Sam Wells (priest)

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The Reverend Canon

Sam Wells
Vicar of St Martin-in-the-Fields
New Sam Preaching (cropped).jpg
Wells preaching in 2023
Church Church of England
Diocese London
In office2012
Previous post(s)Dean of Duke Chapel (2005–2012)
Orders
Ordination1991 (deacon)
1992 (priest)
Personal details
Born1965 (age 59–60)
NationalityBritish
Denomination Anglican
Spouse Jo Wells
ChildrenTwo
Profession Priest, theologian
Alma mater Merton College, Oxford
New College, Edinburgh
Durham University

Samuel Martin Bailey Wells (born 1965) is an English priest of the Church of England. Since 2012, he has been the vicar of St Martin-in-the-Fields in central London, [1] and Visiting Professor of Christian Ethics at King's College London. [2] In 2018, he was installed as Honorary Canon Theologian of Guildford Cathedral. [3]

Contents

Early life and education

Wells was born in 1965 in Chatham, Ontario, Canada, to Stephen Wells, an Anglican priest, and Ruth Wells (née Moran), a midwife. [4] [5] The family moved to England when Sam was an infant. [5] He was educated at Bristol Grammar School; [5] originally an all-boys direct grant grammar school when he joined, the school became a independent school in 1979 and mixed sex in 1980. [6]

Having won a scholarship, he studied modern history at Merton College, Oxford, and graduated in 1987 with a Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree; as per tradition, his BA was promoted to a Master of Arts (MA Oxon) degree. [5] [7] From 1987 to 1988, he was a pastoral assistant at St Luke-in-the-City, Liverpool, [5] In 1988, he entered Edinburgh Theological College to train for ordination. [8] During his time at theological college, he also studied systematic theology at New College, University of Edinburgh, and graduated in 1991 with a Bachelor of Divinity (BD) degree. [9] [10] He later undertook post-graduate study in Christian ethics at Durham University, [10] and received his Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degree in 1996. [11] His doctoral thesis was titled "How the Church performs Jesus' story: improvising on the theological ethics of Stanley Hauerwas". [12]

Ordained ministry

Wells was ordained in the Church of England as a deacon in 1991 and as a priest in 1992. [4] From 1991 to 1994, he served his curacy at St Luke's Church, Wallsend, in the Diocese of Newcastle; [8] the vicar was John Inge, later to become Bishop of Worcester. [5] He then moved to the Diocese of Ely where he became a curate of the parish of St Andrew's, Cherry Hinton, with All Saints, Teversham. [5] From 1997 to 2003, he was priest-in-charge of St Elizabeth's Church, Earlham, Norwich in the Diocese of Norwich. [8] He was additionally rural dean of Norwich South between 1999 and 2003. [8] He then returned to the Diocese of Ely, and was priest-in-charge of St Mark's, Newnham, Cambridge, from 2003 to 2005. [10]

He served in parish appointments for 14 years in Newcastle, Cambridge and Norwich, of which spent ten years of his ministry in areas of social disadvantage. [13] For six years he was involved in establishing a community-led development trust, called the North Earlham, Larkman and Marlpit Development Trust. [14] Wells was also involved in the 'Body, Mind and Spirit' project at St Elizabeth's Earlham, offering children opportunities to participate in creative play. [15]

Dean of Duke Chapel

In 2005, Wells became dean of Duke Chapel and research professor of Christian ethics at Duke Divinity School, North Carolina. He developed and chaired the Faith Council, which consists of 12 members from different faith traditions. He initiated dialogue and led discussions on faith and ethics. [16]

While acting as the Dean at Duke Chapel, Wells coordinated the ministry and music of the chapel, preached and led worship. [17] He also oversaw the campus ministries and taught in the divinity school and the school of public policy. He worked with the local Durham community through organisations such as the Religious Coalitions for a Nonviolent Durham to foster a closer relationship with the university and the city. [18]

Vicar of St Martin-in-the-Fields

Since 2012, Wells has been the vicar of St Martin-in-the-Fields in central London. [1] He was inducted by Richard Chartres, Bishop of London, on 2 July 2012. As vicar, in addition to his pastoral ministry, Wells is a trustee of The Connection at St Martin's, [19] and of the St Martin-in-the-Fields Trust. [20] From 2014, he has been a regular contributor to Thought for the Day on BBC Radio 4. [21]

In his review of How Then Shall We Live?, Walter Brueggemann wrote, "Sam Wells arguably has the liveliest, most agile, best informed, critically disciplined mind in the entire Christian community. And he has a baptised heart of honesty, compassion, and passion to match his baptized mind. In this book he ranges over a cluster of complex issues and at every turn his sound judgement instructs us as he moves easily from life to Scripture and back through church tradition. This book will serve many of us well who live with daily perplexities that admit no resolution." [22]

Personal life

In 1994, Wells married to Jo Bailey Wells, later an Anglican bishop. [23] They have two children; a son and a daughter. [24]

Publications

References

  1. 1 2 "Revd Dr Sam Wells". St Martin-in-the-Fields . Retrieved 19 January 2018.
  2. ↑ "Revd Dr Sam Wells" . Retrieved 16 October 2018.
  3. ↑ "Twelve New Canons of Guildford Cathedral Installed" . Retrieved 16 October 2018.
  4. 1 2 "Samuel Martin Bailey Wells" . Crockford's Clerical Directory (online ed.). Church House Publishing . Retrieved 16 July 2023.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "Biography and Career of Revd Samuel Wells". St Martin-in-the-Fields. Archived from the original on 25 November 2024. Retrieved 25 November 2024.
  6. ↑ "The History of Bristol Grammar School". Bristol Grammar School. Retrieved 25 November 2024. BGS became independent in 1979, following the abolition of the direct grant system. In 1980 the School became fully coeducational, having admitted girls to the Sixth Form for the previous two years.
  7. ↑ "Samuel Martin Bailey Wells" . Crockford's Clerical Directory (online ed.). Church House Publishing . Retrieved 25 November 2024.
  8. 1 2 3 4 "Samuel Martin Bailey Wells" . Crockford's Clerical Directory (online ed.). Church House Publishing . Retrieved 10 May 2025.
  9. ↑
  10. 1 2 3 "Wells, Rev. Dr Samuel Martin Bailey, (born 24 April 1965), Vicar, St Martin-in-the-Fields, London, since 2012; Visiting Professor of Christian Ethics, King's College London, since 2012". Who's Who 2025 . Oxford University Press. 1 December 2024. Retrieved 10 May 2025.
  11. ↑ "Samuel Martin Bailey Wells" . Crockford's Clerical Directory (online ed.). Church House Publishing . Retrieved 30 November 2015.
  12. ↑ Wells, Samuel Martin Bailey (1995). "How the Church performs Jesus'story : improvising on the theological ethics of Stanley Hauerwas". E-Thesis Online Service. The British Library Board. Retrieved 16 July 2023.
  13. ↑ "Samuel Wells to Become Dean of Duke Chapel". today.duke.edu. 21 March 2005. Retrieved 14 February 2019.
  14. ↑ "NELM spending under the spotlight" . Retrieved 22 October 2018.
  15. ↑ "Godly Play Report" . Retrieved 22 October 2018.
  16. ↑ "Duke Chapel Conversations by Duke University on Apple Podcasts". Apple Podcasts. 7 March 2023.
  17. ↑ "Duke Chapel Dean Sam Wells Named Vicar of St. Martin-in-the-Fields". today.duke.edu. 8 December 2011. Retrieved 14 February 2019.
  18. ↑ Aronson, Frank Stasio, Isaac-Davy. "Living Without Enemies". www.wunc.org. Retrieved 14 February 2019.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  19. ↑ "Our team-The Connection at St Martin's" . Retrieved 17 October 2018.
  20. ↑ "Support us" . Retrieved 17 October 2018.
  21. ↑ "Regular Contributors" . Retrieved 17 October 2018.
  22. ↑ "How then shall we live" . Retrieved 23 October 2018.
  23. ↑ "Wells, Rev. Dr Samuel Martin Bailey, (born 24 April 1965), Vicar, St Martin-in-the-Fields, London, since 2012; Visiting Professor of Christian Ethics, King's College London, since 2012". Who's Who 2024 . Oxford University Press. 1 December 2023. Retrieved 25 November 2024.
  24. ↑ "NEWS: Bishop of Dorking announced". Diocese of Guildford. Church of England. 24 March 2016. Retrieved 27 March 2016.
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