Inaugural Lecture | The Creed in Music: A thousand years of setting Christian theology to music

Monday, 15 June 2026, 5pm to 6pm

Join us as the Revd Professor Andrew Davison delivers his inaugural lecture as Regius Professor of Divinity, exploring how Christian theology has been expressed through musical settings of the Creed across a millennium.

The lecture will be interwoven with live performances by the Cathedral Choir of Christ Church Cathedral, celebrating 500 years since their foundation. The programme spans the Renaissance to the 20th century, featuring settings of the Creed by John Taverner — one of the most significant composers of the English Renaissance and the first organist of Christ Church — and Frank Martin, offering a rich illustration of the continuity and development of theological expression through music.

Taking place in the inaugural term of the Schwarzman Centre’s new auditorium, this event represents a landmark moment for the humanities at Oxford, bringing together theology, music, and history in a uniquely rich and celebratory occasion.

Speaker(s): Andrew Davison

Department: Theology and Religion (Department)

Organiser: Andrew Davison

Register here: https://www.theology.ox.ac.uk/event/inaugural-lecture-the-creed-in-music-a-thousand-years-of-setting-christian-theology-to-music