Lucy Peppiatt (born 1965) is a British theologian and author who is Principal of Westminster Theological Centre. Peppiatt was appointed as Dean of Studies in 2012, and since 2013 she has she re-established WTC as one of the leading independent, interdenominational, charismatic, theological colleges in her role as Principal. She and her husband, Nick Crawley, founded Crossnet Church [1] in 2004. She is now the chair of Crossnet Trust, which comprises a network of small community churches.
Peppiatt was born in 1965 in London, England. As a teenager she lived in Larchmont, NY, and attended Mamaroneck High School between 1979-1981, and then Malborough College, Wiltshire, between 1981-1983.
From 1987-1990, Peppiatt worked with the homeless at The Passage day centre in London
Peppiatt was a licensed lay minister in the Church of England[4] from 1995-2003. She pastored churches alongside her husband at St Stephen's, East Twickenham, St Mary Magdalene Avondale Church, Harare, Zimbabwe and St Stephen's Netherthorpe, Sheffield.[5][6] She identifies as an evangelical charismatic.[5] She is now chair of Crossnet Trust, Bristol[7][8] since Crossnet was established as an independent CIO from 2023. She was a Member of Theological Advisory Group to Evangelical Alliance UK from 2014 – 2019 and Vice-Chair from 2017-2019.
Peppiatt was appointed in 2010 to the position of lecturer in systematic theology at WTC (Westminster Theological Centre), a non-denominational Hub-based theological college with its central office based in Cheltenham, Gloucestershire. She became dean of studies in 2011 and has been the principal of WTC since 2013. Under Peppiatt’s leadership the college has been reoriented to serve, primarily, the independent church constituency in the UK who have no dedicated theological colleges.[2][5] She lectures in systematic theology.[9]
Peppiatt's research interests include the Trinity, charismatic theology, discipleship, and 1 Corinthians.[10] She has written a number of articles and books about women in the Bible and the church,[11] and Paul the Apostle and women,[12] paying particular attention to traditionally hierarchal views and the problems that arise from them.[13] Peppiatt contends that a careful reading of 1 Corinthians 11-14 reveals that Paul’s discussion of women is intended to refute the patriarchal views held by male Christians in Corinth. She is regularly engaged as a speaker in both church and academic contexts.
In 2022 Peppiatt taught a BibleProject Classroom [14] on 1 Corinthians and has a close working relationship with them.
