Geoffrey Shaw

I was saddened to hear the news that Canon Geoffrey Shaw died last Saturday after a short illness. Geoffrey was the principal of Wycliffe Hall, Oxford between 1979-1988, and this included the period when I trained there for ordination.

I don’t really remember much about Geoffrey’s teaching, however, he was one of those people who exuded a gentle godliness and this permeated the college. A friend reminded me that when Geoffrey preached there was ‘sometimes a sense of the glory to be in his face’. I think that observation is true and Geoffrey’s preaching seminars were infused with his love of the scriptures. There are also fond memories of Geoffrey trying to teach us the pointing of the psalms in chapel; a lost cause with some of us, given our determination to make the whole exercise into a joke. I will always be grateful for my time at Wycliffe Hall and in no small measure that is due to the graciousness with which Geoffrey exercised his stewardship of the college.

Following a family funeral next week there will be a Thanksgiving Service for Geoffrey at St Andrew’s Church, Kingham, on Friday 25  February at 2.30pm.