St Stephen's House, Oxford
Encyclopedia
St Stephen’s House, Oxford (popularly known as "Staggers"), is an Anglican theological college and one of six religious Permanent Private Hall
s of the University of Oxford
, England. From its mission statement the House asserts it offers "formation, education, and training for a variety of qualifications and ministries rooted in the catholic
tradition, helping the church give faithful witness to Christ
in contemporary society" as well as an exceptional education
in a "context encouraging disciplined study, academic research and personal reflection centered in prayer and worship".
St Stephen's House was founded in 1876 by members of the Tractarian movement and has stood ever since in the Catholic
tradition of the Church of England
. The principal founder of the House was the later Bishop of Lincoln
, Edward King
, who was, at the time, Regius Professor of Pastoral Theology at the University of Oxford
. King has been acclaimed as one of the outstandingly holy men of his age and exercised considerable influence on the early life of the House. Associated with King were William Bright
, Regius Professor of Ecclesiastical History and a great scholar; Edward Stuart Talbot
, Warden of Keble College and subsequently Bishop of Winchester
; Edwin James Palmer
, Professor of Latin, Archdeacon of Oxford and later Bishop of Bombay; Edward Woolcoombe, a Fellow of Balliol with a great interest in and support for the missionary movement; and John Wordsworth
, Chaplain of Brasenose College. Finally among the founding band was Henry Scott Holland
, then senior fellow at Christ Church and one of the leading figures in the development of the Christian social teaching of the time. It was apparently Holland who suggested the title of House in honour of St Stephen and in memory of a promising young priest of the same name who had died.
For most of its life the House’s central role has been to train candidates for ordination
in the Church of England and other provinces of the Anglican Communion
. Indeed by the 1950s it was a seminary on a very Catholic model, training highly 'professional' priests in the use of the confessional and the practice of Ignatian meditation. Life was quasi-monastic with periods of greater and lesser silence, and prescribed times for prayer. Presiding over it was Father Arthur Couratin, described by some as "a Roman Catholic who uses the Prayer Book" and by others as "Noel Coward
in a clerical collar". His relaxed drawl and quick wit concealed a formidable intellect and with him as Principal the House maintained high standards of liturgy, scholarship and morality.
In its history the House has produced a number of bishops from its staff. In the early days James Leo Schuster
(Chaplain from 1939–1949) was made Bishop of St John's in South Africa. In more recent times David Hope (Principal from 1974–1982) went on to become Bishop of Wakefield
, Bishop of London
and later Archbishop of York
; David Thomas (Vice-Principal from 1975–79 and Principal from 1982–87) continues to serve as Provincial Assistant Bishop to the Church in Wales
; Edwin Barnes
(Principal from 1987–1995) became Bishop of Richborough
; Andrew Burnham
(Vice-Principal from 1995–2000) was the Bishop of Ebbsfleet
before resigning from the Church of England
in 2010.
The conferral of Permanent Private Hall
status by the University of Oxford
in 2003, along with recent developments in the Church, have meant that the House now sees its remit more widely as providing formation, education and training for the whole people of God. Within this overall understanding, the formation of candidates for the diaconate and the priesthood continues to have a prominent role.
The House was located originally on the site which is now the New Bodleian Library in a house opposite the King's Arms public house. It was soon to move into buildings in Norham Gardens, North Oxford. These buildings were developed, a chapel being built to the side of one of the houses and, in later years, accommodation being provided for married students. The buildings, whilst the college's home for many, were never ideal. In 1980 the Society of St John the Evangelist
(SSJE) decided to move from its mother house, Cowley St John. These monastic buildings were the ideal setting for a theological college. It was decided to buy the site and move the college to East Oxford. The current buildings contain the church of St John the Evangelist
, Iffley Road, by G F Bodley, a masterpiece of his work, cloisters, the main buildings, the House Chapel and the old mission house. The house chapel, extended by Ninian Comper
, is the old monastic chapel and is used for Morning and Evening Prayer
. The daily Mass
is celebrated in St John's Church. Accommodation in flats and houses on the site is provided for married students whilst single students live in the rooms once inhabited by the SSJE brethren.
The buildings of the college provide a catalogue of interesting and important aspects of Anglican history. The Founder's Chapel — where the SSJE community prayed daily until the later completion of what is now the House Chapel — was where Dietrich Bonhoeffer
is reputed to have decided to return to Germany where he met with martyrdom.
. A great emphasis has always been placed on the formation of the person in their journey toward ordination. At the heart of the House is prayer with Morning and Evening prayer forming the 'bookends' of the day. Ordinands are required to attend both. The daily Mass also provides a critical point of spiritual nourishment. Theological training appropriate to the person is provided, as is time for ministerial preparation. Ordinands are expected to take an active part in the life and work of the house, serving at dinner, keeping up the gardens, and cleaning the church and chapels.
Sports are often popular and teams are fielded for a variety of university games, although it does somewhat depend on the enthusiasm of the students. The House currently has its own football team which has competed against other Christian training establishments in Oxford and, also, Pusey House.
The house has a good musical tradition with a variety of traditional and contemporary music being used at major liturgies and a choir made up from within the student body. The House Chapel contains a small chamber organ and St John's Church, a larger instrument with an impressive case above the north side of the rood screen
.
The college had in the past, a reputation for being camp
and attracting a number of gay
ordinands, especially in the late 1960s and early 1970s. David Hope, later Archbishop of York
, was recruited as principal in 1974 to rein in excesses and to ensure the college remained on track in its mission. A.N. Wilson fictionalised this turn of events in his novel Unguarded Hours. The Reverend Richard Kirker of the Lesbian and Gay Christian Movement
, quoted in A Church at War: Anglicans and Homosexuality, claims its proportion of gay students has been as high as ninety percent. This claim has not been verified and has been made by a person who is openly gay, and is seeking to bring out into the open, other allegedly gay ministers. Prominent gay cleric Jeffrey John
is an alumnus. Wilson writes that in his time there, some students were given opposite-sex "names in religion".
The permanent staff are assisted by a number of visiting tutors, including:
Permanent Private Hall
A Permanent Private Hall at the University of Oxford is an educational institution within the university. There are six Permanent Private Halls at Oxford, five of which admit undergraduates. They were founded by different Christian denominations....
s of the University of Oxford
University of Oxford
The University of Oxford is a university located in Oxford, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest surviving university in the world and the oldest in the English-speaking world. Although its exact date of foundation is unclear, there is evidence of teaching as far back as 1096...
, England. From its mission statement the House asserts it offers "formation, education, and training for a variety of qualifications and ministries rooted in the catholic
Catholic
The word catholic comes from the Greek phrase , meaning "on the whole," "according to the whole" or "in general", and is a combination of the Greek words meaning "about" and meaning "whole"...
tradition, helping the church give faithful witness to Christ
Jesus
Jesus of Nazareth , commonly referred to as Jesus Christ or simply as Jesus or Christ, is the central figure of Christianity...
in contemporary society" as well as an exceptional education
in a "context encouraging disciplined study, academic research and personal reflection centered in prayer and worship".
History
Catholic
The word catholic comes from the Greek phrase , meaning "on the whole," "according to the whole" or "in general", and is a combination of the Greek words meaning "about" and meaning "whole"...
tradition of the Church of England
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...
. The principal founder of the House was the later Bishop of Lincoln
Bishop of Lincoln
The Bishop of Lincoln is the Ordinary of the Church of England Diocese of Lincoln in the Province of Canterbury.The present diocese covers the county of Lincolnshire and the unitary authority areas of North Lincolnshire and North East Lincolnshire. The Bishop's seat is located in the Cathedral...
, Edward King
Edward King (English bishop)
Edward King was an Anglican bishop.-Life:He was the second son of the Revd Walker King, Archdeacon of Rochester and rector of Stone, Kent, and grandson of the Revd Walker King, Bishop of Rochester; his nephew was the Revd Robert Stuart King, who played football for England in 1882.King graduated...
, who was, at the time, Regius Professor of Pastoral Theology at the University of Oxford
University of Oxford
The University of Oxford is a university located in Oxford, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest surviving university in the world and the oldest in the English-speaking world. Although its exact date of foundation is unclear, there is evidence of teaching as far back as 1096...
. King has been acclaimed as one of the outstandingly holy men of his age and exercised considerable influence on the early life of the House. Associated with King were William Bright
William Bright
William Bright was an American linguist who specialized in Native American and South Asian languages and descriptive linguistics....
, Regius Professor of Ecclesiastical History and a great scholar; Edward Stuart Talbot
Edward Stuart Talbot
Edward Stuart Talbot was an Anglican bishop in the Church of England and the first Warden of Keble College, Oxford.-Education:...
, Warden of Keble College and subsequently Bishop of Winchester
Bishop of Winchester
The Bishop of Winchester is the head of the Church of England diocese of Winchester, with his cathedra at Winchester Cathedral in Hampshire.The bishop is one of five Church of England bishops to be among the Lords Spiritual regardless of their length of service. His diocese is one of the oldest and...
; Edwin James Palmer
Edwin James Palmer
Edwin James Palmer was the Bishop of Bombay from 1908 until 1929. He was born in 1869 into a noted family and educated at Winchester College and Balliol College, Oxford...
, Professor of Latin, Archdeacon of Oxford and later Bishop of Bombay; Edward Woolcoombe, a Fellow of Balliol with a great interest in and support for the missionary movement; and John Wordsworth
John Wordsworth
The Right Reverend John Wordsworth was an English prelate. He was born at Harrow on the Hill, to the Reverend Christopher Wordsworth, nephew of the poet William Wordsworth...
, Chaplain of Brasenose College. Finally among the founding band was Henry Scott Holland
Henry Scott Holland
Henry Scott Holland was Regius Professor of Divinity at the University of Oxford. He was also a canon of Christ Church, Oxford.-Family and education:...
, then senior fellow at Christ Church and one of the leading figures in the development of the Christian social teaching of the time. It was apparently Holland who suggested the title of House in honour of St Stephen and in memory of a promising young priest of the same name who had died.
For most of its life the House’s central role has been to train candidates for ordination
Ordination
In general religious use, ordination is the process by which individuals are consecrated, that is, set apart as clergy to perform various religious rites and ceremonies. The process and ceremonies of ordination itself varies by religion and denomination. One who is in preparation for, or who is...
in the Church of England and other provinces of the Anglican Communion
Anglican Communion
The Anglican Communion is an international association of national and regional Anglican churches in full communion with the Church of England and specifically with its principal primate, the Archbishop of Canterbury...
. Indeed by the 1950s it was a seminary on a very Catholic model, training highly 'professional' priests in the use of the confessional and the practice of Ignatian meditation. Life was quasi-monastic with periods of greater and lesser silence, and prescribed times for prayer. Presiding over it was Father Arthur Couratin, described by some as "a Roman Catholic who uses the Prayer Book" and by others as "Noel Coward
Noël Coward
Sir Noël Peirce Coward was an English playwright, composer, director, actor and singer, known for his wit, flamboyance, and what Time magazine called "a sense of personal style, a combination of cheek and chic, pose and poise".Born in Teddington, a suburb of London, Coward attended a dance academy...
in a clerical collar". His relaxed drawl and quick wit concealed a formidable intellect and with him as Principal the House maintained high standards of liturgy, scholarship and morality.
In its history the House has produced a number of bishops from its staff. In the early days James Leo Schuster
James Leo Schuster
James Leo Schuster was the long serving 6th Bishop of St John's in what was then known as Kaffraria and is now Mthatha. Educated at Lancing College and Keble College, Oxford he was ordained in 1937. Assistant Missioner at Rotherhithe until 1938 he was subsequently Chaplain at St Stephen's House,...
(Chaplain from 1939–1949) was made Bishop of St John's in South Africa. In more recent times David Hope (Principal from 1974–1982) went on to become Bishop of Wakefield
Bishop of Wakefield
The Bishop of Wakefield is the Ordinary of the Church of England Diocese of Wakefield in the Province of York.The diocese based in Wakefield in West Yorkshire, covers Wakefield, Barnsley, Kirklees and Calderdale...
, Bishop of London
Bishop of London
The Bishop of London is the ordinary of the Church of England Diocese of London in the Province of Canterbury.The diocese covers 458 km² of 17 boroughs of Greater London north of the River Thames and a small part of the County of Surrey...
and later Archbishop of York
Archbishop of York
The Archbishop of York is a high-ranking cleric in the Church of England, second only to the Archbishop of Canterbury. He is the diocesan bishop of the Diocese of York and metropolitan of the Province of York, which covers the northern portion of England as well as the Isle of Man...
; David Thomas (Vice-Principal from 1975–79 and Principal from 1982–87) continues to serve as Provincial Assistant Bishop to the Church in Wales
Church in Wales
The Church in Wales is the Anglican church in Wales, composed of six dioceses.As with the primus of the Scottish Episcopal Church, the Archbishop of Wales serves concurrently as one of the six diocesan bishops. The current archbishop is Barry Morgan, the Bishop of Llandaff.In contrast to the...
; Edwin Barnes
Edwin Barnes
Edwin Ronald Barnes is a Catholic priest and a former Church of England bishop. He was the Bishop of Richborough from 1995 to 2002 and was also formerly the president of the Church Union.-Anglican ministry:...
(Principal from 1987–1995) became Bishop of Richborough
Bishop of Richborough
__noTOC__The Bishop of Richborough is a suffragan bishop and provincial episcopal visitor for the whole of the Province of Canterbury in the Church of England....
; Andrew Burnham
Andrew Burnham
Andrew Murray Burnham is a British Labour Party politician who has been the Member of Parliament for Leigh since 2001. He served in the Cabinet under Gordon Brown from 2007 to 2010 as Chief Secretary to the Treasury, Culture Secretary and Health Secretary. He was a candidate in the 2010 Labour...
(Vice-Principal from 1995–2000) was the Bishop of Ebbsfleet
Bishop of Ebbsfleet
The Bishop of Ebbsfleet is a suffragan bishop who fulfils the role of a provincial episcopal visitor for the whole of the Province of Canterbury in the Church of England....
before resigning from the Church of England
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...
in 2010.
The conferral of Permanent Private Hall
Permanent Private Hall
A Permanent Private Hall at the University of Oxford is an educational institution within the university. There are six Permanent Private Halls at Oxford, five of which admit undergraduates. They were founded by different Christian denominations....
status by the University of Oxford
University of Oxford
The University of Oxford is a university located in Oxford, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest surviving university in the world and the oldest in the English-speaking world. Although its exact date of foundation is unclear, there is evidence of teaching as far back as 1096...
in 2003, along with recent developments in the Church, have meant that the House now sees its remit more widely as providing formation, education and training for the whole people of God. Within this overall understanding, the formation of candidates for the diaconate and the priesthood continues to have a prominent role.
The House was located originally on the site which is now the New Bodleian Library in a house opposite the King's Arms public house. It was soon to move into buildings in Norham Gardens, North Oxford. These buildings were developed, a chapel being built to the side of one of the houses and, in later years, accommodation being provided for married students. The buildings, whilst the college's home for many, were never ideal. In 1980 the Society of St John the Evangelist
Society of St. John the Evangelist
The Society of St John the Evangelist is an Anglican religious order for men. The members live under a rule of life and, at profession, make monastic vows of poverty, celibacy and obedience. The SSJE was founded in 1866 at Cowley, Oxford, England, by the Father Richard Meux Benson, a priest in the...
(SSJE) decided to move from its mother house, Cowley St John. These monastic buildings were the ideal setting for a theological college. It was decided to buy the site and move the college to East Oxford. The current buildings contain the church of St John the Evangelist
St John the Evangelist Church, Oxford
St John the Evangelist Church is a Church of England parish church on Iffley Road in Oxford, England. It was founded as a mission of the Society of St John the Evangelist . Since 1980 it has served also as one of the college chapels of St Stephen's House, Oxford.The building was designed by G.F....
, Iffley Road, by G F Bodley, a masterpiece of his work, cloisters, the main buildings, the House Chapel and the old mission house. The house chapel, extended by Ninian Comper
Ninian Comper
Sir John Ninian Comper was a Scottish-born architect. He was one of the last of the great Gothic Revival architects, noted for his churches and their furnishings...
, is the old monastic chapel and is used for Morning and Evening Prayer
Evening Prayer (Anglican)
Evening Prayer is a liturgy in use in the Anglican Communion and celebrated in the late afternoon or evening...
. The daily Mass
Mass (liturgy)
"Mass" is one of the names by which the sacrament of the Eucharist is called in the Roman Catholic Church: others are "Eucharist", the "Lord's Supper", the "Breaking of Bread", the "Eucharistic assembly ", the "memorial of the Lord's Passion and Resurrection", the "Holy Sacrifice", the "Holy and...
is celebrated in St John's Church. Accommodation in flats and houses on the site is provided for married students whilst single students live in the rooms once inhabited by the SSJE brethren.
The buildings of the college provide a catalogue of interesting and important aspects of Anglican history. The Founder's Chapel — where the SSJE community prayed daily until the later completion of what is now the House Chapel — was where Dietrich Bonhoeffer
Dietrich Bonhoeffer
Dietrich Bonhoeffer was a German Lutheran pastor, theologian and martyr. He was a participant in the German resistance movement against Nazism and a founding member of the Confessing Church. He was involved in plans by members of the Abwehr to assassinate Adolf Hitler...
is reputed to have decided to return to Germany where he met with martyrdom.
Culture
The house has aways been located in the Anglo-Catholic tradition of the Church of EnglandChurch 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...
. A great emphasis has always been placed on the formation of the person in their journey toward ordination. At the heart of the House is prayer with Morning and Evening prayer forming the 'bookends' of the day. Ordinands are required to attend both. The daily Mass also provides a critical point of spiritual nourishment. Theological training appropriate to the person is provided, as is time for ministerial preparation. Ordinands are expected to take an active part in the life and work of the house, serving at dinner, keeping up the gardens, and cleaning the church and chapels.
Sports are often popular and teams are fielded for a variety of university games, although it does somewhat depend on the enthusiasm of the students. The House currently has its own football team which has competed against other Christian training establishments in Oxford and, also, Pusey House.
The house has a good musical tradition with a variety of traditional and contemporary music being used at major liturgies and a choir made up from within the student body. The House Chapel contains a small chamber organ and St John's Church, a larger instrument with an impressive case above the north side of the rood screen
Rood screen
The rood screen is a common feature in late medieval church architecture. It is typically an ornate partition between the chancel and nave, of more or less open tracery constructed of wood, stone, or wrought iron...
.
The college had in the past, a reputation for being camp
Camp (style)
Camp is an aesthetic sensibility that regards something as appealing because of its taste and ironic value. The concept is closely related to kitsch, and things with camp appeal may also be described as being "cheesy"...
and attracting a number of gay
Gay
Gay is a word that refers to a homosexual person, especially a homosexual male. For homosexual women the specific term is "lesbian"....
ordinands, especially in the late 1960s and early 1970s. David Hope, later Archbishop of York
Archbishop of York
The Archbishop of York is a high-ranking cleric in the Church of England, second only to the Archbishop of Canterbury. He is the diocesan bishop of the Diocese of York and metropolitan of the Province of York, which covers the northern portion of England as well as the Isle of Man...
, was recruited as principal in 1974 to rein in excesses and to ensure the college remained on track in its mission. A.N. Wilson fictionalised this turn of events in his novel Unguarded Hours. The Reverend Richard Kirker of the Lesbian and Gay Christian Movement
Lesbian and Gay Christian Movement
The Lesbian and Gay Christian Movement describes itself as "a UK-based international Charity who are praying for an inclusive church".The Gay Christian Movement was founded in 1976 with the Revd Richard Kirker as its first General Secretary...
, quoted in A Church at War: Anglicans and Homosexuality, claims its proportion of gay students has been as high as ninety percent. This claim has not been verified and has been made by a person who is openly gay, and is seeking to bring out into the open, other allegedly gay ministers. Prominent gay cleric Jeffrey John
Jeffrey John
Jeffrey Philip Hywel John SCP is a Church of England priest and the current Dean of St Albans. He made headlines in 2003 when he was the first person to have openly been in a same-sex relationship to be nominated as a Church of England bishop...
is an alumnus. Wilson writes that in his time there, some students were given opposite-sex "names in religion".
Theological education and the wider church
In recent years the college has extended its ministry to the wider church with programmes of teaching open to the general public. Every year there are two summer schools in June, on 'Understanding Islam' and Christian Apologetics. Between 2009 and 2011 there is a conference on ecclesiology around Epiphany each January, organised by Fr Andrew Davison, one of the tutors in Christian Doctrine. The college also welcomes sabbatical guests and visiting scholars.Notable former students
Many former students, in the tradition of the House, go on to minister in urban priority areas and parishes which continue to suffer poverty and deprivation.- The Revd Mgr Andrew BurnhamAndrew Burnham (clergyman)Andrew Burnham is an English priest of the Roman Catholic Church. Burnham was formerly a bishop of the Church of England and served as the third Bishop of Ebbsfleet in the Province of Canterbury from 2000-2010. He resigned in order to be received into the Roman Catholic Church...
- former Bishop of EbbsfleetBishop of EbbsfleetThe Bishop of Ebbsfleet is a suffragan bishop who fulfils the role of a provincial episcopal visitor for the whole of the Province of Canterbury in the Church of England....
and former Vice-Principal - The Revd Anthony CaesarAnthony CaesarCanon Anthony Douglass Caesar CVO, MA, MusB , FRCO born in 1924, is an English clergyman, organist and composer. He was a boy chorister in the Winchester Cathedral Choir under Dr Harold Rhodes, who directed choir rehearsals in the short street known as "Dome Alley", the title later on of one of...
, composerComposerA composer is a person who creates music, either by musical notation or oral tradition, for interpretation and performance, or through direct manipulation of sonic material through electronic media... - The Rt Revd Alan ChestersAlan Chesters (bishop)Alan David Chesters CBE was the Bishop of Blackburn from 1989 to 2003.-Early life and education:Chesters is the son of Herbert and Catherine Chesters, of Huddersfield, West Yorkshire. He was educated at Elland Grammar School, St Chad's College, Durham , St Catherine's Society, Oxford and St...
- former Bishop of BlackburnBishop of BlackburnThe Bishop of Blackburn is the Ordinary of the Church of England Diocese of Blackburn in the Province of York.The diocese covers much of the county of Lancashire and has its see in the town of Blackburn, where the seat of the diocese is located at the Cathedral Church of Saint Mary... - The Revd Canon Arthur Couratin, LiturgiologistLiturgyLiturgy is either the customary public worship done by a specific religious group, according to its particular traditions or a more precise term that distinguishes between those religious groups who believe their ritual requires the "people" to do the "work" of responding to the priest, and those...
and former Principal - Archbishop Hovnan DerderianHovnan DerderianArchbishop Hovnan Derderian is the youngest Armenian clergyman to have been elevated to the rank of Archbishop. Born in Beirut, Derderian studied at the Antelias Seminary and the Seminary of the Holy See in Etchmiadzin, Armenia...
- Primate of the Western Diocese of the Armenian Church of North America - The Rt Revd Peter Elliott, Titular Bishop of Manaccenser and Auxiliary Bishop of Melbourne (Roman Catholic)
- The Revd Fr Mark ElvinsMark ElvinsMark Turnham Elvins, OFMCap, was Warden of Greyfriars, Oxford until its closure in 2008.- Biography :Mark Turnham Elvins was born in 1939 at Whitstable, the son of an Anglican clergyman who had been Rector of St Mary in the Castle, Dover....
OFMCap - Roman Catholic priest and friar - Mark Fox, journalistJournalistA journalist collects and distributes news and other information. A journalist's work is referred to as journalism.A reporter is a type of journalist who researchs, writes, and reports on information to be presented in mass media, including print media , electronic media , and digital media A...
and public policy analyst - The Rt Revd and Rt Hon David Hope, Lord Hope of Thornes - former Archbishop of YorkArchbishop of YorkThe Archbishop of York is a high-ranking cleric in the Church of England, second only to the Archbishop of Canterbury. He is the diocesan bishop of the Diocese of York and metropolitan of the Province of York, which covers the northern portion of England as well as the Isle of Man...
and former Principal - The Rt Hon William Cecil James Philip John Paul Howard, 8th Earl of Wicklow
- The Revd David JasperDavid JasperDavid Jasper is a theologian, currently Professor of Literature and Theology at the University of Glasgow, Scotland.-Publications :*Coleridge as Poet and Religious Thinker, *The New Testament and the Literary Imagination,...
- Changyang Chair Professor in Literature & Theology, Renmin University of China - The Very Revd Jeffrey JohnJeffrey JohnJeffrey Philip Hywel John SCP is a Church of England priest and the current Dean of St Albans. He made headlines in 2003 when he was the first person to have openly been in a same-sex relationship to be nominated as a Church of England bishop...
- Dean of St AlbansSt AlbansSt Albans is a city in southern Hertfordshire, England, around north of central London, which forms the main urban area of the City and District of St Albans. It is a historic market town, and is now a sought-after dormitory town within the London commuter belt... - The Rt Revd Eric Kemp - former Bishop of ChichesterBishop of ChichesterThe Bishop of Chichester is the Ordinary of the Church of England Diocese of Chichester in the Province of Canterbury. The diocese covers the Counties of East and West Sussex. The see is in the City of Chichester where the seat is located at the Cathedral Church of the Holy Trinity...
- The Rt Revd Trevor Mwamba - Bishop of Botswana, who is portrayed in The No. 1 Ladies' Detective AgencyThe No. 1 Ladies' Detective AgencyThe No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency is a series of twelve novels by Scottish author Alexander McCall Smith. The agency is located in Gaborone, capital of Botswana. Its founder is a Motswana woman, Mma Precious Ramotswe, who features as the stories' protagonist and main detective...
books by Alexander McCall SmithAlexander McCall SmithAlexander "Sandy" McCall Smith, CBE, FRSE, is a Rhodesian-born Scottish writer and Emeritus Professor of Medical Law at the University of Edinburgh. In the late 20th century, McCall Smith became a respected expert on medical law and bioethics and served on British and international committees...
and appears as himself in the TV seriesThe No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency (TV series)The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency is a television comedy-drama series, produced by the BBC in conjunction with HBO, and based on the novels of the same name by Alexander McCall Smith. The novels focus on the story of a detective agency opened by Mma Ramotswe and her courtship with the mechanic Mr....
. - The Rt Revd Gordon Roe - former Bishop of HuntingdonBishop of HuntingdonThe Bishop of Huntingdon is an episcopal title used by a suffragan bishop of the Church of England Diocese of Ely, in the Province of Canterbury, England. The title takes its name after Huntingdon, the historic county town of Huntingdonshire, England....
- Fr John SawardJohn SawardJohn Saward is a Roman Catholic priest and a fellow of both Greyfriars and associate lecturer at Blackfriars at the University of Oxford in England...
- theologian, fellow of Greyfriars, OxfordGreyfriars, OxfordGreyfriars, situated on the Iffley Road in East Oxford, was one of the smallest constituent Halls of the University of Oxford in England. Its previous status as a Permanent Private Hall referred to the fact that it was governed by an outside institution , rather than by its fellows as is a... - The Rt Revd Glyn SimonGlyn SimonWilliam Glyn Hughes Simon was the Anglican Archbishop of Wales from 1968 to 1971.Simon was born in Swansea, where his father was curate at St Gabriel's church. He was baptised by David Lewis Prosser, later to become the third Archbishop of Wales....
- former Archbishop of WalesArchbishop of WalesThe post of Archbishop of Wales was created in 1920 when the Church in Wales was separated from the Church of England , and disestablished... - The Rt Revd David Thomas - former Provincial Assistant Bishop of the Church in WalesChurch in WalesThe Church in Wales is the Anglican church in Wales, composed of six dioceses.As with the primus of the Scottish Episcopal Church, the Archbishop of Wales serves concurrently as one of the six diocesan bishops. The current archbishop is Barry Morgan, the Bishop of Llandaff.In contrast to the...
and former Vice-Principal and Principal - The Rt Revd Timothy ThorntonTimothy Martin ThorntonTimothy Martin "Tim" Thornton is the current Bishop of Truro, having previously been the Bishop of Sherborne from 2001 to 2008....
- Bishop of Truro - The Rt Revd Martin Warner - Bishop of WhitbyBishop of WhitbyThe Bishop of Whitby is an episcopal title used by a suffragan bishop of the Church of England Diocese of York, in the Province of York, England.The title takes its name after the town of Whitby in North Yorkshire...
- The Rt Revd William Gordon WheelerWilliam Gordon WheelerThe Rt Rev. William Gordon Wheeler was the 7th Roman Catholic Bishop of Leeds from 1966 until 1985. Born on 5 May 1910 and educated at Manchester Grammar School and University College, Oxford he was ordained as an Anglican priest in 1934 and began his ecclesiastical career with curacies at St...
- former Roman Catholic Bishop of LeedsBishop of LeedsThe Bishop of Leeds is the Ordinary of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Leeds in the Province of Liverpool, England.The Vicariate Apostolic of the Yorkshire District was elevated to diocese status as the Diocese of Beverley on 29 September 1850, which was suppressed on 20 December 1878 and its area... - The Venerable Colin Williams - General Secretary of the Conference of European ChurchesConference of European ChurchesThe Conference of European Churches was founded in 1959 to promote reconciliation, dialogue and friendship between the churches of Europe at a time of growing Cold War political tensions and divisions. It is an ecumenical fellowship of Christian churches in Europe; its membership consists of most...
- The Revd Canon Paul Greenwell - Precentor of Ripon Cathedral
- The Revd Peter LaisterPeter LaisterPeter Laister was a prominent Anglo-Catholic priest in the twentieth century.Laister trained for ordination at Saint David's Theological College, Lampeter, Wales and at St. Stephen's House, Oxford. He began his ministry as a curate in the Diocese of Chelmsford, 1956-60...
- A. N. WilsonA. N. WilsonAndrew Norman Wilson is an English writer and newspaper columnist, known for his critical biographies, novels, works of popular history and religious views...
- journalist
Academics and teachers
- The Revd Canon Robin WardRobin Ward (Anglican priest)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 and St Stephen's House, Oxford...
- Principal - The Revd Damian Feeney - Vice-Principal
- Ian Boxall - Senior Tutor
- Lucy Gardner
The permanent staff are assisted by a number of visiting tutors, including:
- The Revd Elaine Bardwell
- The Revd Simon Jones
- The Revd Canon Beaumont Stevenson
- The Revd Canon Vincent StrudwickVincent StrudwickVincent Noel Harold Strudwick is a British theologian and educationalist. His areas of expertise include sixteenth-century English history and the ecclesiology of Richard Hooker....
- Sister Benedicta Ward SLGCommunity of the Sisters of the Love of GodThe Community of the Sisters of the Love of God is a contemplative community of women founded in 1906 within the Anglican Church, to witness to the priority of God, and to respond to the love of God for us, reflected in our love for God...