 He was ordained deacon in 1972 and priest in 1973 and served as Assistant Curate at Chapel Allerton (1972–1975) and Oxford St Mary the Virgin with St Cross and St Peter (1976–1978).From 1979 until 1986, he taught theology at Tamil Nadu Theological Seminary.He was Official Fellow, Chaplain, and Tutor in Theology at St John's College, Oxford, 1986–1995, Reader in Contextual Theology in the University of St Andrews 1995–1998, and became St Luke's Professor of Theological Studies in the University of Exeter in 1998.