Robin Ward (Anglican priest)
Encyclopedia
Robin Ward is a priest of the Church of England
and the Principal of St Stephen's House, Oxford
, a theological college in England
.
Ward was educated at Magdalen College, Oxford
(BA
1987, MA
1991) and St Stephen's House, Oxford
. He later obtained a PhD
from King's College London
(2003) on submission of a thesis entitled "The Schism at Antioch in the Fourth Century".
Ward was ordained deacon in 1991 and priest in 1992. He served as Assistant Curate
of St Andrew
's Romford
from 1991 to 1994 and of St Andrew's and St Francis of Assisi's
Willesden Green
from 1994 to 1996. He was the Vicar of St John the Baptist
's Sevenoaks
from 1996 until 2006 and the Chaplain of the Invicta Community Care NHS Trust from 1997 until 2006. He was also the Honorary Canon Theologian of Rochester Cathedral
from 2005 until 2006. On 1 September 2006 he became the Principal of St Stephen's House, Oxford
.
Ward represented the Diocese of Rochester
in the General Synod of the Church of England
. He was a member of the Revision Committee on Ordination Services and a representative of the Catholic Group. He is a member of the Society of the Holy Cross
.
Ward is married to Ruth Ward, a solicitor, and they have two children.
Church of England
The Church of England is the officially established Christian church in England and the Mother Church of the worldwide Anglican Communion. The church considers itself within the tradition of Western Christianity and dates its formal establishment principally to the mission to England by St...
and the Principal of St Stephen's House, Oxford
St Stephen's House, Oxford
St Stephen’s House, Oxford , is an Anglican theological college and one of six religious Permanent Private Halls of the University of Oxford, England...
, a theological college in England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
.
Ward was educated at Magdalen College, Oxford
Magdalen College, Oxford
Magdalen College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England. As of 2006 the college had an estimated financial endowment of £153 million. Magdalen is currently top of the Norrington Table after over half of its 2010 finalists received first-class degrees, a record...
(BA
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
1987, MA
Master of Arts (Oxbridge)
In the Universities of Oxford, Cambridge and Dublin, Bachelors of Arts of these universities are admitted to the degree of Master of Arts or Master in Arts on application after six or seven years' seniority as members of the university .There is no examination or study required for the degree...
1991) and St Stephen's House, Oxford
St Stephen's House, Oxford
St Stephen’s House, Oxford , is an Anglican theological college and one of six religious Permanent Private Halls of the University of Oxford, England...
. He later obtained a PhD
Doctor of Philosophy
Doctor of Philosophy, abbreviated as Ph.D., PhD, D.Phil., or DPhil , in English-speaking countries, is a postgraduate academic degree awarded by universities...
from King's College London
King's College London
King's College London is a public research university located in London, United Kingdom and a constituent college of the federal University of London. King's has a claim to being the third oldest university in England, having been founded by King George IV and the Duke of Wellington in 1829, and...
(2003) on submission of a thesis entitled "The Schism at Antioch in the Fourth Century".
Ward was ordained deacon in 1991 and priest in 1992. He served as Assistant Curate
Curate
A curate is a person who is invested with the care or cure of souls of a parish. In this sense "curate" correctly means a parish priest but in English-speaking countries a curate is an assistant to the parish priest...
of St Andrew
Saint Andrew
Saint Andrew , called in the Orthodox tradition Prōtoklētos, or the First-called, is a Christian Apostle and the brother of Saint Peter. The name "Andrew" , like other Greek names, appears to have been common among the Jews from the 3rd or 2nd century BC. No Hebrew or Aramaic name is recorded for him...
's Romford
Romford
Romford is a large suburban town in north east London, England and the administrative headquarters of the London Borough of Havering. It is located northeast of Charing Cross and is one of the major metropolitan centres identified in the London Plan...
from 1991 to 1994 and of St Andrew's and St Francis of Assisi's
Francis of Assisi
Saint Francis of Assisi was an Italian Catholic friar and preacher. He founded the men's Franciscan Order, the women’s Order of St. Clare, and the lay Third Order of Saint Francis. St...
Willesden Green
Willesden
Willesden is an area in North West London which forms part of the London Borough of Brent. It is situated 5 miles north west of Charing Cross...
from 1994 to 1996. He was the Vicar of St John the Baptist
John the Baptist
John the Baptist was an itinerant preacher and a major religious figure mentioned in the Canonical gospels. He is described in the Gospel of Luke as a relative of Jesus, who led a movement of baptism at the Jordan River...
's Sevenoaks
Sevenoaks
Sevenoaks is a commuter town situated on the London fringe of west Kent, England, some 20 miles south-east of Charing Cross, on one of the principal commuter rail lines from the capital...
from 1996 until 2006 and the Chaplain of the Invicta Community Care NHS Trust from 1997 until 2006. He was also the Honorary Canon Theologian of Rochester Cathedral
Rochester Cathedral
Rochester Cathedral, or the Cathedral Church of Christ and the Blessed Virgin Mary, is a Norman church in Rochester, Kent. The bishopric is second oldest in England after Canterbury...
from 2005 until 2006. On 1 September 2006 he became the Principal of St Stephen's House, Oxford
St Stephen's House, Oxford
St Stephen’s House, Oxford , is an Anglican theological college and one of six religious Permanent Private Halls of the University of Oxford, England...
.
Ward represented the Diocese of Rochester
Diocese of Rochester
The Diocese of Rochester is a Church of England diocese in South-East England and forms part of the Province of Canterbury. It is an ancient diocese, having been established in 604; only the neighbouring Diocese of Canterbury is older in the Church of England....
in the General Synod of the Church of England
General Synod
-Church of England:In the Church of England, the General Synod, which was established in 1970 , is the legislative body of the Church.-Episcopal Church of the United States:...
. He was a member of the Revision Committee on Ordination Services and a representative of the Catholic Group. He is a member of the Society of the Holy Cross
Society of the Holy Cross
The Society of the Holy Cross is an international Anglo-Catholic society of priests with members in the Anglican Communion, the Continuing Anglican Movement and the Roman Catholic Church's Anglican Use...
.
Ward is married to Ruth Ward, a solicitor, and they have two children.
Writings
- Ward, R. On Christian Priesthood (London 2011), ISBN 9780826499080
- Ward, R. Building Disciplined Lives of Regular Prayer, Study and Worship
- Ward, R. Review of Herbert McCabe, The Good Life: Ethics and the pursuit of happiness
- Ward, R. 'God is Gone Up', Church Times Issue 7416 (29 April 2005)
Sources and further information
- Appointments, Church Times Issue 7400 (7 January 2005)
- University of Oxford Annual Review 2005/06
- New appointments: Principal of St Stephen's House, Oxford Blueprint: The newsletter of the University of Oxford 6:12 (29 June 2006)
- Staff at St Stephen's House
- St Stephen's House welcomes new Principal
- Ordination of women in the Anglican Communion and other Churches (as at February 2004)
- General Synod: Ordination Services: Revision Committee
- 'Schooling in faith: Oxford’s theological colleges look to the future', the Door (1 September 2006)
- Crockford's Clerical Directory (97th edn, London: Church House Publishing, 2001), p. 788