Press release from Number 10
Dean of Wells: John Harverd Davies
From: Prime Minister’s Office, 10 Downing Street
First published: 23 August 2016
The Queen has approved the nomination of the Very Reverend John Harverd Davies to the Deanery of the Cathedral Church of St Andrew in Wells.
The Queen has approved the nomination of the Very Reverend John Harverd Davies, MA, MPhil, PhD, Dean of Derby, to be appointed to the Deanery of the Cathedral Church of St Andrew in Wells, on the resignation of the Very Reverend John Martin Clarke, BD, MA, on his resignation of 31 December 2015.
Notes for Editors
The Very Reverend Dr John Davies (aged 58) studied at Keble College, Oxford and then at Corpus Christi College, Cambridge for his MPhil, before doing his Doctorate at Lancaster University.
He studied for ordination at Westcott House, Cambridge. His first curacy was at Liverpool Parish Church, from 1984 to 1987 and he then moved to Peterborough Parish Church, from 1987 to 1990 and was also Minor Canon at Peterborough Cathedral from 1988 to 1990.
From 1990 to 1994 he was Vicar at St Margaret, Anfield in Liverpool diocese, before taking up the post in 1994 as Chaplain, Fellow and Director of Studies in Theology at Keble College, Oxford where he was until 1999. From 1999 to 2010 he was Vicar of Melbourne, in Derby diocese whilst also serving as Diocesan Director of Ordinands. From 2007 to 2010 he was also Priest-in- Charge of Ticknall, Smisby and Stanton by Bridge in Derby diocese. Since 2010 he has been Dean of Derby.
His interests include foreign travel, hospitality and walking.
“His interests include … walking.”
On the flat, as well as on hills! This is something of a departure.
Is he used to walking with the poor, needy and outcast?
John was a DDO in Derby Diocese when I was exploring my vocation. I really enjoyed my conversations with him and he helped me understand more of the breadth of the Church of England. He’ll be in my prayers as this new chapter begins.
It wasn’t the walking which caught my eye but the other two interests. I’m really sceptical whether a senior member of the Church should indulge themselves in either foreign travel or hospitality to the degree that they are interests rather than, say, doing charitable work. I realise that not everyone is called to poverty, self-sacrifice and charity but I don’t believe the church should be promoting anybody who isn’t called to such things. So no criticism attaches to John himself, but I think our sens of priorities when promoting people has become seriously skewed and we are giving greater weight… Read more »
Actually the Cathedral website gives a bit more; “John enjoys speaking and writing. He spoke in a number of cathedrals in autumn 2015, and in 2016 is to be Foundation Lecturer at Winchester University. He is a reviewer for the Church Times newspaper. “The Dean is now very much involved in a project to establish a new Derby Cathedral School, a secondary school at the heart of the city. In recent years the Dean has led previous projects to rewire, relight and redecorate the Cathedral. A new sound system, new staging, and new arrangements in the Cathedral Centre have all… Read more »
I echo Stephen Griffiths in his comments about John’s work as DDO. He served me extraordinarily well too. He has a sparkling wit, and was well known, and remains fondly remembered, by the inhabitants of Melbourne, just up the road from here. He runs a tight ship and expects discipline. As to asceticism, I don’t agree that it is a sine qua non. I see no reason why Deans should not enjoy some of the good things of life like cars, food and wine. Is there not some hint in Holy Scripture that Our Lord was interested in two of… Read more »
I agree with Fr.William; we don’t need to be wowsers to follow Christ. After all, did he not turn water into the very best wine? I have even heard of stern Presbyterian ministers who would confess to enjoying ‘a wee drappee of the harrrd stuff’ As for cars, I once enjoyed nipping around in my Mazda MX5, taking the Sacrament to the sick.
William there’s a world of difference between enjoying good food when it is offered to us and listing foreign travel or owning a good car as interests. We should enjoy good things but presbyters are shepherds and a key aspect of their role is setting a good example. Who is better as an example, when promotions are considered, someone who gives any excess money they have to the poor and to the church, or someone who indulges themselves with luxuries like foreign travel and fast cars? We often talk here as though sex is the biggest issue facing Christians in… Read more »
Kate, there is a signifcant instance where Jesus criticises the critics of his own feasting disciples; “Why should my disciples fast while the Bridegroon is still with them”. I suspect the critical Pharisees were more disciplinary with other than with themselves. Only those of us who are truly ascetical should ever expect others to be like them – or, perhaps rather; like Jesus.
How come the appointment of the next Dean of Wells is attracting more comments than the retirement of the Archbishop of Wales? At the time of writing
+ Barry’s ecclesiastical departure hasn’t gleaned a single word of comment. Surely someone on the other side of Offa’s Dyke would like to say something about the retirement of their spiritual leader after so many years of service in the Walian section of the Lord’s Vineyard?
Kate – there is much to discuss but this is not the forum and anyway there are more cosmic concerns. Top of my head briefly: (1) 39 articles number 26. (2) there are many different ways of exercising priesthood, pastoring being only one. (3) I live in the real world with dependants and retirement considerations and I make the decisions I think are appropriate about what I do with my money. and (4) I don’t think I want to be a member of your sect. If that means I am doomed to hell, so be it. Heaven for climate, hell… Read more »
William, without using the words I think you have hit the nail on the head. We have career clerics for whom it is about a regular monthly income, a house, pension and the like. I struggle to see much difference between a professionalised priesthood and the money changers Jesus drove from the temple. Your mileage may differ. Nor would I describe my views dismissively as a sect. Pope Francis lives in a 50m² apartment. Why should any priest, Anglican or Catholic, have more? Pope Francis has also said that priests need to live lives much closer to those lived by… Read more »
I am shocked at Kate’s judgmental attitude. Neither foreign travel nor hospitality is necessarily self-indulgent or inappropriate for a Christian leader. The newly-appointed Dean did not say that he was fond of indulging in luxury cruises to exotic locales! One can travel to other countries on mission or to do volunteer work, to carry out professional duties, to help build international, ecumenical, and cross-cultural relationships, or in order to develop greater understanding of the life circumstances and cultural contexts in which other people live. Journeys of these kinds would surely help to equip a person to provide better leadership in… Read more »
“One can travel to other countries on mission or to do volunteer work, to carry out professional duties, to help build international, ecumenical, and cross-cultural relationships…” With the UK now being such a multi-cultural society and with such a need for mission in the UK with falling numbers attending church, you have hardly failed to justify foreign travel as an interest. Your points on hospitality are much more relevant but I was aware of them already. Had the interests stated been walking, hospitality and (say) book reading clubs that would have painted a very different picture than foreign travel and… Read more »
Kate, book-reading clubs? Really? That sounds much too frivolous an interest for a man of God. Surely he ought to be confining himself to his sparsely-furnished cell, reading devotional literature in solitude rather than frittering away time in clubs?
Seriously, the more you try to justify your prejudices here the less convincing your arguments become.