Rowan Williams and Pele Cox

Former Archbishop of Canterbury Baron Rowan Williams and poet Pele Cox recite their own poems, poems by Robert Willis, and others of special meaning to them and discuss the continuing vitality of poetry in our spiritual and public lives.

The Very Rev Robert Willis was an Anglican priest, theologian, chaplain and hymn writer who served as Dean of Canterbury Cathedral for more than 20 years. His online sermons became an internet sensation during the Covid pandemic. Willis died recently at the age of 77.

Williams has taught theology in several universities and was for ten years Archbishop of Canterbury. He has written widely on theology, philosophy and contemporary issues, and published several books of poetry.

Cox has been poet in residence at Tate Modern, Royal Academy of Arts, British School at Rome, and Keats-Shelley House in Rome. She has written poetry-based performances for exhibitions at the Royal Academy and Courtauld Institute, including Van Gogh and Poetry. In 2019 she was commissioned by Eric Parry Architects to compose ‘Cento’, on 1 Grenadier Gardens, Chelsea, perhaps the longest verse inscription in the West.

Part of the festival’s programme on Christian tradition.