James Orr (British academic)
James Orr | |
|---|---|
| Born | James Tristan Ward Orr 1978 (age 46–47) |
| Academic background | |
| Alma mater | |
| Academic work | |
| Discipline | Philosophy |
| Sub-discipline | Philosophy of Religion |
| Institutions | |
James Tristan Ward Orr (born November 1978) is a British[1] academic and philosopher. He is currently an associate professor of Philosophy of Religion at the Faculty of Divinity at the University of Cambridge. Formerly, he spent four years as a McDonald Postdoctoral Fellow in Theology, Ethics, and Public Life at Christ Church, Oxford.[2]
He is also a national conservative commentator and has been described by JD Vance as his "British sherpa".[3][4][5][6] He has written for many publications on the themes of Christianity, academic freedom and the Trump/Vance administration.[7][8] In March 2025 he was interviewed for the BBC Radio 4 Today podcast.[9]
He is UK Chairman of the Edmund Burke Foundation, which aims to strengthen the principles of national conservatism,[10] and a member of the advisory council of the Free Speech Union.[11] He co-runs the Roger Scruton Legacy Foundation.[12]
Career
Orr was educated at Winchester College, where he was a near-contemporary of Rishi Sunak. After studying Classics at Balliol College, Oxford, Orr became a corporate lawyer first at Freshfields, then Sullivan & Cromwell, in London. Thereafter, he returned to academia to take an MPhil and PhD in Philosophy of Religion at the University of Cambridge.[13]
Free speech and academic freedom
Orr has been involved with a debate around free speech at the University of Cambridge. In 2020 he was one of those behind an amendment to the University's Statement on Freedom of Speech, seeking to replace the word “respect” for the opinions of others with “tolerance”.[14]
References
- ^ "James Tristan Ward Orr". Companies House. London. 24 January 2024. Retrieved 24 January 2024.
- ^ "Dr James Orr". Cambridge University. Cambridge. 24 January 2024. Retrieved 24 January 2024.
- ^ Crampton, Robert (15 August 2025). "James Orr: JD Vance is just a normal guy who likes his beers". The Times. Retrieved 16 August 2025.
- ^ Snowdon, Peter; McElvoy, Anne (19 September 2024). "Meet JD Vance's English philosopher king". Politico. Retrieved 20 August 2025.
- ^ Frayer, Lauren (27 October 2024). "Meet JD Vance's 'British Sherpa' mentor". NPR Illinois. Retrieved 19 August 2025.
- ^ McElvoy, Anne (29 September 2024). "Faith, family, free speech – JD Vance's mentor on why his man is the future of the Republicans". The Telegraph. ISSN 0307-1235. Retrieved 28 March 2025 – via www.telegraph.co.uk.
- ^ "James Orr, Author at The Spectator". The Spectator. 12 March 2025. Retrieved 28 March 2025.
- ^ "Author: James Orr". The Critic. Retrieved 16 August 2025.
- ^ "The Today Podcast – JD Vance: does Trump's VP really hate Europe? – BBC Sounds". www.bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 28 March 2025.
- ^ "Personnel – Edmund Burke Foundation". Edmund Burke Foundation. Retrieved 28 March 2025.
- ^ "About Us". Free Speech Union. 16 February 2023. Retrieved 28 March 2025.
- ^ Garamvolgyi, Flora; Walker, Peter (28 August 2023). "Viktor Orbán-influenced university plans outpost in London". The Guardian. Retrieved 18 August 2025.
- ^ Crampton, Robert (15 August 2025). "James Orr: JD Vance is just a normal guy who likes his beers". The Times. Retrieved 16 August 2025.
- ^ Davies, Madeleine (25 February 2022). "Students at Cambridge say Divinity Faculty needs to combat its 'racist views'". Church Times. Retrieved 16 August 2025.