John M. Hull

John M. Hull was an Australian-born British theologian, educator, memoirist, and author whose work profoundly influenced the fields of religious education, practical theology, and disability studies. Born in Corryong, Victoria, Australia, he studied at the University of Melbourne before moving to England to pursue theology at the University of Cambridge. He spent most of his academic career at the University of Birmingham, where he became the United Kingdom's first Professor of Religious Education, helping to shape modern approaches to religious and values education in schools.

In 1980, Hull gradually lost his sight and became completely blind, an experience that transformed both his personal life and his scholarly work. He documented this journey in Touching the Rock, a deeply reflective memoir that explores blindness, perception, memory, and faith. The book became an international classic and later inspired the award-winning documentary Notes on Blindness. Alongside his memoir, Hull continued to write extensively on theology, education, and disability, arguing for greater understanding, inclusion, and social justice.

Throughout his career, Hull combined rigorous scholarship with personal reflection, earning international recognition for his contributions to religious education and the literature of blindness. His work continues to influence educators, theologians, disability scholars, and readers interested in the relationship between perception, faith, and human experience. He is widely regarded as one of the most important voices in both religious education and disability studies of the twentieth century.