David Wilkinson to leave post as St John’s Principal

By Paul Ray

Reverend Professor David Wilkinson, the Principal of St John’s College, has announced that he is “moving on” from his position as Principal, having been in charge of the Bailey college since 2006.

In an email issued to St John’s students and staff, Rev’d Professor Wilkinson wrote that “having got through many of the challenges of the pandemic, the College will benefit from fresh leadership which sees new opportunities and challenges.”

The email also suggested that Wilkinson, who is an ordained Methodist minister and an academic theologian, is leaving the position in order to focus his attention on his project, entitled ‘Equipping Christian Leadership in an Age of Science’.

During formals and speeches, Rev’d Professor Wilkinson often expressed pride in his personal connections to both the University and the local region of Durham. Wilkson was born in nearby Consett, and studied astrophysics to PhD level at the University.

He then studied theology at Cambridge, training as a minister, and has spent the rest of his academic career attempting to reconcile his scientific and theological interests. He also served as a minister at one point in inner-city Liverpool.

Wilkinson will continue as St John’s Principal until August 2023, and his successor has not yet been appointed. He is the third Durham college principal to step down from their role in 2022, following Maggi Dawn’s departure from St Mary’s and Thomas Allan’s departure from Grey earlier this year.

Image: Durham University