Alan Jones (priest)

Alan William Jones OBE (March 5, 1940 – January 14, 2024) was a British-American Episcopal priest and dean emeritus of Grace Cathedral in San Francisco. A prominent lecturer in Episcopal and academic circles both nationally and internationally, he was a prolific writer of books, articles, and editorial opinions.

Early life

Born in London, England, Jones was the son of Edward Augustus and Blanche Hilda (Hunt) Jones. A naturalized U.S. citizen, Jones received both his MA and PhD from the University of Nottingham. His PhD thesis explored the Catholicism of Herbert Kelly, founder of the Society of the Sacred Mission.

Ordained ministry

Jones was a faculty member of Lincoln Theological College from 1968 to 1971. He subsequently served as the Stephen F. Bayne Professor of Ascetical Theology at the General Theological Seminary in New York City from 1972 to 1982. During his tenure, he founded and was the first director of the Center for Christian Spirituality. Jones was the dean of the Episcopal Grace Cathedral in San Francisco from 1985 until January 2009. He also moderated The Forum at Grace Cathedral.

Personal life and death

Jones' first marriage was to Josephine Franklin Jones, the daughter of Newbery Award-winning author Madeleine L'Engle. They had two daughters and a son. They divorced in 1997. He married Virginia "Cricket" Franche Jones, an interior designer, in 1999.

Alan Jones died at a retirement community in San Francisco, on January 14, 2024. He was 83.