Lecture – Mark Oakley

‘The curse of literalism’: poetic spirituality and the language of Christians (live lecture)

Full details to follow.

Speaker Bio

The Rev’d Dr Mark Oakley read Theology at London and Oxford before being ordained in St Paul’s Cathedral in 1993. He served his title at St John’s Wood Church and then served as Chaplain to the Bishop of London, Rector of St Paul’s, Covent Garden (known as ‘the Actors’ Church), Archdeacon of Germany and Northern Europe and, from 2010 to 2018, Chancellor and Residentiary Canon of St Paul’s Cathedral. He is a Visiting Lecturer in the Department of Theology and Religious Studies, Kings College London and Visiting Scholar at Sarum College. He is also Canon Theologian of Wakefield cathedral and Canon Emeritus of Holy Trinity cathedral, Brussels. Since 1996 he has also been a Deputy Priest in Ordinary to HM the King. He was appointed Dean in 2018.

His duties as Dean include the overall responsibility of the conduct of the services in the College Chapel and oversight of pastoral care provided by the Chapel within the College community. He is also responsible for the appointment of clergy to the College’s 39 livings (parishes) with which the College has long had official connections. He is Tutor for College students of mathematics and computer sciences.  Dr Oakley is the author of several books, the latest being My Sour-Sweet Days and The Splash of Words: Believing in Poetry. He is an Ambassador for StopHate UK, Patron of Tell MAMA (supporting those affected by anti-Muslim hate crime) and a Trustee of the Civil Liberties Trust. His interests include poetry, theatre and human rights.