New visiting Canon Theologian welcomed by St Edmundsbury Cathedral
The Rev Dr Victoria Johnson (pictured above) the Dean of St John’s College Cambridge, is to become visiting Canon Theologian and a non-executive member of the Cathedral Chapter at St Edmundsbury Cathedral.
Dr Johnson is a previous Canon Precentor of York Minster, overseeing the musical and worshipping life there.
Prior to this she was a Residentiary Canon at Ely Cathedral and a priest in the Diocese of Manchester, having been ordained there in 2007.
She read theology and religious studies at Sidney Sussex College, Cambridge, and studied at the Institute of Sacred Music and Divinity School in Yale, USA.
Victoria is looking forward to her new role at St Edmundsbury Cathedral and said: “I’m really delighted to be contributing to the life of the Cathedral in this way. Learning about God and the world is a vital calling of the church and central to its ministry and mission. For me, theological learning and thinking about our faith together is something every Christian can engage with and is more relevant than ever to 21st century living.”
Prior to ordination, Victoria worked as a Post-Doctoral Cancer Research Scientist at Manchester University after gaining a BSc and PhD in Biochemistry from Leicester University. She is currently, and will remain, a member of the Divinity Faculty of the University of Cambridge and specialises in homiletics and liturgy; mission theology and apologetics; science and religion; music and the arts.
Her first book “On voice: speech, song and silence, human and divine” has recently been published.
Of the new appointment, Dean Joe Hawes said: “It’s an honour to welcome Victoria to the team at St Edmundsbury Cathedral where she will be a huge asset not only as a non-executive member of Chapter, helping us guide the Cathedral, but also as Canon Theologian where her expertise will be an incredible resource to staff and community.”