Eric James
Encyclopedia
Reverend Canon
Eric Arthur James FKC AKC
(born 14 April 1925, Essex) is an Anglican clergyman, Chaplain Extraordinary
to HM the Queen
and for many years a regular on BBC Radio 4
's Thought for the Day
programme. He has been associated for some years with St Albans Cathedral
.
in Dagenham
, Essex
, at fourteen, when the Second World War
broke out, and worked for seven years at a riverside wharf on the Thames where the Globe Theatre
now stands. After the war, he was accepted as a student by King's College London
, where he studied Theology, gaining an MA
and BD
.
He was Chaplain of Trinity College, Cambridge
from 1955-9, and thereby became associated with some of the most famous and influential clerics of his generation: Mervyn Stockwood
, John Robinson (author of the bestseller Honest to God
), Robert Runcie
and Trevor Huddleston
. He was Select Preacher from 1959-60 to the University of Cambridge
.
From 1959-64 he was Vicar of St George, Camberwell, and Warden of Trinity College Mission. From 1964-9 he was Director of Parish and People. From 1964-72 he was also Proctor
in Convocation.
James was made Chaplain to the Queen in 1984 and was Preacher to Gray's Inn
from 1978 to 1997, as well as Director of Christian Action from 1979 to 1990 and one of the people who inspired the 1985 Faith in the City
report. He was Select Preacher from 1991-2 to the University of Oxford
.
He was also the biographer of John Robinson, Bishop of Woolwich.
Canon (priest)
A canon is a priest or minister who is a member of certain bodies of the Christian clergy subject to an ecclesiastical rule ....
Eric Arthur James FKC AKC
Associate of King's College
The Associateship or Associate of King's College award has been the degree-equivalent qualification of King's College London since 1833. It is the original qualification that the College awarded to its students since, not being a university, it could not award a degree.Since 1909, only students...
(born 14 April 1925, Essex) is an Anglican clergyman, Chaplain Extraordinary
Chaplain Extraordinary
Past holders of the office of Chaplain Extraordinary to the Crown have included Henry Ferne, Thomas Fuller, Thomas Vane and Eric James....
to HM the Queen
Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom
Elizabeth II is the constitutional monarch of 16 sovereign states known as the Commonwealth realms: the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Jamaica, Barbados, the Bahamas, Grenada, Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, Tuvalu, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Belize,...
and for many years a regular on BBC Radio 4
BBC Radio 4
BBC Radio 4 is a British domestic radio station, operated and owned by the BBC, that broadcasts a wide variety of spoken-word programmes, including news, drama, comedy, science and history. It replaced the BBC Home Service in 1967. The station controller is currently Gwyneth Williams, and the...
's Thought for the Day
Thought for the Day
Thought for the Day is a daily scripted slot on the Today programme on BBC Radio 4 offering "reflections from a faith perspective on issues and people in the news", broadcast at around 7.45 each Monday to Saturday morning...
programme. He has been associated for some years with St Albans Cathedral
St Albans Cathedral
St Albans Cathedral is a Church of England cathedral church at St Albans, England. At , its nave is the longest of any cathedral in England...
.
Early life
He left Dagenham County High SchoolThe Sydney Russell School
The Sydney Russell School is a comprehensive specialist school in Dagenham.-Admissions:It is near the junction of the A124 and Porters Avenue . It is around two miles north of the Ford Dagenham plant.-Grammar school:...
in Dagenham
Dagenham
Dagenham is a large suburb in East London, forming the eastern part of the London Borough of Barking and Dagenham and located east of Charing Cross. It was historically an agrarian village in the county of Essex and remained mostly undeveloped until 1921 when the London County Council began...
, Essex
Essex
Essex is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the East region of England, and one of the home counties. It is located to the northeast of Greater London. It borders with Cambridgeshire and Suffolk to the north, Hertfordshire to the west, Kent to the South and London to the south west...
, at fourteen, when the Second World War
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
broke out, and worked for seven years at a riverside wharf on the Thames where the Globe Theatre
Globe Theatre
The Globe Theatre was a theatre in London associated with William Shakespeare. It was built in 1599 by Shakespeare's playing company, the Lord Chamberlain's Men, and was destroyed by fire on 29 June 1613...
now stands. After the war, he was accepted as a student by King's College London
King's College London
King's College London is a public research university located in London, United Kingdom and a constituent college of the federal University of London. King's has a claim to being the third oldest university in England, having been founded by King George IV and the Duke of Wellington in 1829, and...
, where he studied Theology, gaining an MA
Master of Arts (postgraduate)
A Master of Arts from the Latin Magister Artium, is a type of Master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The M.A. is usually contrasted with the M.S. or M.Sc. degrees...
and BD
Bachelor of Divinity
In Western universities, a Bachelor of Divinity is usually an undergraduate academic degree awarded for a course taken in the study of divinity or related disciplines, such as theology or, rarely, religious studies....
.
Career
After he was ordained he became Assistant Curate of St Stephen with St John, Westminster, from 1951-5.He was Chaplain of Trinity College, Cambridge
Trinity College, Cambridge
Trinity College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge. Trinity has more members than any other college in Cambridge or Oxford, with around 700 undergraduates, 430 graduates, and over 170 Fellows...
from 1955-9, and thereby became associated with some of the most famous and influential clerics of his generation: Mervyn Stockwood
Mervyn Stockwood
Arthur Mervyn Stockwood was Anglican Bishop of Southwark from 1959 to 1980.Mervyn Stockwood was born in Bridgend, Wales, to a middle-class family. His solicitor father was killed during the First World War. He was introduced to Anglo-Catholic worship at All Saints' Church, Clifton, which...
, John Robinson (author of the bestseller Honest to God
Honest to God
Honest to God is a book written by the Anglican Bishop of Woolwich John A.T. Robinson, criticising traditional Christian theology. It aroused a storm of controversy on its original publication by SCM Press in 1963...
), Robert Runcie
Robert Runcie
Robert Alexander Kennedy Runcie, Baron Runcie, PC, MC was Archbishop of Canterbury from 1980 to 1991.-Early life:...
and Trevor Huddleston
Trevor Huddleston
Ernest Urban Trevor Huddleston CR, KCMG was an English Anglican bishop. He was most well known for his anti-apartheid activism and his 'Prayer for Africa'...
. He was Select Preacher from 1959-60 to the University of Cambridge
University of Cambridge
The University of Cambridge is a public research university located in Cambridge, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest university in both the United Kingdom and the English-speaking world , and the seventh-oldest globally...
.
From 1959-64 he was Vicar of St George, Camberwell, and Warden of Trinity College Mission. From 1964-9 he was Director of Parish and People. From 1964-72 he was also Proctor
Proctor
Proctor, a variant of the word procurator, is a person who takes charge of, or acts for, another. The word proctor is frequently used to describe someone who oversees an exam or dormitory.The title is used in England in three principal senses:...
in Convocation.
James was made Chaplain to the Queen in 1984 and was Preacher to Gray's Inn
Gray's Inn
The Honourable Society of Gray's Inn, commonly known as Gray's Inn, is one of the four Inns of Court in London. To be called to the Bar and practise as a barrister in England and Wales, an individual must belong to one of these Inns...
from 1978 to 1997, as well as Director of Christian Action from 1979 to 1990 and one of the people who inspired the 1985 Faith in the City
Faith in the City
Faith in the City was a report published in the UK in Autumn 1985, authored by the Archbishop of Canterbury’s Commission on Urban Priority Areas...
report. He was Select Preacher from 1991-2 to the University of Oxford
University of Oxford
The University of Oxford is a university located in Oxford, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest surviving university in the world and the oldest in the English-speaking world. Although its exact date of foundation is unclear, there is evidence of teaching as far back as 1096...
.
He was also the biographer of John Robinson, Bishop of Woolwich.