Autumn Lecture Series 2025: Here I stand with Sam Wells interviewed by Julian Worricker

(Monday 22nd September 2025)

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Sam Wells is Vicar of St Martin-in-the-Fields, where he leads a unique configuration of commercial, cultural and charitable initiatives, rooted in a vibrant congregational life. He is a widely known preacher, broadcaster and author. He spent ten years in areas of significant deprivation in Newcastle and Norwich in the early part of his ministry, helping to found the first development trust in the East of England in 1999. From 2005-2012 he occupied one of the most prominent pulpits in the US, as Dean of Duke University Chapel. He was also Research Professor of Christian Ethics at Duke Divinity School. He appears regularly on ‘Thought for the Day’ on Radio 4’s Today programme. He has published 50 books, including scholarly works on ethics, studies in ministry, liturgy, discipleship and preaching. In 2025 he published Constructing an Incarnational Theology: A Christocentric View of God’s Purpose which challenges the traditional notion of the reasons for Christ’s incarnation. His books have been translated into several languages. He is also Visiting Professor of Christian Ethics at King’s College London. He was a member of the Multi-Stakeholder Council, part of the intergovernmental G20 process, from 2018-20.

Julian Worricker is a highly experienced and familiar voice in British broadcasting, with a career at the BBC spanning over 35 years. He has presented numerous prominent programmes, including “Weekend” on the BBC World Service, “Any Answers?” and “Last Word” on BBC Radio 4, and has been a presenter for BBC News and “The Media Show.” Earlier in his career, he was a key figure at BBC Radio 5 Live, including presenting “Five Live Breakfast.” Known for his warm yet incisive style and his ability to draw out fascinating perspectives this promises to be an exciting interview with Sam Wells and the beliefs he stands for. 

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