Keith Ward, born in 1938 in Hexham, established a career spanning philosophy and theology that includes long tenures at prestigious British institutions. As an ordained Anglican priest and a Fellow of the British Academy, he has focused his academic output on the relationship between science and religion, comparative theology, and systematic analysis of Christian faith.
Academic Appointments and Institutional Roles
Ward graduated from the University of Wales in 1962 and later earned a degree from Linacre College, Oxford, in 1968. His teaching career began at the University of Glasgow, where he served as a lecturer in logic from 1964 to 1969. He subsequently held positions at the University of St Andrews and the University of London. By 1982, he was appointed F. D. Maurice Professor of Moral and Social Theology at the University of London, followed by a professorship at King's College London in 1985. In 1991, he assumed the role of Regius Professor of Divinity at the University of Oxford, a position he held until his retirement in 2004. He later served as the Gresham Professor of Divinity between 2004 and 2008.
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During the 1970s, Ward functioned as an advocate for evangelical orthodoxy. This stance shifted significantly following the 1991 publication of his book A Vision to Pursue, which signaled a transition toward a more critical, theologically liberal approach to scripture. In his 2004 work, What the Bible Really Teaches: A Challenge for Fundamentalists, he critiqued biblical inerrancy, arguing that while sacred texts contain truths essential for salvation, they are not to be read as literal or error-free accounts.
Engagement with Science and Comparative Theology
Ward’s work often addresses the synthesis of religion and science. He advocates for theistic evolution, maintaining that Christian faith and evolutionary theory are inherently compatible. This position stands in direct opposition to the views of prominent atheists such as Richard Dawkins, whom Ward has criticized for what he perceives as a simplistic and anti-intellectual rejection of religious thought. Beyond this debate, his scholarship extends to comparative theology, underscored by his term as joint president of the World Congress of Faiths from 1992 to 2001, and he remains active in the International Society for Science and Religion.
Fast facts
- Born: 1938, Hexham, United Kingdom
- Field: Philosophy of Religion
- Regius Professor of Divinity, University of Oxford: 1991-2004
- Gresham Professor of Divinity: 2004-2008
- Notable Works: God, A Guide for the Perplexed; Is Religion Dangerous?
- Ordained as an Anglican priest: 1972
- Fellow of the British Academy: Yes
Questions readers ask
What is Keith Ward's view on the relationship between science and Christianity?
He supports theistic evolution, arguing that scientific advancement and religious faith are compatible.
Did Keith Ward always hold liberal theological views?
No, he was originally a champion of evangelical orthodoxy before adopting a more critical, liberal approach to scripture in the 1990s.
Achievements
- Fellow of the British Academy
- Notable work: Is Religion Dangerous?
- Notable work: God, A Guide for the Perplexed
- Held posts at Gresham College, King's College London and University of London
- Fields: pastoral care, Anglicanism and philosophy
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