About Jeffery W. Rowthorn
Jeffery W. Rowthorn (1934–2025)
Jeffery William Rowthorn was a Welsh-born Anglican bishop, liturgical scholar, and hymn writer whose work has significantly shaped modern English-language hymnody and worship theology. He is especially known for hymn texts that emphasize Christian mission, liturgy, baptismal identity, and the Church’s participation in God’s work in the world.
He was born in 1934 in Newport. He studied at leading institutions including University of Cambridge, Union Theological Seminary, and University of Oxford, preparing for a life of ministry, scholarship, and liturgical leadership. He was ordained in the Church of England in 1963.
Rowthorn served in parish ministry in England before moving to the United States, where he became deeply involved in theological education and worship studies. He taught at institutions including Union Theological Seminary and helped establish the Yale Institute of Sacred Music, becoming one of its founding faculty members.
He later served as Suffragan Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Connecticut and then as Bishop in Charge of the Convocation of Episcopal Churches in Europe, ministering to Anglican communities across the continent.
Hymn writing ministry
Rowthorn is best known for hymn texts that reflect careful biblical exposition and strong liturgical theology. One of his most widely sung hymns is “Lord, You Give the Great Commission,” written in 1978 while serving at Yale Divinity School.
This hymn is structured around the Great Commission (Matthew 28:18–20), and functions almost like a sung sermon, calling the Church to mission, baptism, teaching, and faithful witness empowered by the Holy Spirit.
Other well-known hymns include:
- “Creating God, Your Fingers Trace”
- “At the Font We Start Our Journey”
- “Retell What Christ’s Great Love Has Done”
His texts are widely included in Anglican, Methodist, Lutheran, and ecumenical hymnals around the world.
Legacy
Rowthorn’s hymn writing is characterized by:
- Strong grounding in Scripture
- Liturgical and sacramental emphasis
- Clear theology expressed in poetic form
- A global vision of the Church’s mission
He died in 2025 at the age of 91.
