16/02/2026
The University of St Andrews has appointed Professor Marcus Plested as the new 1643 Chair of Divinity. His appointment marks a historic moment for the institution: not only is he the first Orthodox theologian to hold this prestigious position, but it is believed to be the first time an Orthodox scholar has been appointed to a senior Divinity role in the University’s 613‑year history.
Professor Plested’s research focuses on the Christian East, particularly patristic, Byzantine, and modern Orthodox theology, and on the dialogue between the Orthodox tradition and Western Christian thought. He has played a significant role in Orthodox–Catholic engagement, serving on the St Irenaeus Orthodox–Catholic Working Group and acting as the Orthodox consultant for the Vatican’s recent Bishop of Rome document. His work explores what this venerable theological tradition, often described as “pre‑modern” or “unmodern,” can contribute to contemporary questions in the modern world.
Educated in London, Professor Plested studied modern history followed by theology at Merton College, Oxford. He taught for many years at the Institute for Orthodox Christian Studies and the Faculty of Divinity in Cambridge before moving to the US in 2013.
Of his appointment, Professor Plested, said: “As an Orthodox theologian, and the first non-Protestant to occupy this distinguished chair in all its long history, this position offers the perfect platform for me to continue pushing forward the conversation between Orthodox and Western theologies, both Protestant and Catholic, and indeed the modern secular world.”
He added “The long history of St Andrews as a spiritual centre of and place of pilgrimage is also something that attracts me: St Andrews rose to prominence as the resting-place of the relics of the Apostle Andrew, brought into this far-flung corner of the Latin West out of the Greek East. I hope that my appointment will continue in some way this story of meeting and interaction between Greek East and Latin West.”
