L16 - The Seven Sacraments: Recent Episodes
Cambridge University
The theme of our sermon series this term is 'The Seven Sacraments' in the Church: Baptism, Confirmation, Eucharist, Confession, Anointing the Sick, Holy Orders, and Marriage. A Sacrament is a Christian rite recognised as having particular importance and significance, each Sacrament is often described as an outward sign of an inward grace. Our preachers will explore one Sacrament each Sunday during the Lent term. - See more at: http://www.joh.cam.ac.uk/services-and-sermons#sthash.nTxlfA3e.dpuf
Preacher: The Rt Rev’d Dr Rowan Williams, The Master, Magdalene College
Dr Williams took up the mastership on 1 January 2013. He was educated at Dynevor Secondary Grammar School in Swansea, he came up to Christ's College in 1968. He studied for his doctorate at Christ Church and Wadham College Oxford, working on the Russian Orthodox theologian Vladimir Lossky. His career began as a lecturer at Mirfield (1975-1977). He returned to Cambridge as Tutor and Director of Studies at Westcott House. After ordination in Ely Cathedral, and serving as Honorary Assistant Priest at St George's Chesterton, he was appointed to a University lectureship in Divinity. In 1984 he was elected a Fellow and Dean of Clare College. During his time at Clare he was arrested and fined for singing psalms as part of the CND protest at Lakenheath air-base. Then, still only 36, it was back to Oxford as Lady Margaret Professor of Divinity for six years, before becoming Bishop of Monmouth, and, from 2000, Archbishop of Wales. He was awarded the Oxford higher degree of Doctor of Divinity in 1989, and an honorary DCL degree in 2005; Cambridge followed in 2006 with an honorary DD. He holds honorary doctorates from considerably more than a dozen other universities, from Durham to K U Leuven, Toronto to Bonn. In 1990 he was elected a Fellow of the British Academy. Dr Williams is a noted poet and translator of poetry, and, apart from Welsh, speaks or reads nine other languages.
He learnt Russian in-order to read the works of Dostoevsky in the original. This led to a book; he has also published studies of Arius, Teresa of Avila, and Sergii Bulgakov, together with writings on a wide range of theological, historical and political themes.
Preacher: The Rev’d Philip Barnes, Priest Administrator, The Shrine of Our Lady of Walsingham
Philip Barnes has recently been appointed interim Priest Administrator of the Anglican Shrine of Our Lady of Walsingham in Norfolk. A place of pilgrimage since the twelfth century today Walsingham draws Christians from many traditions to reflect on the witness of the Blessed Virgin Mary to holiness, discipleship and service. Philip served as Shrine Priest there from 2003-2008, and has most recently been Vicar of St Edmund, Northwood Hills, a suburban parish in north-west London and Area Dean of Harrow.
Preacher: The Rev’d Mark Birch, Minor Canon and Chaplain, Westminster Abbey
Mark Birch is currently Minor Canon and Chaplain at Westminster Abbey.
After a brief career as a veterinary surgeon, he trained for ordination at Westcott House and Emmanuel College, Cambridge, and served his title in Cirencester, in the diocese of Gloucester.
He was the first full-time Chaplain of Helen and Douglas House, Oxford, which offers hospice care for children and young adults.
Subsequently he worked as a parish priest in Winchester, and as Chaplain of Treloar's School and College in Alton, Hampshire, which offers education for young people with complex physical disabilities.
Preacher: The Rev’d Malcolm Macnaughton, Chief of Staff to Archbishop John Sentamu, York
Malcolm Macnaughton is Chief of Staff to the Archbishop of York, and an Honorary Canon of St Peter's Cathedral, Mbeere Diocese, in Kenya. After theology in Cambridge he served in parishes in Durham, Hackney, and the Chilterns. Working for Archbishop Sentamu he manages the Archbishop's team in York and has particular responsibilities in relation to the Archbishop's role in General Synod and the House of Bishops of the Church of England. Malcolm is married to Pam, also an Anglican Priest, with whom he has four children and one Burundian foster son. Before coming to York Malcolm was Rector in the Hambleden Valley Group of Churches in the Oxford Diocese, a favorite location for weddings. One of his churches there, St Mary's Turville, featured as the parish church in 'The Vicar of Dibley'.
Preacher: The Rev’d Dr Ian McIntosh, Head of Formation, Ministry Division, Church of England
Ian McIntosh is Head of Formation with the Church of England's Ministry Division. This work involves oversight of the Selection processes for ordained ministry and of the initial ministerial education for both licensed lay and ordained ministries. He was previously Principal of the Eastern Region Ministry Course, part of the Cambridge Theological Federation, from 2006-15. Before that, he shared ministry with his wife Nicola in three North Bedfordshire villages and helped to found an ecumenical lay training institute in Bedford. He has been a University Chaplain and Co-ordinator of Reader Training in the Leicester Diocese after serving two curacies in the London Diocese.
Preacher: The Rev’d Sarah Lawrence, Associate Priest, Hykeham Benefice, Lincoln
Sarah’s doctoral research is investigating patterns of language about baptism, and is considering the implications of this for the relationship between churchgoers and secular society. She is using Corpus Linguistics (computer assisted) methods to investigate how the English language has evolved in its use of the words ‘baptism’ and ‘christening’ over time, and how church-going and secular English speakers talk about baptism today. She completed a BA in theology at Kings College London, followed by a PGCE, also at KCL, and an MPhil at Churchill College, Cambridge whilst training for ordination at Ridley Hall. She has been a church youth worker and completed curacies in Lincoln and Lichfield dioceses.