The third of our 500th Anniversary Lectures, join us at The Carole Nash Hall for a lecture, entitled Humanist Learning: A Vision for Today?, from The Right Reverend Dr Rowan Williams on Thursday 11 September. In recognition of the House's status as a joint foundation of College and Cathedral, Dr Rowan Williams will discuss faith in today's world and uncover education's integral role in the creation of human beliefs.

About the Speakers: 

The Right Reverend Dr Williams was born in Swansea and after reading Theology at Christ's College, Cambridge, came to Christ Church to begin doctoral research on Russian religious thought. After further periods of teaching and pastoral work in Yorkshire and back in Cambridge, he was Lady Margaret Professor of Divinity at the House from 1986 to 1992. From 1992 to 2002, he was Bishop of Monmouth, and Archbishop of Wales from 1989 to 1992, then Archbishop of Canterbury from 2002 to 2012, After serving as Master of Magdalene College, Cambridge from 2013 to 2020, he retired to Cardiff and continues writing and teaching. He is the author of many books on theology and spirituality, as well as studies of social and cultural questions.

The Reverend Professor Andrew Davison first read Chemistry at the University of Oxford, followed by a DPhil in Biochemistry, and then Theology at Cambridge. After a curacy in Southeast London, he started his theological teaching and research career in Oxford, firstly as Tutor in Christian Doctrine at St Stephen's House, followed by a similar role at Westcott House in Cambridge, before becoming the Starbridge Lecturer (later Professor) in Theology and Natural Sciences at the University of Cambridge. After 10 years as Starbridge Lecturer, Andrew moved to the USA as a visiting fellow at the Center of Theological Inquiry in Princeton, New Jersey. In September 2024, he became Regius Professor of Divinity at Oxford, based at Christ Church where he is also a residentiary canon of the Cathedral. Andrew is known, among other things, for his book on Theology and life beyond Earth and his research on Christian Platonism.

Michael Symmons Roberts FRSL read Philosophy & Theology at The University of Oxford and trained as a newspaper journalist and joined the BBC, finishing as Executive Producer and Head of Development for BBC Religion & Ethics, before he left to focus on his writing. He has won the Whitbread Poetry Award, the Forward Prize, and the Costa Poetry Prize and has been shortlisted twice for the TS Eliot Prize. He is a Fellow of the English Association and Royal Society of Literature. He is a Folio Prize Academician and a Trustee of the Royal Literary Fund. Michael is Professor of Poetry at Manchester Metropolitan University.