The College is delighted to introduce our new College Chaplain, Revd Dr Robert Hawkins, who will be joining us at College in January. As our Chaplain, Robert will be serving the College through the life of the Chapel, leading its services and religious worship. He will be pastorally available to the whole College community regardless of faith, working closely with the Senior Tutor and Welfare teams, and leading the College Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Team.

Robert attended King's College Cambridge, reading History of Art, then stayed on for an MPhil and PhD looking at questions of perspective in medieval sculpture.

We asked Robert about his ministry and what appealed to him about becoming a college Chaplain.

Tell us about your own faith journey

I found my own faith as a postgraduate student, encouraged by my college chaplain, and was baptised and confirmed at King's. I later did some hospital chaplaincy at Addenbrooke's Hospital, and enjoyed this same challenge of making connections across boundaries of faith and belief. My route to ordination involved a lot of studying. I sang in chapel choirs, first at Queens' and then at Jesus; music was a big part of what got me interested in church. After graduating, I worked for a year with the churches of Fulbourn and the Wilbrahams and joined the team of locum chaplains at Addenbrooke's Hospital in the COVID pandemic. I returned to university to train for ordination at Westcott House, where I read the Theology tripos at Jesus College.

What other positions have you held since ordination?

Since ordination in 2023 I have been serving my curacy with the people of St James', Cambridge, a parish church near Addenbrooke's with a great tradition of music, education, and social justice projects. I've really enjoyed my time at St James': particularly establishing a social supermarket with Cambridge City Foodbank, and working with the Citizens UK movement. 

What drew you to College Chaplaincy?

I have been excited about the idea of chaplaincy since I was first a student at King's College. Being available to people of all faiths and none, without judgement or agenda, seemed to me exactly what Christian ministry should look like. Colleges are particularly exciting places, with ideas in the air, and the prospect of serving the small and friendly community that is Corpus seemed too good to miss! I have loved visiting College this Michaelmas term and meeting some of the community, and am so looking forward to starting properly in January.

You are also a writer, tell us about that.

I write about art and faith, contributing occasional essays and features to The Church Times, for example, and helping to edit a journal called Art+Christianity. I've also written some words for music, such as for a new cantata The Pool of Bethesda. 

That's quite a portfolio! What other interests do you have?

I enjoy growing things, making things, swimming in all sorts of water, and climbing hills. I am looking forward to moving into Leckhampton with my family in January. I am married to Fran, who also studied Art History and now works as the Creative Arts Coordinator at Downing College. Our daughter, Gwen, is 2, and we are expecting a second baby in March. Gwen has already sampled a Corpus brunch and is looking forward to enjoying more of the same!