- A Scholarly Journey
Fr Roderick is not just a sketched us some profiles of JTW—he too is a pastor, missionary, and scholar with a wealth of experience in Asian studies, theology, ethics, and law. Having ministered amongst us here in the Archdiocese of Adelaide— Julian Tenison Woods’ own diocese—and spent seven years in Asia, Fr Roderick brings both scholarly rigour and spiritual empathy to his study of Woods’s life. Over nearly forty years, he has produced a rich collection of articles that supplement traditional biographies by probing deeper into Woods’ scientific achievements, spiritual complexity, educational vision, and remarkable work in Asia
- Adventurous Scientist in Asia
One of Fr Roderick’s most compelling contributions lies in his illumination of Woods’s scientific expeditions in Southeast Asia. In a 1994 article titled “Julian Tenison Woods in Asia: Mines and Missions”, (Number 3, int he current book) he traces Woods’s exploratory work across the Malay Peninsula—particularly his pioneering lectures on mines and minerals delivered in Hong Kong and Perak during the mid-1880s Another notable piece, “Julian Tenison Woods in Hong Kong” (1984), (Number 2 in the present collection) delves into his lectures there—contextualising Woods’s scientific discourse amid colonial economic interests.
Through these works, Fr Roderick reveals a Woods who was not only a scholar of nature but also an active participant in colonial scientific networks—reaching audiences that included colonial officials like Governor Sir George Bowen.
- Exploring Cultural and Spiritual Dimensions in Asia
More recently, Fr Roderick continued this exploration via his article “Julian Tenison Woods in Japan: Two Journeys”—published in the Proceedings of the Linnean Society of New South Wales in 2023—which details Woods’s travels in Japan, his scientific collecting of mineral and botanical specimens, and his appreciation of Japanese art and culture.These essays offer us a vivid portrait of Woods as a bridge between continents—integrating scientific curiosity, missionary zeal, and cross-cultural engagement.
Fr Roderick concludes that,
“In his Asian journeys, too, we see that’s Woods was primarily the priest- cut off from the Church he had know in Australia, but nonetheless par too the universal church. Woods was at home at the opening of a new church in Taiping, or preaching in Hong Kong. He belonged wherever he went: a lover of God’s creation, a lover of God’s people’s lover of God.” (p. 32)
- Spiritual Virtue and Missionary Zeal
Fr Roderick’s interest in Woods isn’t limited to the scientific. In “Julian Tenison Woods and Virtue” (2013), (Number 4 in the present collection), he reflects on the spiritual dimensions that underpinned Woods’s life and work. Earlier still, in 1989’s “Making the Past Serve the Present: Reflections on the Life of J. E. T. Woods”,(Number 1 in the present collection) he draws on the wisdom of Woods’s life for contemporary faith formation.
Fr Roderick brings into focus the harmonious integration in Woods’s life: faith and science, mission and education, spirituality and public engagement—a model in which each dimension reinforces the other.
- First-Hand Talks and Popular Engagement
Fr Roderick doesn’t confine his reflections to academic journals. He has shared his work in public forums—for instance, a 2025 talk at Lefevre parish, where he presented on Woods’s three scientific voyages to the Philippines in the late 1880s. (Represented as number 14 in the present collection). Here he introduced Woods to modern audiences as an “adventurous priest, a pioneer educator and a religious founder”, pointing out how Woods “always sought to give an hour each day to science” (p. 139) amidst his many roles.
This outreach underscores how Fr Roderick bridges academic and community contexts—bringing Woods’s legacy to life across settings.
- The 2025 Collection: “A Pioneering Journey in Science and Faith”
All these articles and insights have been gathered into Fr Roderick’s collection: Julian Tenison Woods: A Pioneering Journey in Science and Faith. The book we have before us, distills nearly four decades of Fr Roderick’s reflection into a coherent supplement to standard biographies—with a renewed emphasis on Woods’s relevance for religion, science, and even our own times.
- Why Fr Roderick’s Work Matters Today
- Interdisciplinary Richness: Fr Roderick offers a portrait of Woods that goes beyond the usual dualities—he sees a man whose scientific curiosity and religious devotion were deeply intertwined.
- Cross-Cultural Perspective: By exploring Woods’ time in Asia and Japan, he broadens our understanding of the global dimensions of 19th-century science and missionary activity.
- Spiritual Inspiration: Fr Roderick frames Woods not just as an historical figure, but as a source of spiritual reflection—highlighting virtues like perseverance, humility, and wonder.
- Living Relevance: Through public talks and publication, Fr Roderick makes Woods’s legacy accessible, inviting contemporary audiences to engage with the harmonious balance of faith, education, and ecological curiosity that Woods embodied.
Conclusion
In summing up, Fr Roderick O’Brien invites us to rediscover Julian Tenison Woods not as a distant figure, but as a pioneer whose life speaks into our present—bridging continents, disciplines, and centuries. Through Fr Roderick’s careful scholarship, Woods re-emerges as a model of integrated mission—scientist and theologian, educator and explorer, deeply grounded in both the earth and the spirit.
Let us take inspiration from Fr Roderick’s work—and from Julian Tenison Woods life—to live with curiosity, humility, and faith that embraces both knowledge and service. Thank you for listening.
