The doctoral research of Oliver O’Donovan on the problem of self-love in Augustine of Hippo was completed under the guidance of Henry Chadwick at Oxford and Paul Ramsey at Princeton. Born in London in 1945, O’Donovan emerged as a central figure in Anglican moral, political, and pastoral theology through his extensive scholarship and academic appointments.
Academic Appointments and Ministry
O’Donovan was ordained as a deacon in the Church of England in 1972 and as a priest in 1973. While maintaining a career as a scholar-priest, he did not undertake parish ministry. His teaching career began at Wycliffe Hall, Oxford, followed by a tenure at Wycliffe College, Toronto. From 1982 to 2006, he served as the Regius Professor of Moral and Pastoral Theology at the University of Oxford and was a Canon Residentiary of Christ Church Cathedral. Subsequently, he held the post of Professor of Christian Ethics and Practical Theology at the University of Edinburgh from 2006 until 2013.
Twenty questions, eight minutes on the clock, and a percentile measured against everyone who has taken it. No sign-up.
Take the IQ test →Theological Scholarship and Public Lectures
His intellectual contributions include the exploration of political authority, notably in his 1998 Erasmus Lecture, titled Government as Judgment. O’Donovan served on the General Synod of the Church of England and participated in ecumenical dialogues, including the Anglican–Orthodox Joint Doctrinal Discussions and the Anglican–Roman Catholic International Commission. He has delivered numerous distinguished lecture series, including the 2001 Stob Lectures at Calvin Theological Seminary, the 2007 New College Lectures in Australia, and the 2021 Gifford Lectures on The Disappearance of Ethics at the University of St Andrews.
Written Works and Recognition
O’Donovan’s extensive bibliography includes the Ethics as Theology trilogy, comprising Self, World, and Time, Finding and Seeking, and Entering into Rest. His other notable publications cover diverse topics such as just war theory, the Thirty-Nine Articles, and medical ethics in Begotten or Made? He was elected a Fellow of the British Academy in 2000 and a Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh in 2009. In 2008, he received the Abraham Kuyper Prize for Excellence in Reformed Theology and Public Life.
Fast facts
- Born: 1945, London
- Citizenship: United Kingdom
- Academic Fields: Philosophy, Ethics, Theology
- Fellow: British Academy (2000)
- Fellow: Royal Society of Edinburgh (2009)
- Ordained: 1972 (deacon), 1973 (priest)
- Marriage: Joan Lockwood O'Donovan (1978)
Questions readers ask
Did Oliver O'Donovan hold a parish ministry position?
No, although he was an ordained Anglican priest, he did not undertake parish ministry throughout his career.
Which major university chairs did he hold?
He served as the Regius Professor of Moral and Pastoral Theology at the University of Oxford and Professor of Christian Ethics and Practical Theology at the University of Edinburgh.
Achievements
- Fellow of the British Academy
- Held posts at University of Oxford and University of Edinburgh
- Fields: philosophy, theology and ethics
