Martyn Percy

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Martyn Percy
Percy in 2017
Born
Martyn William Percy

(1962-07-31) 31 July 1962 (age 61)
NationalityBritish
Political partyLabour Party
Spouse
Emma Percy
(m. 1989)
Ecclesiastical career
ReligionChristianity
ChurchEpiscopalian-Anglican
Ordained
  • 1990 (deacon)
  • 1991 (priest)
Offices held
Dean of Christ Church (2014–2022)
Academic background
Alma mater
Thesis"Signs, Wonders and Church Growth"[1] (1993)
Doctoral advisor
Academic work
DisciplineSociology, Anthropology and Theology
Sub-discipline
Institutions

Martyn William Percy (born 31 July 1962) is a British academic, educator, social scientist and theologian. Ordained as a priest in the Church of England, in 2022 he announced that he was leaving the Church of England,[2] though remains Episcopalian-Anglican. He had been Dean of Christ Church, Oxford, from 2014 to 2022 and principal of Ripon College Cuddesdon, Oxford, from 2004 to 2014.

Percy taught in the Faculty of Theology and Religion, University of Oxford, as well as in Sociology, and was a fellow of the Said Business School at the university. He has also been Professor of Theological Education at King's College London and a professorial research fellow at Heythrop College, University of London. He has also served as a visiting professor of the Institute for the Study of Values at the University of Winchester, a founding fellow of the Center for Theologically Engaged Anthropology at the University of Georgia, and an adjunct professor at Hartford Seminary, Connecticut. He is an emeritus canon of Salisbury Cathedral, having previously served as an honorary canon. He has also been an honorary canon, serving later as canon theologian, at Sheffield Cathedral. In 2018 he became a fellow of King's College London, and a fellow of Harris Manchester College, Oxford.

Percy's theological outlook is rooted in his long-standing commitment to middle-way Anglicanism. His writings fall into three distinct-but-related groups: ecclesiology; contemporary Christianity, religious movements and sociological trends; and anthropological interpretations of denominations and congregations; and spiritual devotional writings.[3] He has also written extensively about theological education, as well as contextual, pastoral and practical theology.

In 2013, The Times Literary Supplement praised Percy for his work towards unity within the Anglican Communion and the Church of England, describing him as displaying a "peaceable, polite and restrained" approach whilst "making peace between competing communities of conviction".[4]

Early life and education[edit]

Percy was born on 31 July 1962.[5] He was educated at Merchant Taylors' School, Northwood, the University of Bristol (BA), the University of Durham (Cert. Counselling), King's College London (PhD, 1993) and the University of Sheffield (MEd).[6] After a short career in publishing (1984–1988),[7] he trained for ordination at Cranmer Hall, Durham, from 1988 to 1990.[8]

Ordained ministry[edit]

Percy was ordained in the Church of England as a deacon in 1990 and as a priest in 1991.[8] He served as a curate at St Andrew's, Bedford (1990–1994), and was then appointed chaplain and director of studies at Christ's College, Cambridge. In 1997 he was appointed as the founding director of the Lincoln Theological Institute – a research and consultancy body specialising in faith and society (initially based at Sheffield University but now at Manchester University). He left in 2004 to become principal at Cuddesdon.

Cuddesdon[edit]

Ripon College Cuddesdon developed significantly from 2004, during Percy's tenure as principal: it incorporated the Oxford Ministry Course (OMC) in 2006, and the West of England Ministerial Training Course (WEMTC) in 2011,[9] making it the largest provider of Anglican ordination training in the UK. The college became internationally more active during Percy's period as principal: it works closely with the Anglican Church in Hong Kong and continues to have links with Anglican colleges in the United States, Canada, South Africa, Australia and New Zealand. During Percy's time at Cuddesdon, the college moved from a distinctively liberal catholic outlook to the broader centre ground of Anglicanism, welcoming ordinands from across the spectrum, thereby reclaiming the "non-party" ethos that Bishop Samuel Wilberforce had founded the college with in 1854.

During Percy's tenure, the multi-award-winning Bishop Edward King Chapel (shortlisted for the Stirling Prize in 2013) and a new education centre (Harriet Monsell House) were built.[10][11][12] The college also became the first to incorporate a community of Anglican religious sisters, and to work alongside staff and students offering support in prayer and spirituality, whilst continuing to develop their own ministries of spiritual direction.

Deanery of Christ Church[edit]

Percy was the (45th) Dean of Christ Church in Oxford from 2014 to April 2022.[13] He was the first dean to be democratically elected by the governing body, and instituted to the deanery on 4 October 2014.[14] Christ Church is the only academic institution in the world which is also a cathedral – being the seat of the Bishop of Oxford. In common with other cathedral deans, Percy, as Dean of Christ Church, was senior priest of the Diocese of Oxford. Percy's closing years in office as Dean (roughly from 2018 onwards) were marked by protracted disputes on reformation in the governance of the College.[15]

Settlement 2022[edit]

On February 4, 2022 Christ Church announced that a process of mediation had concluded and a resolution had been reached. Percy reportedly received a £1.2m settlement to drop his employment claim against Christ Church.[16][17]

The 2022 Annual Report of the Christ Church Governing Body stated that 'under the terms of the settlement, Dr Percy received monies to cover legal fees and compensation for early termination of his appointment. Including his salary to the date of his termination, Dr Percy received remuneration and taxable benefits during the year ended 31 July 2022 amounting to £2,149,374 including grossing up for income tax and employer pension contributions.'[18]

From 2018 Percy had faced over 40 different allegations from members of the Governing Body. All of the charges or allegations Percy had faced had either failed, been tried and dismissed or were successfully defended. In May 2022 he announced that he was leaving the Church of England because of his concerns over the management and 'weaponization' of safeguarding, as well as bullying and harassment within the church.[19][20]

Christ Church disputes[edit]

Tribunal and reinstatement (2018–19)[edit]

In November 2018, Percy was suspended from office and an independently chaired internal tribunal was established. This followed a formal complaint which had been made against him relating to his attempts to reform and modernise the governance of the college. There were later claims that Percy was the victim of a "bullying campaign" by some members of the college governing body who opposed his reformist agenda.[21][22] In January 2019, the acting chair of governing body of Christ Church) sent a letter to college alumni saying that Percy's suspension was triggered by a pay dispute, though this was disputed.[23] Supporters of the dean criticised Christ Church's complaints process, as it was claimed no investigation or disciplinary hearing was necessary prior to his suspension from office and putting him on trial. Angela Tilby, a canon emeritus of Christ Church, wrote in the Church Times that Percy faced hostility for desiring to make the institution "more inclusive, more open to the outside world, and, perhaps, more aware of its wealth and vested interests".[24] Paul Bayes (Bishop of Liverpool) and Alan Wilson (Bishop of Buckingham) also conveyed public messages of support.

The statutory tribunal process Percy was subject to was presided over by Sir Andrew Smith, a High Court judge and estimated to have cost the college at least £1.9m. Percy faced 27 charges. On 21 August 2019, the college's governing body confirmed that the tribunal had concluded that all of the charges brought against Percy had been dismissed.[25][26][21] The college's legal fees are not known.[27] The governing body declined to engage with the detail of the judgement provided by Smith.[28] During the period of dispute, supporters of Percy raised over £150,000 to help cover the cost of his legal fees, which Christ Church had refused to pay.[29][21]

Safeguarding Claims (2020)[edit]

On 4 March 2020, the college announced that the dean was to be investigated by the Church of England's National Safeguarding Team (NST) over four alleged failures to report safeguarding cases in 2017.[30] Three further allegations were later added.

In May 2020, 41 members of Christ Church's governing body published a letter they claimed to have sent to the Charity Commission accusing Percy of "unsound judgment" and of having breached his legal, fiduciary and safeguarding duties since the Smith tribunal. The Charity Commission later confirmed it had never received this letter.[31]

A subsequent investigation by the Church of England's National Safeguarding Team over the course of six months cleared the dean of any safeguarding wrongdoing and on 8 September Bishop Jonathan Gibbs, the Church of England's lead safeguarding bishop said: "An independent investigation into allegations that the Dean, Martyn Percy, failed to fulfil his safeguarding responsibilities has concluded the Dean acted entirely appropriately in each case. At no point was there any allegation or evidence that the Dean presented a direct risk to any child or vulnerable adult."[32] Each of the safeguarding complaints were sponsored by Christ Church, yet no individual had ever made any complaint about Percy's safeguarding practice.

Four weeks after being cleared by the NST on 8 September, a further complaint was brought.[33] As with previous complaints, Christ Church referred the allegation to Thames Valley Police, the NST and was also party to bringing a case under the 2016 Clergy Discipline Measure. The college also sought to hold Percy accountable at two further internal tribunals where he would have to bear his own legal costs.[34]

On 17 November 2020, it was announced that Percy had voluntarily withdrawn from his duties as Christ Church dean in response to the allegation.[35] He did not resign, but "stepped back from his duties in the College and Cathedral".[36]

One of Britain's most senior Court of Appeal judges, Dame Sarah Asplin, President of Tribunals for the Church of England, carried out a detailed investigation. On 28 May 2021 she ruled that it would be "entirely disproportionate" for the claim to be referred to any clergy disciplinary tribunal.[37]

Responses[edit]

On May 13, 2022 Prospect Magazine published an article which included extensive reference to his experience with Christ Church citing the deliberate weaponization of safeguarding by elements and individuals within the Church of England as one of his major concerns.[38] On 27 May 2022 the college governing body published a statement responding.[21]

On November 10, 2022, the Charity Commission, the government regulator, issued an Official Warning to the Governing Body of Christ Church under Section 75 of the 2011 Charities Act for "mismanagement and/or misconduct by the trustees" in their campaign against the Dean, and recorded that £6.6 million had been spent in their actions taken against Percy.[39][40] The published Christ Church accounts also recorded an £8 million decline in donations during the four year dispute.[41]

The warning stated that "in the context of a long running dispute with the former Dean, the Commission has determined there has been mismanagement and/or misconduct in the management and administration of the Charity" (para. 9).

Other roles[edit]

Percy has undertaken a number of roles in public life, specialising in media and consumer affairs. He has served as a director and council member of the Advertising Standards Authority (1999–2006). He was previously an advisor on the "Faith Zone" for the New Millennium Experience Company and the Millennium Dome in London (1999). From 2006 to 2008, he was a member of the Theology and Religious Studies Panel for the HEFCE Research Assessment Exercise. He has served as a member of the Independent Complaints Panel for the Portman Group, the self-regulating body for the alcoholic drinks industry. He has served as commissioner for the Direct Marketing Authority (2008–2014), and currently serves as an advisor to the British Board of Film Classification. He was the elected chair of the Cuddesdon and Denton Parish Council from 2007 to 2014. Percy is also the patron of St Francis' Children's Society (an Adoption and Fostering Agency with a Roman Catholic foundation), and as part of his role as dean was a governor of Christ Church Cathedral School, Westminster School and St Edward's School, Oxford, a trustee of the Grubb Institute, Gladstone's Library (Harwarden) and the Li Tim-Oi Foundation.

Theology[edit]

Percy recording theological reflections in 2015

Percy's theology is generally considered to represent the liberal tradition in the Church of England.[42][43][44] His viewpoints typically argue for the "middle ground" between evangelical and catholic positions, with appeals to Anglican comprehensiveness, and the tradition of respecting theological differences.[45] Percy's main interlocutors in his writings comprise a trinity of American theologians: Daniel W. Hardy, Urban T. Holmes III, and James F. Hopewell. Percy is a proponent of "generous orthodoxy", and argues for a theological approach that copes with "serious forms of dispute and threat[s] of schism."[46][47] In 2018, a group of scholars from the fields of sociology, anthropology, musicology, theology and ecclesiology published a book (edited by Ian Markham and Joshua Daniels) on Percy's work to date, based on an earlier symposium engaging with Percy's writings, held at Virginia Theological Seminary (Washington DC) in 2016. The subsequent Reasonable Radical? Reading the Writings of Martyn Percy offers a broad guide to the compass of Percy's work.[48]

Percy has adopted a progressive outlook on a number of social issues, such as LGBTQ rights and the ordination of women.[49][50] However, his writings affirm orthodox Christian positions on the incarnation, atonement, resurrection and ascension; he has consistently defended the historicity of Jesus' healing and nature miracles.[51] Noted for his work on fundamentalism and revivalism, for which he engages with sociology and anthropology, he was described in the academic journal Theology, by Nigel Rooms, as the British theologian who is the closest to being a "missionary anthropologist".[52]

In 2002, Percy co-founded the Society for the Study of Anglicanism with Tom Hughson, which meets annually at the American Academy of Religion and is now in a full partnership with Virginia Theological Seminary. Percy has served as chair of committee (the oversight body) for Cliff College – a Methodist Bible college in the evangelical-charismatic tradition – and also works with a number of other evangelical groups. He is a vice-president of Modern Church[53] and has been a member of the Faculty of Theology and Religion at the University of Oxford since 2004. From 2014 he has also taught for the Said Business School and for the Department of Sociology at the university.

Percy has been a regular contributor to The Guardian, BBC Radio Four, and the BBC World Service.

Activism and views[edit]

Anglican unity[edit]

Percy is a social thinker, moralist and commentator, with his activism and writings addressing concerns for social justice and equality. He has spoken and written about the threat of schism in the Anglican Communion, arguing that churches should embrace the diversity of belief that exists, rather than allowing such divisions to result in separation.[54] In anticipation of the October 2003 Anglican Communion Primates' Meeting, which took place in the wake of the ordination of Gene Robinson as Episcopal Bishop of New Hampshire, the communion's first openly gay bishop, he wrote of the need for a "slight loosening of the ties", to avoid a divorce. Illustrating this, he described Anglicanism as an "archipelago – a connection of provincial islands that shares doctrinal, liturgical and cultural aspects", as opposed to being "one vast, catholic continent".[55] He made similar remarks following Jeffrey John's withdrawal as Bishop of Reading, in July 2003, suggesting debate on gay rights should instead be shifted towards reflecting on the "more central gospel themes".[56]

Church leadership[edit]

Percy has been critical of Justin Welby's leadership as Archbishop of Canterbury, in particular his "managerial" style.[57] Percy described Welby's plans to send senior clergy on leadership courses, contained in the 2014 report of the Lord Green Steering Group,[58] as showing a poor judgment of the church's priorities and lacking in theological understanding.[59] He went on to say that Welby's targets for efficiency and growth were not reflective of the Christian mission, given that Jesus "didn't spend a lot of time going on about success."[60]

In August 2016, Percy renewed his criticism of Welby, describing the direction he was leading the Church of England as being "driven by mission-minded middle managers" that alienated congregations and the wider British public. He also raised further concerns about plans to divert funding away from traditional rural parishes and towards evangelical inner-city churches, warning that "it will take more to save the Church of England than a blend of the latest management theory".[61] Percy has also commented on an emerging theological anaemia among bishops in the Church of England, and highlighted the weaknesses and risks this poses for Anglican polity.[62] Percy's 2021 book focuses on the "humble church" and "commends humble leadership", criticizing church leadership.[63]

LGBTQ rights[edit]

Percy preaching at the George Fox Evangelical Seminary in 2013

In an essay published in December 2015, Percy outlined his views on homosexuality, questioning the teaching that it is sinful and unnatural. Regarding the controversy surrounding the issue in the worldwide Anglican Communion, he noted that the church's position has alienated an increasingly progressive country, particularly the younger generation of Christians in Britain;[57] he also called on Justin Welby to formally apologise for the church's role in introducing homophobic teachings to cultures across the British Empire, during the 19th century:[64]

In 41 of the 53 countries within the British Commonwealth, homosexual conduct is still regarded as a serious crime. This categorisation and legal stigmatisation of homosexuality was largely 'made in England' in the nineteenth century, and imposed on cultures and emerging countries and that had not been, hitherto, homophobic. This is one of England's less wholesome exports. The Archbishop of Canterbury could begin the Primates' meeting by accepting responsibility for the part the Church of England has played in perpetrating this discrimination and the subsequent injustices – and publicly repenting of them.[65]

Just days before the commencement of the January 2016 Anglican Communion Primates' Meeting, Percy joined with over 100 other senior Anglicans, including Alan Wilson (Bishop of Buckingham) and David Ison (Dean of St Paul's),[66] in calling on archbishops Welby and Sentamu to acknowledge the failings of the Anglican Communion in its treatment of LGBTQ people.[67] Following the decision of the primates to penalise the US Episcopal Church, for voting to redefine marriage at its 2015 general convention, Percy expressed his disappointment. He went on to say that the meeting's statement regarding this action, "had nothing to say about LGBT Christians, and that's a lost opportunity".[68]

Politics[edit]

In the wake of the United Kingdom EU membership referendum in June 2016, Percy has argued that a national "failure of liberal values" was made evident by the result.[69] He has also suggested the need for a more "broad church" approach to British party politics, potentially in the form of a new centre-left party that is "authentically rooted in modern, progressive socialism, and equally true to modern, progressive, democratic liberal values".[70]

Safeguarding[edit]

Since 2015, Percy has been actively involved in the campaign to restore the reputation of Bishop George Bell, following the Church of England's decision to compensate a woman who alleged that she had been sexually abused by Bell. He is a member of the George Bell Group and has published a number of key articles questioning the competence of those who have presumed Bell to be a perpetrator of abuse.[71] A subsequent independent report by Lord Carlile of Berriew found that there was no basis in law for presuming that the allegations made against Bell could have been sustained.[72][73]

In March 2018, Percy called for the church to develop an independent self-regulating authority to handle safeguarding issues, arguing that the churches can only be ultimately trusted as public bodies if they voluntarily relinquish some control over their own policies and practices.[74]

Percy's work on behalf of victims of sexual abuse in the church has continued alongside IICSA (Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse) reports focussing on the Church of England. This has included calling for better training and regulation in the churches, and greater fairness, justice and remedy for both the victims of abuse and those who may be falsely accused.[75][76]

In an article concerning the release by international artists of a music video about victimisation in Church of England safeguarding, Clergy Discipline Measure 2003 abuse complaints as well as the Church's employment of reputation management company, Luther Pendragon, and law firm, Winckworth Sherwood, the Editor of the Church of England Newspaper cited a detailed statement by Percy which he had published on the Surviving Church website:

The collusion, coverups, misconduct, incompetence and corruption in safeguarding are well known. The Archbishops do nothing. That is why we must all protest, and invite everybody to show solidarity with the abused, and stand apart from the Church of England until such time as it submits, completely, to public standards of justice and truth…then repents, apologises and starts full and proper redress for its victims. Until then, the Church of England remains unsafe, and is in unsafe hands.[77]

Women bishops[edit]

Following the General Synod's narrow rejection of a motion to legalise the ordination of women as bishops in November 2012, Percy wrote in The Daily Telegraph criticising church leaders for failing to create sufficient consensus about the issue. He described the view of opponents to the motion as maintaining a "conceit of modern times" by their fundamentalist rejection of diversity. He also voiced the need for the church to be "transformed by the renewal of our minds" in its approach to the inclusion of women in the Anglican Communion, by moving towards a "new future".[78]

In February 2017, he suggested that Bishop Philip North either decline his nomination as Bishop of Sheffield or renounce the views of The Society, a conservative body which does not recognise or receive the ministry of ordained women, or men ordained by women bishops.[79] North later withdrew his acceptance of the nomination, citing "personal attacks".[80] In a radio discussion of North's decision, Percy refuted the accusation that his position demonstrated a form of "liberal intolerance". He reasoned that resistance to discrimination is not equivalent to intolerance.[81]

Personal life[edit]

Percy has the distinction of being the only living theologian mentioned and quoted in Dan Brown's The Da Vinci Code (chapter 55), where Sir Leigh Teabing says, "Everything you need to know about the Bible can be summed up by the great canon doctor Martyn Percy: 'The Bible did not arrive by fax from heaven.'"[82]

Percy is married to Emma Percy, who is chaplain and fellow at Trinity College, Oxford, and together they have two sons. He is a member of the Labour Party, a teetotaler and a lifelong supporter of Everton Football Club. His hobbies include running, playing squash, cinema, and listening to jazz.[citation needed]

In addition to the work edited by Markham and Daniel, Reasonable Radical? Reading the Writings of Martyn Percy (2017), which focuses on Percy's theology, the Northern Irish poet Peter McDonald's Five Psalms for Martyn Percy reworks Psalms 8, 25, 94, 98 and 114 in poetic form to explore aspects of Percy's life using elegy, lament, hope, justice and vindication.

Published works[edit]

Title Publisher Year ISBN Notes
The Precarious Church: Reforming the Body of Christ SCM-Canterbury Press 2023
The Spirit of Witness SCM-Canterbury Press 2023
An Advent Manifesto BRF 2023
Forty Psalms of Solace Bloomsbury 2023
Faiths Lost and Found: Understanding Apostasy Darton, Longman & Todd 2023
Others: A Very Short Book About Beliefs John Hunt Publishing 2022 ISBN 978-1119424383
The Blackwell Companion to Religion and Peace Blackwell 2022 ISBN 978-1803410685
The Humble Church: Renewing the Body of Christ SCM-Canterbury Press 2021 ISBN 978-1786223159
The SPCK Handbook of the Study of Ministry SPCK 2019 ISBN 9780281081363 Edited with Ian Markham, Emma Percy and Francesca Po
Reasonable Radical?: Reading the Writings of Martyn Percy Pickwick Publications 2018 ISBN 9781532617836 Edited by Ian Markham and Joshua Daniel
Untamed Gospel: Poems, Prose and Protests Canterbury Press 2017 ISBN 9781848259904 Co-authored with Nigel Biggar, Jamie Coates, Jim Cotter, Sarah Foot, Carol Harrison, Sylvia Sands and Graham Ward
Clergy, Culture and Ministry The dynamics of Roles and Relations in Church and Society SCM Press 2017 ISBN 9780334056188 Editor
The Future Shapes of Anglicanism: Currents, Contours, Charts Routledge 2017 ISBN 9781472477170
The Oxford Handbook of Anglican Studies Oxford University Press 2015 ISBN 9780199218561 Edited with Mark Chapman and Sathianathan Clarke
Curacies and How to Survive Them SPCK 2015 ISBN 9780281073436 Co-authored with Matthew Caminer and Beaumont Stevenson
The Wisdom of the Spirit: Gospel, Church and Culture Routledge 2014 ISBN 9781472435651 Edited with Pete Ward
The Bright Field: Meditations and Reflections for Ordinary Time Canterbury Press 2014 ISBN 9781848256125 Editor
Anglicanism: Confidence, Commitment and Communion Routledge 2013 ISBN 9781409470366
Thirty Nine New Articles: An Anglican Landscape of Faith Canterbury Press 2013 ISBN 9781848255258
The Ecclesial Canopy: Faith, Hope, Charity (Explorations in Practical, Pastoral and Empirical Theology) Routledge 2012 ISBN 9781409441205
A Point of Balance: The Weight and Measure of Anglicanism Canterbury Press 2011 ISBN 9780819228444 Edited with Robert Slocum
Shaping the Church: The Promise of Implicit Theology Routledge 2010 ISBN 9780754666059
Apostolic Women, Apostolic Authority Canterbury Press 2010 ISBN 9780819224507 Edited with Christina Rees
Christ and Culture: Communion After Lambeth Canterbury Press 2010 ISBN 9780819227980 Editor
Evaluating Fresh Expressions Canterbury Press 2008 ISBN 9781853118166 Edited with Louise Nelstrop
Darkness Yielding: Liturgies, Prayers and Reflections for Advent, Christmas, Lent, Holy Week and Easter Canterbury Press 2007 ISBN 9781853118449 Co-authored with Jim Cotter, Sylvia Sands, William Hubert Vanstone and Rowan Williams
Clergy: The Origin of Species Continuum International 2006 ISBN 9780826482877
Why Liberal Churches are Growing T&T Clark 2006 ISBN 9780567081636 Edited with Ian Markham
Engaging with Contemporary Culture: Christianity, Theology and the Concrete Church Routledge 2005 ISBN 9780754632597
The Character of Wisdom: Essays in Honour of Wesley Carr Routledge 2004 ISBN 0754634183 Edited with Stephen Lowe
Fundamentalism, Church and Society SPCK 2002 ISBN 0281051887 Edited with Ian Jones
The Salt of the Earth: Religious Resilience in a Secular Age Continuum International 2001 ISBN 9781841270654 Re-published in Bloomsbury Academic Collection (2016)
Restoring the Image: Essays in Honour of David Martin Sheffield Academic Press 2001 ISBN 1841270644 Edited with Andrew Walker
Previous Convictions: Conversion in the Present Day SPCK 2000 ISBN 0281051801 Editor
Managing the Church? Order and Organisation in a Secular Age Sheffield Academic Press 2000 ISBN 1841270628 Edited with Gillian Evans
Calling Time: Religion and Change at the Turn of the Millennium Sheffield Academic Press 2000 ISBN 1841270636 Editor; re-published in Bloomsbury Academic Collection (2016)
Intimate Affairs: Sexuality and Spirituality in Perspective Darton, Longman & Todd 1997 ISBN 0232522073 Editor
Power and the Church: Ecclesiology in an Age of Transition Cassell 1997 ISBN 9781441113580
Words, Wonders and Power: Understanding Contemporary Christian Fundamentalism and Revivalism SPCK 1996 ISBN 9780281048557

Key essays in edited books[edit]

Title Publisher Year ISBN Notes
'Religion, Mobilisation and Power' in The International Encyclopaedia of Social and Behavioural Sciences, Vol. 19 Elsevier 2001 ISBN 9780080430768
'Whose Time is it Anyway? Evangelicals, the Millennium and Millenarianism' in Christian Millenarianism Indiana University Press 2001 ISBN 9780253340139 Edited by Stephen Hunt
'Falling Far Short: Taking Sin Seriously' in Reinhold Niebuhr and Contemporary Politics Oxford University Press 2010 ISBN 9780199571833 Edited by Richard Harries and Stephen Platten
'The Future of Religion' in the Oxford Textbook of Spirituality in Healthcare Oxford University Press 2012 ISBN 9780199571390 Co-authored with Grace Davie, Edited by Mark R Cobb, Christina M Puchalski, and Bruce Rumbold
'Jazz and Anglican Spirituality' in Christian Congregational Music: Performance, Identity, Experience Routledge 2013 ISBN 9781409466024 Edited by Monique Ingalls, Carolyn Landau & Tom Wagner
'The Anatomy of Fundamentalism' in Fundamentalisms: Threats and Ideologies in the Modern World I.B.Tauris 2015 ISBN 9781780769509 Edited by James Dunn
'Protestantism' in The Handbook of Christian Movements Brill 2015 ISBN 9789004265394 Edited by Stephan Hunt
'Class, Ethnicity and Education: Leadership, Congregations and the Sociology of Anglicanism' in The Oxford History of Anglicanism, Volume IV: Global Western Anglicanism, c. 1910-present Oxford University Press 2017 ISBN 9780199641406 Edited by Jeremy Morris
'The Household of Faith: Anglican Obliquity and the Lambeth Conference' in The Lambeth Conference and the Anglican Communion Bloomsbury 2017 ISBN 9780567662316 Edited by Paul Avis and Benjamin Guyer
'Mood, Identity and Character in Anglican Congregations' in Theologically-Engaged Anthropology Oxford University Press 2018 ISBN 9780198797852 Edited by J.Derrick Lemons
'A Critical Theology of Megachurches' in Handbook of Megachurches Brill 2019 ISBN 9789004399884 Edited by Stephen Hunt
'Christmas in the Anglican Tradition' in The Oxford Handbook of Christmas Oxford University Press 2020 ISBN 9780198831464 Edited by Timothy Larsen
'Bread and Honey: Social Flourishing and the Economics of Mutuality' in Putting Purpose into Practice: The Economics of Mutuality Oxford University Press 2021 ISBN 9780198870708 Edited by Colin Meyer & Bruno Roche
"'The Myth of Impartiality: Moral Questioning in the BBC and the Church of England'" CRUCIBLE SCM 2022 ISBN Edited by Angela Tilby
'Crown, Constitution and Church: A Crisis for English Religion'" PROSPECT London 2022 ISBN Edited by Alan Rusbridger
Moods, Memes, Mood and Music: Understanding Ecclesiology Oxford University Press 2023 ISBN Edited by Steve Guthrie & Bennett Zon

Other publications[edit]

Percy is the founding commissioning senior editor for three current book series with the publisher Routledge. The Explorations in Practical and Pastoral Theology Series (since 2002, with Jeff Astley, Leslie Francis and Nicola Slee – to date, 50 publications); the Contemporary Ecclesiology Series (since 2010 with Bruce Kaye and Tom Hughson SJ – to date, 20 publications); and the Congregational Music Studies Series (since 2016, with Monique Ingalls, Zoe Sherinian and Mark Porter – to date, 10 publications). From 2010-2014, Percy was commissioning series editor with Ian Markham for the Canterbury Press Studies in Anglicanism (comprising 7 edited volumes).

Using three different pseudonyms,[specify] Percy has also written other essays, papers, humour, articles, blog contributions and a number of shorter books.[citation needed]

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b c Percy, Martyn William (1993). "Signs, Wonders and Church Growth": The Theme of Power in Contemporary Christian Fundamentalism with Special Reference to the Works of John Wimber (PhD thesis). London: King's College, London. Retrieved 4 May 2020.
  2. ^ "Dr Martyn Percy has announced he is to leave the Church of England - Diocese of Oxford". www.oxford.anglican.org. Retrieved 8 July 2023.
  3. ^ Coleman, Simon (2016). Abby Day (ed.). "Locating the Church". Contemporary Issues in the Worldwide Communion. Routledge: 213–228.
  4. ^ Cornwell, Peter (25 October 2013). "Quiet, please". Times Literary Supplement. p. 29.
  5. ^ "Percy, Martyn William". Who's Who. Vol. 2019 (1 December 2018 online ed.). A & C Black. Retrieved 27 January 2019. (Subscription or UK public library membership required.)
  6. ^ "Percy's rocky road to enlightenment". The Times. ISSN 0140-0460. Retrieved 5 February 2020.
  7. ^ "Percy, Very Rev. Canon Prof. Martyn William, (born 31 July 1962), Dean of Christ Church, Oxford, since 2014; Professor of Theological Education, King's College London, since 2004; Professorial Research Fellow, Heythrop College, University of London, 2010–18". Who's Who 2022. Oxford University Press. 1 December 2021. Retrieved 11 May 2022.
  8. ^ a b "Martyn William Percy". Crockford's Clerical Directory (online ed.). Church House Publishing. Retrieved 11 May 2022.
  9. ^ "Our History". www.rcc.ac.uk. Ripon College Cuddesdon.
  10. ^ "College chapel shortlisted for top architecture award". Oxford Mail. 20 July 2013. Retrieved 16 February 2019.
  11. ^ Mark, Laura (10 February 2015). "Four Stirling Prize finalists make Mies van der Rohe shortlist". Architects Journal. Retrieved 2 February 2019.
  12. ^ Townsend, Lucy (16 September 2013). "Stirling Prize: Bishop Edward King Chapel". BBC News Magazine. BBC.
  13. ^ "Deanery of Christ Church, Oxford: Reverend Canon Professor Martyn Percy". Government of the United Kingdom. 7 May 2014. Retrieved 3 January 2016.
  14. ^ "Christ Church Cathedral e-newsletter". No. Autumn 2014. 2014. Archived from the original (swf) on 7 October 2014. Retrieved 3 October 2014.
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  17. ^ Prosser, Eirian Jane (7 February 2022). "Christ Church College Dean, University of Oxford, given £1.2 million in settlement". Oxford Mail.
  18. ^ "Annual Report and Financial Statements Year Ended 31 July 2022" (PDF). University of Oxford. Retrieved 28 September 2023.
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  40. ^ Seaward, Tom (18 November 2022). "Former students 'bemused' over Christ Church's King Charles bust plans". Oxford Mail. Retrieved 1 December 2022.
  41. ^ Charity Commission. "Register of Charities - The Dean and Chapter of the Cathedral Church of Christ in Oxford of the Foundation of King Henry VIII". The Charity Commission. Retrieved 1 December 2022.
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  43. ^ Walton, Andy (11 February 2016). "Evangelical college stands by decision to invite liberal professor to preach". Christian Today. Retrieved 5 March 2016.
  44. ^ Percy, Martyn (February 2010). "Why Liberal Churches are Growing?" (PDF). Affirming Liberalism. The prayer then, for all liberals in the third Millennium, is that we will continue to recover and rediscover the graciously liberal God
  45. ^ Martyn Percy (2013). Anglicanism: Confidence, Commitment and Communion. Routledge.
  46. ^ Martyn Percy (2013). Thirty-Nine New Articles: An Anglican Landscape of Faith. Canterbury Press.
  47. ^ Gavin D'Costa (June 2008). "Engaging with Contemporary Culture". International Journal of Public Theology. 2 (3): 162.
  48. ^ Ian S. Markham (2018). Reasonable Radical? Reading the Writings of Martyn Percy. Pickwick Publications.
  49. ^ Mark Vasey-Saunders (2015). The Scandal of Evangelicals and Homosexuality: English Evangelical Texts, 1960–2010. Routledge.
  50. ^ Walton, Andy (11 February 2016). "Evangelical college stands by decision to invite liberal professor to preach". Christian Today. Retrieved 5 March 2016.
  51. ^ Martyn Percy (1997). Power and the Church: Ecclesiology in an Age of Transition. Cassell.
  52. ^ Nigel Rooms (2012). "Deep listening: A call for missionary anthropology". Theology. 115 (2). SAGE Publications: 99–108. doi:10.1177/0040571X11430896. S2CID 146949684.
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  55. ^ Martyn Percy (11 October 2003). "Breaking up is hard to do". The Guardian.
  56. ^ Martyn Percy (12 July 2003). "Call off the canon fire". The Guardian.
  57. ^ a b Martyn Percy (2017). The Future of Shapes of Anglicanism: Currents, Contours, Charts. Routledge Publishing.
  58. ^ "Talent Management for Future Leaders and Leadership Development for Bishops and Deans: A New Approach" (PDF). Church of England. September 2014.
  59. ^ Barney Thompson (17 December 2014). "Church of England management courses overlook God, say critics". Financial Times.
  60. ^ Mark Greaves (18 July 2015). "God's management consultants: the Church of England turns to bankers for salvation". The Spectator.
  61. ^ Harriet Sherwood (13 August 2016). "Top cleric says Church of England risks becoming a 'suburban sect'". The Guardian.
  62. ^ "95 New Theses". ArchbishopCranmer. 3 January 2017.
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  64. ^ Nick Duffy (20 December 2015). "Archbishop of Canterbury 'should apologise' for Church homophobia". PinkNews.
  65. ^ Martyn Percy (15 December 2015). "Sex, Sense and Non-Sense for Anglicans". Modern Church. p. 4.
  66. ^ "Published Signatories". Open Letter to Archbishops – Jan 2016. 7 January 2016.
  67. ^ "'Repent' call to Church over gay Christian treatment". BBC News. 10 January 2016.
  68. ^ Harriet Sherwood; Rowena Mason (15 January 2016). "Chris Bryant quits Church of England over its views on homosexuality". The Guardian.
  69. ^ Greg Garrett (7 July 2016). "Brexit Reminds Us: We Need "Liberal Values"". HuffPost.
  70. ^ Kieran Bohan (30 June 2016). "After Brexit – Can we find a broad and middle way? Senior cleric calls for new social-progressive political party". Modern Church.
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  72. ^ Lord Carlile of Berriew (15 December 2017). "Bishop George Bell, The Independent Review" (PDF). Church of England.
  73. ^ Martyn Percy (19 December 2017). "Why the Church's response to the George Bell inquiry is so shocking". Christian Today.
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  76. ^ Martyn Percy (2019). 'Church, Cricket, Elephants and Armies'in Letters to a Broken Church: Survivors Speak Out. Ekklesia. pp. 127–135.
  77. ^ Carey, Andrew (2 September 2022). "Irish folk singers challenge C of E on abuse" (PDF). Church of England Newspaper. Retrieved 2 September 2022.
  78. ^ Martyn Percy (21 November 2012). "Women bishops: a failure of leadership". The Daily Telegraph.
  79. ^ Kieran Bohan (24 February 2017). "Oxford theologian invites bishop-designate of Sheffield to decline nomination". Modern Church.
  80. ^ Sherwood, Harriet (9 March 2017). "Bishop turns down promotion after protests over stance on women". The Guardian. Retrieved 14 June 2021.
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  82. ^ "How the Church is deciphering The Code". Church Times. 2 November 2006.

External links[edit]

Church of England titles
Preceded by Dean of Christ Church
2014–2022
to be announced
Academic offices
Preceded by Principal of Ripon College Cuddesdon
2004–2014
Succeeded by
Other offices
Preceded by
Alan Wilkinson
Scott Holland Memorial Lecturer
2002
With: Jolyon Mitchell
Succeeded by