General Synod Election Candidates 2026

Max Kramer
Chaplain & Welfare Fellow,
Keble College Oxford
Proposer:
The Revd Professor Andrew Davison
Regius Professor of Divinity,
University of Oxford
Seconder:
The Revd Dr Jo Kershaw

Tutor, College of the Resurrection, Mirfield
I am standing as a General Synod candidate with a strong commitment to the
importance of effective Theological Education, front-line local ministry, engagement
with young adults and universities, and the breadth of the Anglican tradition.

My key concerns for Synod
• Advocating for TEIs
I would argue for generous and sustained investment in TEIs of all kinds, so that
future clergy and lay leaders have sufficient theological and spiritual formation
to lead with creativity and confidence in their local contexts.

• Strengthening the relationship between Church and Academy
I would be a strong advocate for the value of academic theological study to the
life of the Church, and for the value of the Church’s close involvement with
Universities, which are contexts in which young adults can explore questions of
faith and life, and often crucibles of vocation.

• A focus on the local
I believe that the Church of England is at its best at the front line in parishes,
chaplaincies, cathedrals, and communities. I would champion focussing our
resources and support in this area. Central structures and processes should be
as simple as they can be made, while being able to fulfil their own important
functions.

• Church Music
I value the power of all forms of Church music to enrich our worship, and the
importance of involvement in music-making as a route to faith (as it was in my
own case). I would explore how we can enable our musicians to grow in their own
skill and ministry, share best practice, and work effectively as part of our
mission.

Position on significant current issues
• Safeguarding
Having worked in Safeguarding within and beyond the Church, I believe that it is
essential that the Church’s safeguarding approach should be shaped by best
practice elsewhere, with appropriate awareness of specific issues and risks. We
must also address honestly and directly the historic and ongoing weaknesses in
our pastoral response to survivors, rather than allowing ourselves to focus solely
on policies and processes (important as these are).

• Gender & Sexuality
I am fully supportive of women in ministry at all levels, and the full inclusion of
LGBT people in all aspects of the life of the Church. I am also fully supportive of
those who take a more conservative position on these areas having a respected
and honoured place in the life of the Church of England.
Through it all, I am keen to participate in Synod to help discern how we best go about
our central task, the service of the Gospel, in the context of the Church of which we are
privileged to be a part.

About me
I am a Liberal Catholic with experience of Parish and Cathedral Precentor ministry, as
well as University Chaplaincy. My own faith has been shaped by a range of Church
traditions, and I treasure the contributions all traditions make to our Church. I have
always had a particular ministry to young adults. At Keble I enjoy combining a ministry
to students growing in faith with a broader ministry to College members of all faiths and
none. Outside of term, I am part of my village parish church.
I have taught ordinands and other students in Cambridge, Canterbury, and Oxford, and
have a particular interest in bringing theological and spiritual insights to a broader
audience both through my writing and my speaking. My academic publications and
papers have been on Jewish Hellenistic Literature. I work closely with several TEIs by
sending ordinands to them and regularly taking on placement students.
My work at Keble has given me a broad perspective on clergy development. This ranges
from first conversations about vocation with students, to creating two internships for
those in discernment and supervising placement ordinands, to representing the College
as patron in appointments to our 69 livings. All of this has reinforced my belief in the
central importance of effective ministerial education, and the Church’s ongoing work to
increase and sustain vocations.
I would welcome questions, suggestions, and discussion. Please contact me on
[email protected]

catholic,chaplaincy,conservative,discernment,gospel,jewish,lgbt,liberal,liberal catholic,mission,ordinands,safeguarding,sexuality,survivors,teis,theological education,tradition,universities,university chaplaincy,vocations,women in ministry,young adults