This is a text-only version of an article first published on Tuesday, 21 May 2019. Information shown on this page may no longer be current.
TWO people from the Diocese of Oxford were among the 35 to receive Archbishop of Canterbury's Awards in a ceremony last month. The Revd Canon John Rees, the Diocesan Registrar, was awarded the Canterbury Cross for Services to the Church of England and Dr Jane Clements, from St Edburg's, Bicester, the Hubert Walter Award for Reconciliation and Interfaith Co-operation. The citation to John stated: "For a time it was not clear whether John would be a clergyman or a lawyer.
In the
Jane Clements with the Archbishop.
The Revd Canon John Rees with the Archbishop event he has balanced the two vocations in a rich and creative combination. "In 2013 he was named by the Times as its 'lawyer of the week' and when asked by the Times who had been the greatest influence on his legal career he answered Jesus because 'he cut through centuries of legalism that was preventing people getting to the heart of God's purpose for humanity, to love him with our whole being and our neighbour as ourselves. 'Jane Clements' award was for her outstanding contribution to Christian-Jewish understanding and, especially, her leadership of the Council of Christians and Jews.
Her first degree was a BD in Theology with Islam, her MA was in Hebrew and Jewish Studies and her PhD in Holocaust Education.
From 1997-2008 she worked at the Council for Christians and Jews, where she became the director of programmes.
From 2008-2014 she was the Founder and Director of the Forum for Discussion of Israel and Palestine (FODIP) and from 2014-2016 she was the Director of the CCJ, and became the first research fellow when she retired at the end of last year.
She was one of the founding trustees of the Holocaust Memorial Day Trust.
She is also a member of the lay leadership team at St Edburg's Church, Bicester. Photos: Chris Cox ;