He tutored in the history of Christian thought at the University of Queensland, and in Greek and New Testament studies in the Brisbane College of Theology.
Paxton traveled extensively in the United States, Britain, South Africa, the Philippines and New Zealand lecturing in Reformation theology.
Paxton has had significant interaction with the Seventh-day Adventist Church, and a "keen interest" in its theology.
He published The Shaking of Adventism[6] in 1977, about the struggle within the Adventist church over what it means to be saved, and also over the nature of Christ.
Also Adventist Richard Rice affirmed the book's review of past and then-present views of salvation in Adventism as "well informed and generally accurate", yet claims the standard by which Paxton compares Adventist views as "artificial".