Simon Oliver (priest)
{{Short description|British Anglican priest and theologian (born 1971)}}
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| pre-nominals = The Reverend Canon
| name = Simon Oliver
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| birth_name = Simon Andrew Oliver
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1971|10|2|df=y}}
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| title = Van Mildert Professor of Divinity
| nationality = British
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| module = {{Infobox academic |child=yes
| alma_mater = {{unbulleted list | Mansfield College, Oxford | Westcott House, Cambridge | Peterhouse, Cambridge}}
| thesis_title = The God of Motion
| thesis_year = 2003
| school_tradition = Radical orthodoxy
| doctoral_advisor = Catherine Pickstock
| influences = {{hlist | John Milbank{{cite book |last=Mohamed |first=Feisal G. |author-link=Feisal G. Mohamed |year=2011 |title=Milton and the Post-Secular Present: Ethics, Politics, Terrorism |location=Stanford, California |publisher=Stanford University |page=105 |isbn=978-0-8047-8073-5}} | Catherine Pickstock | John Webster{{cite book |last=Oliver |first=Simon |year=2017 |title=Creation: A Guide for the Perplexed |location=London |publisher=Bloomsbury T&T Clark |page=x |isbn=978-0-567-65611-7}}}}
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| discipline = Theology
| sub_discipline = {{hlist | Philosophical theology | systematic theology}}
| workplaces = {{unbulleted list | University of Wales, Lampeter | University of Nottingham | Durham University}}
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| module2 = {{Infobox clergy |child=yes
| religion = Christianity (Anglican)
| church = Church of England
| ordained = {{unbulleted list | 1998 (deacon) | 1999 (priest)}}
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| offices_held = {{unbulleted list | Canon Theologian of Southwell Minster (2011–2015) | Residentiary Canon of Durham Cathedral (2015–present)}}
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Simon Andrew Oliver (born 2 October 1971) is a British Anglican priest and theologian. Formerly Associate Professor of Philosophical Theology at the University of Nottingham,{{cite web|title=Simon Oliver|url=http://www.nottingham.ac.uk/theology/people/simon.oliver|website=Department of Theology and Religious Studies|publisher=University of Nottingham|accessdate=17 April 2017}} he is now the Van Mildert Professor of Divinity at the University of Durham.{{cite web|title=Two new Canon Professors appointed|url=https://www.dur.ac.uk/theology.religion/about/news/?itemno=23733|website=Department of Theology and Religion|publisher=University of Durham|accessdate=17 April 2017|date=12 February 2015}} Oliver is also on staff with the Centre of Theology and Philosophy.{{cite web|title=Staff|url=http://theologyphilosophycentre.co.uk/staff/|website=Centre of Theology and Philosophy|accessdate=17 April 2017}}
Early life and education
Oliver was born on 2 October 1971. He studied philosophy, politics and economics at Mansfield College, Oxford, graduating with a Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree in 1993; as per tradition, his BA was promoted to a Master of Arts (MA Oxon) degree in 1998.{{cite web|title=Profiles: Professor Simon Oliver|url=https://www.dur.ac.uk/theology.religion/staff/profile/?id=14140|website=Department of Theology and Religion|publisher=Durham University|accessdate=17 April 2017}}{{Crockford| surname = Oliver | forenames = Simon Andrew | id = 16120 | accessed = 17 April 2017}} In 1995, he matriculated into Westcott House, Cambridge, an Anglican theological college in the Liberal Catholic tradition, to train for Holy Orders. During this time, he also studied theology at Peterhouse, Cambridge, graduating with a further BA degree in 1997; as per tradition, his BA was promoted to a Master of Arts (MA Cantab) degree in 2000.
Having left theological college in 1998, Oliver continued his studies, undertaking postgraduate studies at Peterhouse. His doctoral supervisor was Catherine Pickstock,{{cite book |last=Shortt |first=Rupert |year=2005 |title=God's Advocates: Christian Thinkers in Conversation |location=Grand Rapids, Michigan |publisher=Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing |page=112 |isbn=978-0-8028-3084-5}} and his doctoral thesis was titled The God of Motion: Theological Physics from Plato to Newton with a Particular Emphasis on the Work of St. Thomas Aquinas.{{cite web|last1=Oliver|first1=Simon Andrew|title=The God of motion : theological physics from Plato to Newton with a particular emphasis on the work of St. Thomas Aquinas|url=http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.619806|website=E-Thesis Online Service|publisher=The British Library Board|accessdate=17 April 2017|date=2003}} He completed his Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degree in 2003.
Ordained ministry and academic career
Oliver was ordained in the Church of England as a deacon in 1998 and as a priest in 1999 for the Diocese of Ely. From 1998 to 2001, he served his curacy as a non-stipendiary minister at All Saints, Teversham and St Andrew's Church, Cherry Hinton. From 2001 to 2004, he was the chaplain of Hertford College, Oxford. In 2005, he joined the University of Wales, Lampeter, as a lecturer in theology. He was promoted to senior lecturer in 2006.
In 2009, Oliver moved to the University of Nottingham, where he had been appointed associate professor of philosophical theology.{{cite web|title=FELLOWS|url=http://www.theology-centre.org.uk/about-us/our-team/fellows/|website=The Centre for Theology & Community|accessdate=18 April 2017}} In November 2010, it was announced that he had been additionally appointed Canon Theologian of Southwell Minster; he was installed during a service at the minster on 13 February 2011.{{cite news|title=University of Nottingham professor appointed as Canon Theologian|url=http://www.nottinghampost.com/university-nottingham-professor-appointed-canon-theologian/story-12248762-detail/story.html|accessdate=18 April 2017|work=The Nottingham Post|date=20 November 2010}} He became head of the Department of Theology and Religious Studies at Nottingham in 2013.
In February 2015, it was announced that Oliver would be the next Van Mildert Professor of Divinity at the University of Durham. He moved to Durham to take up the appointment in September 2015. As such, he also became a residentiary canon of Durham Cathedral,{{cite web|title=Governance of Durham Cathedral|url=https://www.durhamcathedral.co.uk/about-us/governance-durham-cathedral|website=Durham Cathedral|accessdate=18 April 2017}}{{cite web|last1=Oliver|first1=Simon|title=SERMON: Receiving the kingdom as a child|url=https://www.durhamcathedral.co.uk/worshipandmusic/sermon-archive/receiving-the-kingdom-as-a-child-simon-oliver|website=Durham Cathedral|accessdate=18 April 2017|date=4 October 2015}} and was installed during Evensong on 20 September 2015.{{cite web|title=Special Service - Installation of Chapter member and Canon Residentiary|url=https://www.durhamcathedral.co.uk/whatson/special-service-20-sept|website=Durham Cathedral|accessdate=23 October 2017|date=20 September 2015}} He gave the 2017 Stanton Lectures at the University of Cambridge; the series was titled "Creation's Ends: Teleology, Ethics and the Natural".{{cite web|title=Stanton Lecture 2017: Creation's Ends: Teleology, Ethics and the Natural|url=http://www.divinity.cam.ac.uk/news/stanton-lecture-2017-creation2019s-ends-teleology-ethics-and-the-natural|website=Faculty of Divinity|publisher=University of Cambridge|accessdate=19 April 2017|date=27 February 2017}}
=Views=
Oliver is a notable member of the theological sensibility known as radical orthodoxy.{{cite book|editor1-last=Milbank|editor1-first=John|editor2-last=Oliver|editor2-first=Simon|title=The Radical Orthodoxy Reader|date=2008|publisher=Routledge|location=London|isbn=978-0415425124}} He organised the 2013 Centre for Theology and Philosophy conference: The Soul, held at St Anne's College, Oxford.{{cite web|title=The Soul|url=http://theologyphilosophycentre.co.uk/oxford2013/|website=Centre of Theology and Philosophy|accessdate=17 April 2017}}
Personal life
Selected works
- {{cite book |last1=Oliver |first1=Simon |title=Philosophy, God and Motion |date=2005 |publisher=Routledge |location=London |isbn=978-0415360456}}
- {{cite book |editor1-last=Oliver |editor1-first=Simon |editor2-last=Warrier |editor2-first=Maya |title=Theology and Religious Studies: An Exploration of Disciplinary Boundaries |date=2008 |publisher=T & T Clark |location=London |isbn=978-0567032362}}
- {{cite book |editor1-last=Milbank |editor1-first=John |editor2-last=Oliver |editor2-first=Simon |title=The Radical Orthodoxy Reader |date=2008 |publisher=Routledge |location=London |isbn=978-0415425124}}
- {{cite book |editor1-last=Oliver |editor1-first=Simon |editor2-last=Kilby |editor2-first=Karen |editor2-link=Karen Kilby |editor3-last=O'Loughlin |editor3-first=Tom |editor3-link=Thomas O'Loughlin |title=Faithful Reading: New Essays in Theology in Honour of Fergus Kerr, OP |date=2012 |publisher=T & T Clark |location=London |isbn=978-0567644039}}
References
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Category:21st-century English Anglican priests
Category:Academics of Durham University
Category:Academics of the University of Nottingham
Category:Alumni of Mansfield College, Oxford
Category:Alumni of Peterhouse, Cambridge
Category:Alumni of Westcott House, Cambridge