Norman Habel has lived in Adelaide and, from 1956 to 1973, in the United States, where he worked as a Lutheran minister in Brooklyn and a professor of Old Testament studies at the Concordia Seminary in St Louis. During this period he published many theological works, a number of them for children. After his return to Australia, he became Head of Religious Studies at Adelaide College of Advanced Education.
From the late 1970s on Habel wrote numerous other religious works, and published a book on the Habels of Lake Linlithgow. He also had songs published, and was actively involved in social and environmental justice issues.
