James Leslie Houlden (1 March 1929 – 3 December 2022) was a British Anglican priest and academic. He served as Principal of Cuddesdon Theological College from 1970 to 1975, and then, after its amalgamation with Ripon Hall, Principal of Ripon College Cuddesdon from 1975 to 1977.[1] He then joined the staff of King's College, London, rising to become Professor of Theology between 1987 and 1994.[2]
Houlden served as Principal of Cuddesdon Theological College, an Anglo-Catholic theological college of the Church of England, from 1970 to 1975.[3] Some perceived him as "too tolerant of homosexuality among the students".[4] Cuddesdon amalgamated with Ripon Hall, a liberal theological college, in 1975, and he served as Principal of the newly created Ripon College Cuddesdon from 1975 to 1977. He was made an honorary canon of Christ Church, Oxford in 1976.[3] He couldn't resolve the tensions of the new, combined college, including its "camp" atmosphere, and this led to conflict with its governing body and his eventual resignation.[4]
Houlden was active behind the scenes of the Church of England. From 1969 to 1976, he was a member of its Liturgical Commission and its Doctrine Commission. He was a member of the General Synod of the Church of England from 1980 to 1990.[3]
Houlden was himself an unashamed liberal and many of his conclusions about the Bible were alarming to traditionalists. He said that the New Testament evidence about the resurrection of Jesus was so varied that differences of belief about its character were inevitable. St Paul's ethical judgments were, he asserted, addressed to particular first-century situations and were not therefore to be universalised.