Watch / 9 min
Standing on the shoulders of great innovators
Bishop Ric Thorpe shares how the Church can learn from the innovation of Sir Christopher Wren, the architect and visionary mind behind St Paul's Cathedral.
By Bishop Ric ThorpeApril 2025
St Paul’s Cathedral is one the greatest architectural achievements in the world. It towers above its neighbouring buildings as a protected landmark on London’s skyline, visible for miles around in every direction. Its creation was an extraordinary achievement from one of the great innovators of his age – Sir Christopher Wren.
Ric Thorpe, Bishop of Islington and director of CCX, believes that the whole Church can learn from great innovators like Wren, and if we do, we can do things only made possible by taking some of their lessons into account. From facing catastrophe to casting a vision, overcoming set backs to working with tenacity, there are so many lessons for us to learn when looking to what Wren achieved.
Watch this inspiring talk from Bishop Ric, recorded in the Triforium of St Paul’s Cathedral.
