Maya Pilbrow
19 May 2023
It’s barely been two weeks since the Reverend Dr Dani Treweek published her first book, but she’s already secured funding from individual donors to write her next work.
Dr Treweek is the founder of Single Minded, an organisation that advocates for and values the role of celibate, single people in the church.
Her first work, an adaptation of her doctoral thesis, looked at singleness from an eschatological perspective. Her next book will examine the theology of singleness in a more accessible, less academic way.
She is planning to write her second book on a three-week writing retreat in July. This will be funded by $3000 raised by evangelical women across Victoria.
Dr Treweek said evangelical organisation Entrust Women had chosen to support her ministry and writing by running a fundraiser during their annual conference in May.
She said she hoped people felt her work provided a space for nuanced discussion on topics like singleness and sexuality.
“We don’t necessarily always agree with each other. But as Christians, we’ve got to be able to talk in good faith across difference,” she said.
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Entrust Women committee member the Reverend Louisa Pfitzner said Dr Treweek’s work resonated with the evangelical women who came to the conference.
“If their understanding is that single people should remain celibate, then we want to make our church communities really rich places of fellowship, so that single people aren’t lonely,” she said.
She said the Entrust committee were fans of Dr Treweek and had reached out to ask how they could support her.
Mrs Pfitzner said both parties set a tangible goal of $3000 to fund three weeks of dedicated writing. $3087.20 was eventually raised through a physical collection and digital donations.
Dr Treweek said the money would allow her to step away from her regular duties and focus on her book.
She said she was humbled by the support she had received.
“All these women, most of whom have never met me, were willing to throw their support behind my work,” she said. “I think that’s partly because [they] trust the Entrust women and the Entrust women trust me.”
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