The Assistant Principal at St John’s College plays a central role in shaping a vibrant, inclusive, and supportive student experience. Working closely with the Vice Principal and as part of the College’s middle management team, they provide leadership across student support overseeing student ser

As Vice Principal, Rebecca works across strategy, policy and operations, with a focus on building a strong community and supporting students from application through to alumni. Her portfolio spans student support and the wider student experience, communications and development, alongside delivery of

Melissa is responsible for the day-to-day operation of the College Library and ensuring that the space, services and resources support the needs of John’s students and help them to thrive. Working with fellow library staff, student assistants, the St John’s College Library Committee and wide

Colin plays a key role in the day-to-day running of the College kitchens, helping to ensure the smooth delivery of catering for students, staff, conference guests and special events throughout the year. He joined St John’s in 2020 following a long career across the food service industry, including

As Academic Dean, Revd Dr Josh has responsibility for the academic teaching and research at Cranmer Hall, and with our team of tutors and associate tutors, he oversees the development of our teaching programmes. He is also the co-director of the field leading Doctorate in Theology and Ministry, deli

As Finance & Operations Director, Chris leads the operational and professional services teams at St John’s College. His focus is on finance, HR, estate management, compliance, governance, business resilience and health & safety, working closely with students and colleagues to ensure the sm

Clare had a career in People Management spanning some 40 years, working in both public and private sector organisations, including B&Q, Automobile Association, National Government – National Care Standards Commission, NHS – Newcastle Hospitals and North Tees and Hartlepool, and Higher Ed

Sam Dale is the Director of Student Experience at Durham University. Sam has over 30 years experience of leadership roles in higher education and has worked at Newcastle, Manchester and Durham Universities.  Sam has a particular specialism in overseeing the delivery of services to students.  He h

John leads the Catering team at St John’s, overseeing the day-to-day delivery of food and drink across the College for students, staff, alumni and visitors. Working closely with the chefs and front-of-house team, he helps create a welcoming dining experience, from everyday meals in Haughton Dining

Aurelia’s role as Resident Tutor involves supporting wellbeing, safety, and enrichment within the College community, as first-responder to out-of-hours incidents and by actively contributing to College life through student events and outreach. Aurelia is currently completing a PhD in Garden Histor

Vikki’s role focuses on supporting the people who work at the College. She works with managers to help them lead their teams well. She also helps with day-to-day employment queries, recruitment of new staff, workplace issues, and making sure HR policies are clear and fair.Her role also includes su

Michael was Academic Registrar at Durham University from 2009 to 2021. As Academic Registrar he was responsible for a very broad range of institutional-wide responsibilities and functions, which touch every stage in the student lifecycle from initial applicant inquiry to graduation, and include supp

Elizabeth Hall oversees all commercial conferences and events at St John’s College. Working the dedicated delivery teams here at St John’s, she liaises with external clients to deliver high-quality events that reflect the College’s values and reputation. She manages events from initial enquiry

Vice-President of St John’s College Council and Visiting Fellow in Healthcare and Religion, Jamie is Chair the House of Laity of the Church of England General Synod, is an appointed member of the Clergy Discipline Commission and an ex-officio member of the Archbishops’ Council. He is also a Lay

Revd Sarah is the chaplain at St John’s College, and it is her privilege to be available to all connected with the College, of all faith backgrounds, to offer a listening ear and a non-judgmental space to explore questions of life. She facilitates College worship and spaces where our community can

Marija is the Residential Business Manager, leading the College’s accommodation strategy and coordinating all residential services, working closely with students, staff, and University partners to deliver compliant, student‑focused services that enhance the College’s community and overall expe

Bishop Robert was born in Wolverhampton. He studied engineering at Cambridge University and worked in the electric power industry and business consulting until 1989 when he went to train for the priesthood at Cranmer Hall. Following his BA (in Theology) in 1991 he stayed to complete a PhD graduat

Ian leads the Maintenance team that looks after College buildings, grounds, and facilities to ensure a safe, clean, and comfortable environment for everyone. Their work covers repairs, waste management, landscaping, energy and water systems, and compliance with safety regulations. They also support

As Student Support & Enrichment Officer, Grant supports students living both in and out of College by offering guidance on a range of wellbeing, financial, and other issues that may affect their university experience. He helps students to access appropriate support, and works closely with other

Sarah is an alum of Durham University, where she studied Geological Sciences. She is also a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales. After qualifying as an accountant with Grant Thornton, Sarah has held many roles within industry and has a strong background in the PFI s

Indre is currently on parental leave. The Assistant Principal at St John’s College plays a central role in shaping a vibrant, inclusive, and supportive student experience. Working closely with the Vice Principal and as part of the College’s middle management team, they provide leadership across

As part of the small finance team in the College, Kelly works to process the high volume of transactions that we deal with every day. She record the payments made by students when they pay their fees and process any honorarium or scholarship awards. She monitor the College bank account for deposits

Richard is responsible for the managing the College’s day to day finances and longer term financial planning. He is ably assisted by Kelly & Caroline who make up the rest of the friendly finance team. Richard has spent 40 years working in finance from doing accounts for the corner shop to mult

As Resident Tutor, Lenna strives to create a welcoming, inclusive space for all students at John’s and Durham University as well as operating as a support and safety network for students in St John’s. She aims to help guide Johnians through difficult transition periods and any other even

Professor Amir Michael is a Professor of Accounting and Head of Accounting Department at Durham University Business School, Durham University, UK whose research and teaching interests have been fostered by several years of undergraduate and postgraduate teaching and mentoring. Amir was the former As

As Director of Music, Ben is responsible for the Chapel Choir and the overall musical life of St John’s. He works closely with the Chaplain in delivering Choral Evensong every Wednesday during term. He trains the Choral Scholars and Organ Scholars in the Chapel Choir and teaches the Ordinands of C

Jolyon Mitchell is the Principal of St John’s College and Professor in the Department of Theology and Religion at Durham University. The role of the Principal is to lead the College and develop St John’s as a distinctive academic community. Jolyon’s background is in the study of religion, viol

As Warden of Cranmer Hall, Nick has overall responsibility for the academic, formational, and pastoral life of the Hall. He leads Cranmer’s vision for theological education and ministerial formation, working closely with staff, students, and the wider College to support those preparing for a range

Cathrine Ngangira is the Priest-in-Charge of Boughton-under-Blean with Dunkirk, Goodnestone with Graveney, and Hernhill in the Diocese of Canterbury. She trained at Cranmer Hall, completing both undergraduate and postgraduate studies in theology. Cathrine has contributed to the Lambeth Confere

Leanne Oldham is the Catering & College Events Administrator at St John’s College. Working across the Catering Department and Reception, Leanne supports the smooth running of day to day catering operations and College events, with a focus on organisation, clear communication, and excellent cus

Steven supports the smooth and efficient running of college life. Working across the Finance & Operations Directorate, he helps ensure a safe, organised, and welcoming environment by coordinating health and safety processes, supporting data protection activity, and managing shared AV and IT res

As President of St John’s Common Room, Will is responsible for leading the student-led charity that represents and supports all students at St John’s. Working closely with College, he manages over 100 student volunteers and oversees the delivery of the SJCR’s wide-ranging activities, including

As Resident Tutor, Pei Jun works closely with the College Student Support & Enrichment Team to respond to out-of-hours calls, incidents, and emergencies within the College, while also leading a variety of extracurricular activities for the student community. Pei Jun is currently completing her P

Laura is one of the main points of contact for the Vice Principal’s Office, providing administration for student support queries. She is also a part of the Library team, cataloguing and processing books, and helping to organise and plan ideas on how to use the library space. Email (student s

Laura’s role spans several key areas that directly support students, staff, and visitors. Through her combined responsibilities as Library Assistant, Reception Supervisor, Student Support Administrator, and Accommodation and Admissions Administrator, she contributes to many of the College’s esse

Eleanor is Bishop of Hull in the Diocese of York and was previously the Assistant Bishop in the Diocese of Wellington, New Zealand. She serves on the Anglican Communion Commission for Discipleship and Evangelism and has a passion for the renewal of God’s church through multiplying missional discip

As a resident tutor, Magdalena helps foster a safe, inclusive and welcoming environment in St John’s College, working alongside an exceptional team of friendly, kind and empathetic people. One of the aspects she enjoys most about the role is organising the College’s Christmas decoration events,

Kate is a partner at Swinburne Maddison LLP, which she joined as a trainee in 2003 and has been instrumental in sustaining and growing the firm to what it is today.  Described in The Legal 500 United Kingdom 2019 edition as “very professional and concise”,  Kate has substantial experience deal

As Dean of Anglican Formation, Sarah has responsibility for the formation of Church of England ordinands and a brief to develop the range and modes of training that Cranmer offers. Working closely with the Chaplain, students and colleagues Sarah oversees the worshipping and community life of Cranme

Jacqueline (Jacqui) Sutton is a highly experienced Aerospace industry professional with a career encompassing a variety of strategic and commercial roles for leading players in the Aerospace market. Most recently, Jacqui held the position of Chief Customer Officer (CCO) at Rolls-Royce Civil Aerospac

Karen is an Anglican ordinand in training at Cranmer Hall. As CCR President, her role is to represent the students of Cranmer Hall to college, sharing their concerns and representing them at meetings. She then feedbacks pertinent information to the students.

Lynne leads the Housekeeping team that is responsible for cleaning and maintaining student accommodation, public areas, and shared facilities throughout the College. Students get the opportunity to meet all staff as they rotate areas each week and the Assistant Housekeeper covers for holidays and si

Kathrine’s role focuses on fostering connections across the College Community. Working closely with the rest of the Vice Principal’s office, she facilitates day to day communications for students and staff, coordinates the College’s website and social media, and leads alumni events

Tom is a retired academic who worked on the executives of several universities including Durham. His area of responsibility generally involved education and the student experience. He grew up in Zambia and Swaziland before studying at the University of Warwick and beginning a career as a research ma

George is a 3rd year PhD student in the Department of Biosciences researching prediction models for carbon dioxide binding proteins. Previously he completed his undergraduate studies at St John’s and he’s been involved in many different sports teams, societies and events over the years.�

Caroline plays a key role in ensuring the College’s financial operations run smoothly, accurately and efficiently. As Finance Manager, she leads on Student Billing and Debt Collection and is responsible for processing the monthly payroll & pension administration for St John’s staff. Working

As a Resident Tutor at St John’s College, Felipe supports students in their academic progress and wider collegiate experience, while helping to foster a friendly and inclusive college community. Felipe also contributes to student life as a PGR Rep in the Philosophy Department. As a PhD student in

Richard has spent much of his working life in the founding and development of several successful not-for-profit, community-owned, or co-operative enterprises that allow people to express constructive social and environmental values through their work, spending or saving. Amongst these are Traidcraft

Adesola (Sola) Akala is a biblical and theological scholar with a focus on Johannine and Pauline literature. Her published work includes The Son-Father Relationship and Christological Symbolism in the Gospel of John (London: T&T Clark, 2014), Exploring the Glory of God: New Horizons for a The

A first generation scholar from Bishop Auckland, Anne’s heart is in Durham and she has spent most of her 40-year career here in higher education, heritage management and regeneration.  She came to Durham in 1986 to read archaeology and after a masters at St Andrews returned to take up a Junior Re

Alan was appointed tutor in Church History, Spirituality and Anglican Studies in February 1996 and remained on the College staff until October 2008. During this time he was also Programme Director for the newly-started MA in Theology and Ministry and DMin programmes and taught for the Dept of Theolo

Sadly I have to inform you of the passing of Keith Batchelor (Combined Arts,1969-72) on 8 December 2024, aged 74, following a few years’ of illness. After graduating from St John’s, Keith returned to his hometown of Birmingham as a trainee social worker before pursuing an MA in Social Work at No

Dr Batey’s main research interests lie in the field of Viking and Late Norse archaeology with particular reference to the Northern Isles and Caithness and the North Atlantic region. She has excavated widely on several major sites, including Jarlshof in Shetland, “Westness” on Rousa

The College was saddened to learn of the sudden death of Visiting Fellow, the Revd Canon Chris Beales. Chris gained a BA through St John’s in 1972, and began his training for ordination at Cranmer Hall that same year. He served in a range of roles nationally, including stints back in the region a

Michael Bird was a Director and Managing Director at the Johnson Service group from 1960 until 1994, before becoming Chief Executive of the North East Chamber of Commerce from 1994 to 2002. From 2004 to 2011 he chaired the Audit Committee of Durham University Council, and was the Trustee Pension Fun

After gaining a First in his two-year Theology BA, Mark was awarded a British Academy grant to write a thesis on The Antioch Episode of Galatians 2.11-14 in Historical and Cultural Context with John Muddiman and Maurice Casey. He was Tutor in New Testament at Cranmer Hall from 1995-2006 where his te

Gillian Boughton teaches in the Durham Department of Theology and Religion as an Honorary Fellow, directing the MA module Literature and Religion. She was a Resident Tutor at St John’s from 1983 – 1985 when studying for a Durham M Litt (later commuted into a PhD). She was elected Staff R

Sherilyn Bouyer is working with Tom Hamilton on the Forging Social Solidarities during Religious Wars  Inventing Futures (IF) project to develop her contribution to The Oxford Handbook of the French Wars of Religion on ‘Postwar Justice’. She has recently submitted her PhD at the University

Melody is a PhD candidate at the University of Sheffield, and a former tutor at St John’s College, Durham. She has worked in theological education for over 20 years, in a range of church, academic, and mission contexts. Her current work has a particular focus on how children read scripture, drawin

Kate was ordained in 2001, after seven very happy years as a secondary school English teacher in Yorkshire. Following a curacy in Ripon, she worked as Associate Priest at St Oswald’s Durham and was Chaplain to Van Mildert and Trevelyan Colleges, Durham University. Following this she was appointed

Dr Jocelyn Bryan has spent over twenty years working in ministerial formation at St John’s College. She joined the tutorial staff of the Wesley Study Centre in 1999 taking responsibility for the Foundation Training Programme and then became its Director Of Studies in 2008. From 2009 Jocelyn was ap

Jason Byassee is the twelfth senior minister of Timothy Eaton Memorial Church in Toronto, Ontario Canada. He also serves as a trustee of Wycliffe College at the University of Toronto. He was previously the Butler professor in homiletics and biblical hermeneutics at the Vancouver School of Theology.

After working for the University of Rome, Oxford and Cambridge, Miro is currently based in Durham where he conducts experimental research on nanoscience and nanotechnology. His background is wide and includes a solid knowledge of both biomedical sciences and of physics and chemistry. His research is

It is with great sadness that we have learned of the death of Andy Corkhill who was the President of the MCR (2015-16) and a valued postgraduate member of the College. The Principal David Wilkinson writes, ‘Andy was an energetic member of the College community, passionate about the environment, p

Joan Crooks, dedicated missionary, teacher, student of Theology and devoted friend of St John’s College and Cranmer Hall, who worshipped for many years at the Cathedral, has died after a short illness. Gillian Boughton-Willmore writes: “Joan Crooks, someone who loved the St John’s

St John’s alumnus and former Tutor, Douglas Davies, has been Professor in the Study of Religion at Durham University since 1997, including a couple of years as Principal of The College of St Hild and St Bede. He directs the Centre for Death and Life Studies and is affiliated with the Wolfson R

Maggi Dawn is an author and theologian. She began her professional life as a singer-songwriter, but later after reading for a degree and a PhD in theology at the University of Cambridge, she turned her creative talents to writing books. After eight years at Yale University, Maggi returned to the UK

After teaching for 15 years in secondary schools, David Day moved into higher education, holding appointments both in Theology and Religious Education. For eighteen years he held the post of Senior Lecturer in the School of Education, Durham University and for seven years was Principal of St John’

Nancy is the Executive Director of the Virgin Money Foundation, a role she has held since 2016. She has set a strategy for the Foundation that works to facilitate changemakers and community organisations to tackle digital poverty and create positive change in the communities they live in.  Prior to

Professor James (Jimmy) Dunn was a distinguished New Testament scholar, former Lightfoot Professor of Divinity at Durham University, and a longstanding friend of St John’s College and the Wesley Study Centre. During his years in Durham, from 1980 until his retirement to Chichester, he was a famili

It is with great sadness that the College heard of the death of Revd Dr Joel Edwards. Joel was a Visiting Fellow of the College and had completed his DThM recently as a part-time student. He was one of the most significant Christian leaders of his generation not only as General Secretary of the Evan

Richard Everett was educated at Mill Hill public school in the 1960s. Immediately after leaving he became an actor, appearing many times on London’s West End stage and on Broadway, New York. He also worked in films, on television and on radio before forming The Upstream Theatre Company near London

Suzy’s time at St John’s was extraordinarily active and passionate, involving herself in many student endeavours with the college and university alike. Suzy was a member of the Bear Witness Theatre Company, where she produced Godspell, sang in student choirs, was a member of the Christian Union,

Will Foulger is vicar at St Nicholas Church in Durham city-centre. During his four years at Cranmer Hall he taught mission and evangelism and missional entrepreneurship at BA, and mission and ecclesiology and theological Reflection at MA, alongside supervising students at BA, MA and DThM level. He l

James Francis grew up in Aberdeenshire and studied classics and then theology at Edinburgh University and Yale Divinity School. While training for ministry at Edinburgh he was influenced by the worker-priest movement of Roland Walls and the Community of the Transfiguration at Roslin. He was for a nu

Heinz studied modern languages at Bonn and Toulouse and after completing his PhD he decided to become a librarian for which he trained in Göttingen and Cologne. He has spent most of his professional life in academic libraries. Through his work he came in contact with Cambridge University and was el

It is with great sadness that we share the news of Nick’s passing earlier this year, following illness with pancreatic cancer. Nick lived life to the full till the end, delighting in watching his grandson grow, continuing his charitable work and doing five podcasts about his life assisted by his d

Richard Giles grew up in Birmingham and gained degrees in town planning and theology at Newcastle University. After training at Cuddesdon, he served as a priest in the Midlands and the North of England before becoming parish development officer and canon theologian for the Diocese of Wakefield, work

Michael recently retired as Academic Registrar of Durham University, having been responsible for a broad range of institution‐wide responsibilities and national roles such as chair of the Academic Registrars Council.

David Goodhew is a Fellow of St Johns College and Vicar of St Barnabas Church, Middlesbrough where he has served since 2019. Prior to this David was on the staff of Cranmer Hall, for eleven years.  David has published widely on patterns of church growth and decline, theologies of growth and decline

Rachel Goodman is a poet, portrait painter and former actor-presenter whose creative practice spans theatre, broadcasting and the visual arts. After studying English Literature at Durham University (Trevelyan College) and completing an MA in Poetry with Distinction at the University of East Anglia,

After taking a BA in Theology (1984) and a PGCE (1985) at St John’s, Andrew worked in churches and charities, before joining the BBC as a TV and radio producer. For the past ten years he has pursued a vocation to advocate and campaign for victims and survivors of church abuse. Andrew is the author

Dr Adrian Green is Associate Professor in History at Durham University, specialising in early modern British and American social and cultural history, with a particular focus on architecture, housing, and landscape. His research explores the relationship between buildings, landscapes, and social cha

We have learnt that St John’s alumnus Richard (Dick) Haigh passed away on 29 May 2024 at the age of 93. Richard attended St John’s College in 1954 to take a BA degree in Social Studies and later a Diploma in Theology. He was ordained at Christmas 1959 to the parish of Stanwix, Carlisle, where he

Will Hamlin is Professor Emeritus of English at Washington State University, having retired in June 2024 after forty years of teaching. A recipient of research fellowships from the John Simon Guggenheim Foundation, the Huntington Library, the Renaissance Society of America, and the National Endowmen

Mrs Anne Harrison is an Oxford music graduate with an MA in Music and Liturgy from the University of Leeds; she was Music Co-ordinator at St John’s College with Cranmer Hall, Durham, in the 1990s, and then worked for the Royal School of Church Music, spending ten years editing the RSCM’s lit

Jamie Harrison is a Fellow of the Royal College of General Practitioners and Research Fellow in Healthcare and Religion at St John’s College, Durham University.

Theo studied Theology at Durham University (BA, MA) and did her PhD at the University of Edinburgh, focussing on ecclesiology and ethnography. Her postdoctoral work on the Peacebuilding and Media Arts project sparked an interest in theologies of peace and nonviolence, religious peacebuilding, and th

Tom Holland is an award-winning historian, translator and broadcaster. His most recent book, Pax, covers the heyday of the Roman Empire. He has translated Herodotus and Suetonius for Penguin Classics. He is co-presenter of the world’s most popular history podcast, The Rest is History, which in 202

Robert Jaggs-Fowler is a writer, poet, and retired GP with academic interests in medical humanities, theology, and literature. He served as Medical Director and Director of Primary Care for NHS North Lincolnshire and was ordained in the Church of England in 2019. He has served as an army officer, as

Sophie Jones is a PhD student at Union Theological College, Belfast. Her research focuses on the interplay of music, theology, and literature in the life of Irish writer C.S. Lewis. Sophie performs regularly with the Priory Singers and New Irish Arts. She has spoken at C.S. Lewis Societies in Oxford

Canon David Kennedy is Vice-Dean and Precentor of Durham Cathedral. He read Theology at St John’s College, Durham, trained for the ministry at St John’s College, Nottingham, and after curacies in Spennymoor and Kirk Merrington taught Liturgy and Spirituality for 9 years at The Queen’s Coll

Liz read law at Liverpool University before training for ordained Methodist ministry at the Wesley Study Centre in St John’s College. Since ordination she has served in local churches across the North East and has undertaken doctoral study on the church and eating disorders.

Somerset born and bred, Paul was educated at Wells Cathedral School. Somerset was always in his thoughts and he felt a close connection to his roots and his beloved Somerset Cricket team! Another keen interest throughout his life was in the Peninsular Wars and Paul undertook much reading and researc

David Lindon Lammy, FRSA is the Member of Parliament for Tottenham and the Lord Chancellor, Secretary of State for Justice and Deputy Prime Minister. He has previously served as UK Foreign Secretary and Parliamentary under-Secretary in the Department of Health, Minister in the Department for Const

David is Assistant Professor in Early Modern History at the University of Groningen, the Netherlands. His research broadly focuses on religious conflict and peacebuilding in early modern France, and has been awarded the Nancy Lyman Roelker Prize and the Harold J. Grimm Prize by the Sixteenth Centur

Liz is a theologian, poet, novelist, essayist and lecturer. She is working on a new commission from the Saltire Society, for poetry exploring the conservationist John Muir’s legacy in the Anthropocene. As a creative-critical academic, Liz specialises in theopoetics and trauma theology. Her interdi

David Marshall is a priest in the Church of England and a scholar in the field of Islamic Studies. After undergraduate studies in Modern Languages and then Theology at Oxford University, and a couple of years working with homeless people, he studied for a Master’s in Islamic Studies at Birmingham

As a Barker Fellow-in-residence, Laura is affiliated with the Institute of Medieval and Early Modern Studies (IMEMS) Inventing Futures Programme.

It is with great sadness that the College heard of the death of Professor Tom McLeish. Tom was for many years a great friend to the College and long time co-investigator on our Equipping Christian Leadership in an Age of Science (ECLAS) project. Tom founded the project with the Principal and contrib

Eric is a Professor of History at Missouri State University in the United States.  His two monographs have engaged with the challenges of peacemaking after sectarian violence in sixteenth- and seventeenth-century France. His most recent entitled The Legacy of Iconoclasm focused on the uses of memor

James Newcome read history at Trinity College, Oxford. After a year spent driving an ambulance in Hertfordshire he trained for ordination at Ridley Hall, Cambridge. A curacy in Watford was followed by a return to Cambridge as tutor in the Cambridge Federation and minister of an Ecumenical Project in

Revd Canon Dr Ashley Null is an internationally respected scholar on the grace and gratitude theology of the English Reformation. Holding a MDiv and STM from Yale and a PhD and BD form the University of Cambridge, Ashley has received numerous academic awards for his work, including Fulbright, Nation

Thinking with the Church at the Margins initiative within Methodism, Florence’s project aims to reflect theologically on ‘Recovery Church’, a community of people living with addictions that gather for services that incorporate elements of the 12-Step programme. This research builds on her

It is with great sadness that I announce the death of Danielle (Dani) O’Hagan, who passed away on 6th February after a courageous battle with cancer. Dani joined the University in 2006, studying BA Combined Honours in Arts, followed by MA Theology, and quickly became a prominent member of the S

Glenn Packiam is the Lead Pastor of Rockharbor Church in Costa Mesa, California, and a Senior Fellow at Barna Group. He is the author of nine books, including his latest, What’s A Christian, Anyway? Finding Our Way in an Age of Confusion and Corruption (Thomas Nelson, 2025). His other books incl

Gaël is a Programme Associate at Equipping Christian Leadership in an Age of Science (ECLAS). He completed his PhD in Theology and Religion at Durham under the supervision of Professor Karen Kilby, where he developed an understanding of belonging as a foundational theological category for Christian

Dr Ruth Perrin  is undertaking a follow up project to the Leech sponsored ‘Changing Shape; the Faith Lives of Millennials’ which explored the Christian faith of those born between 1981-1996 as they passed through their twenties. Her current project, entitled ‘Friendship, Faith and

Dr Petrenko holds a PhD in Biblical Studies from Durham University, with a special focus on Pauline literature. Her published work includes ´Created in Christ Jesus for Good Works´: The Integration of Soteriology and Ethics in Ephesians (Paternoster Biblical Monographs), Milton Keynes/Colorado S

Dr Petrenko holds a PhD in Historical Theology from Durham University, with a special focus on Russian Orthodox history and theology. His works include Theology of Icons: A Protestant Perspective, an unpublished MTh thesis in English, but published in Russian, 2000; “West versus East and the Co

Philip Plyming is Dean of Durham and leads the life and mission of Durham Cathedral.  After attending a local comprehensive school in Sussex, Philip studied German and Russian at Cambridge University followed by Theology at Durham University while training for ministry at Cranmer Hall from 1998-200

It is with great sadness that I report on the passing of Roger Pratt (Combined Arts, 1966-69), an Oscar-nominated cinematographer, great St John’s alumnus and good friend. The Guardian obituary relates his extraordinary career, from ‘clapper-boy’ with the Monty Python team, to cin

Born in Salford, John Pritchard read jurisprudence at St Peter’s College, Oxford, graduating with a BA degree in 1970, before studying Theology for two years at three years at Oxford and Ridley Hall, Cambridge. He took an MLitt in Practical Theology at Durham. He was ordained in the Church of

Marie Raulier is a Barker Fellow working with Richard Scholar on the ‘Imagining Alternatives : Utopia in the World’ project as part of the Inventing Futures Programme at the Institute for Medieval and Early Modern Studies (IMEMS). During her fellowship at Durham, she will examine representation

Martin Roberts, born a Cestrian, qualified as an architect at Newcastle University, then specialised in conservation. He spent many years as Durham City’s Conservation Officer, during which time he conceived and project-managed the restoration of Old Durham Gardens.

Richard Roberts BA, TEP, CTAPS has been a private client solicitor for over 40 years, all of which was with Gedye and Sons of London and Grange over Sands. He was a student at St Johns from 1976 to 1979. His practice areas covered a wide range of work with the emphasis on trusts, contentious probate

Jonathan Ruffer left Cambridge in 1972 to become a stockbroker. He trained as a barrister, and worked in the Corporate Finance Department of Schroders. In 1980 he returned to investment, first with Dunbar; on its takeover by Allied Hambro, together with Micky Ingall, they set up a new business which

The Catering Team and wider John’s community lost a fantastic friend and colleague in Nicky Seal who sadly passed away this October. Nicky joined the Catering Team in June 2003 as a Catering Assistant and quickly became a great friend and work colleague with everyone she worked with. She is and wi

Roy was born and grew up in Tyneside and North Yorkshire. He came to faith when he was training as an Outward Bound instructor in Scotland before going on to prepare for ministry at Lebanon Missionary Bible College, Berwick-upon-Tweed and University College, Cardiff. He began his church ministry at

Christian is Dean of Church Planting at St Hild College, where his work focuses on church planting, mission, leadership formation and intercultural practice. He studied mathematics at Warwick University, trained for ordained ministry in the Church of England at Cranmer Hall, and completed his doctor

Peter is a founding partner of Praesta Partners, a specialist coaching organisation. Formerly a Director General in the UK Government, he has coached senior leaders and teams across six continents in the private, public and voluntary sectors. He has written 27 books on aspects of leadership. Some ha

Sir Nigel Sherlock joined the St John’s College Council in 1984, where he played an active part in raising funds for the Leech Hall. His professional career was centred around Investment Management, but he also sought in a number of ways to contribute to improving the well-being of those living in

A trained mediator and theologian, specialising in inter-religious peace-building, Sarah brings wide-ranging international experience in situations of violent conflict. She has worked for many years to promote faith-based reconciliation, and is Founding Director of the Rose Castle Foundation – equ

Nick Spencer is Senior Fellow at the think tank Theos. His first degree was in English Literature and History from Jesus College, Oxford, followed (many years later) by a doctorate in political theology from Jesus College, Cambridge. In between, he has worked in research, at first quantitative and q

The Revd Dr Sarah St Leger Hills was born in South Africa, brought up in Northern Ireland, and has lived in Sheffield since the mid 1980’s. She qualified in medicine and worked as a psychiatrist, specialising in psychotherapy. She trained for ordination on the Northern Ordination Course. She was o

Muthuraj researches in the fields of Religious Studies, Theology and World Christianity with the focus on religious pluralism, interfaith dialogue, ecumenism, contextual theologies, Christian public engagement, and science-faith relations. Muthuraj is currently the Director of the Cambridge Centre f

The Rt Revd Dr Mark Tanner is the Bishop of Chester, Chair of the Church of England’s Ministry Development Board, and member of the Archbishops’ Council. He has previously served as Bishop of Berwick in the Diocese of Newcastle, Warden of Cranmer Hall and one of the Vice-Principals of St

The College is sad to hear the news of the death of Rev Professor Anthony Thiselton FBA who was Principal of St John’s from 1988 to 1992. He was one of the leading biblical scholars of his generation, where his main contribution was in the area of hermeneutics but he had a wide range of interests

Bishop David Thomson was born in Sunderland and grew up in Sheffield before going up to Oxford to read English and take a DPhil in mediaeval studies. After a short teaching career he was ordained, and after twenty years of parish ministry served as Archdeacon of Carlisle and then Bishop of Huntingdo

Gavin Wakefield is a Church of England priest, living in the Durham area. He has retired from fulltime ministry but remains engaged in supporting local church ministry, spiritual accompaniment, supervising postgraduate students, mentoring ministerial students and as a volunteer chaplain at Durham C

Professor Peter Ward’s academic research has its origins in the practice of mission and ministry in the Christian Church. For more than 15 years, he worked as a Christian youth worker and then 5 years working as the Archbishop of Canterbury’s Adviser for Youth Ministry. His doctoral research

Dr Andy Wier is a researcher, consultant and practical theologian. After degrees in Social and Political Studies (BA, University of Sheffield) and Urban Regeneration (MSc, Sheffield Hallam University), Andy spent the early part of his career supporting community regeneration in Sheffield through rol

Bible scholar Ben Witherington is Amos Professor of New Testament for Doctoral Studies at Asbury Theological Seminary and on the doctoral faculty at St. Andrews University. A graduate of UNC, Chapel Hill, he went on to receive the M.Div. degree from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary and a Ph.D. fr

The College is saddened to hear of the death of Mally Yates at the age of 92. Mally was one of the most influential people in the history of St John’s. With the admission of female theology students to Cranmer Hall in 1966, Mally was appointed as a new member of staff to care for the new students