Dr James Houston, Geographer of the Soul

 

(21 November 1922 – 15 March 2026)

-an article published in the Light Magazine

By Rev. Dr. Ed & Janice Hird

 

Why would anyone leave a teaching position at Oxford University in England to start from scratch in Vancouver, BC? How did Dr James Houston become the spiritual father of Regent College? in December 1961, a pivotal spiritual encounter with God prompted his dramatic career shift. Jim explained,

That December, I took ten busloads of InterVarsity students from the various universities in Winnipeg to InterVarsity’s wonderful Urbana conference…Two nights after I arrived back in Winnipeg, I was awakened in the middle of the night to see an intense light at the foot of my bed.  Oddly, I didn’t feel surprised or even curious, simply deeply convinced I was in the presence of God.  I had the same reaction as Saul of Tarsus when he saw a bright light: ‘Lord, what do you want me to do?’ There was no answer yet.  For seven years, I waited until I knew what it was that I had to do: to give up my safe and happy life at Oxford and return to Canada. 

Jim was born in Edinburgh, Scotland to Plymouth Brethren missionary parents.  His parents had both been missionaries in Spain for twenty years before meeting each other. In the village of Piedralavas, Jim’s mother Ethel had to flee while being stoned. Jim’s father James rescued her and then married her the next year in a blacksmith shop in Madrid.  Jim’s early childhood was as a MK (missionary kid) in Spain.  Regarding his parents he commented,

My mother was considered ‘opened-minded’; she came from the ‘Open’ Brethren.  However, my father came from the ‘Glanton’ Brethren, an offshoot of the ‘London’ or ‘Tight’ Brethren.  There had been, then, some tensions between my parents.  I had always navigated between them, feeling much more sympathetic to my mother.

His unique Spanish upbringing led him to do a 1950 Oxford doctoral thesis (D. Phil.) on The Social Geography of the Huerta of Valencia. Jim’s love for Mediterranean landscapes resulted in his writing A Social Geography of Europe (1953) and The Western Mediterranean World (1964), focusing on rural settlement types in Spain.

As a geographer, Jim focused more on the study of ‘place’ (human context, history and meaning) rather than just ‘space’ (a mathematical construct).  This led Jim to emphasize how people create meaning in their surroundings. Humanity was more important to Jim than technique and abstraction. Through a close friendship with C.S. Lewis, geography to Jim became a deeply spiritual and even theological exercise.

Jim first met C.S. Lewis after arriving in Oxford in 1945.  As a young lecturer in geography, he took part in a regular bible study with CS Lewis from 1947 to 1953/54. Jim lectured at Oxford from 1947 to 1971 as fellow and later bursar at Hertford College.  Through his Russian Orthodox landlord, Dr. Nicholas Zernov, Jim took part in a monthly dinner with C.S. Lewis and other Christians dons.  Jim wrote,

In the spring of 1953, at the time when C.S. Lewis was preparing to take up an appointment as full Professor of Literature in Cambridge, …I asked Lewis what had been his central message in his Christian writings.  ‘All my writings,’ he said, ‘are against reductionism…this is contained in ‘On the Abolition of Man.’

 This fight against “reductionism”, especially in the devaluing of the human person, was taken up by Jim in many of his forty+ books, especially The Transforming Friendship. Eugene Peterson commented,  “James Houston relentlessly confronts our secular, soul-destroying ways of treating one another…” Jim was impressed by C.S Lewis’ ability to integrate keen intellectual rigour with deep Christian faith.  Lewis thought ‘hard’ and ‘with discipline’ about faith.  This showed Jim how professional expertise and committed Christianity could co-exist without conflict.  Jim brought such thoughtful, disciplined interaction with faith to his Regent College context.

Regent exists in large part because of deep connections that Jim made with Granville Chapel elders like Marshall Shepherd, who became Regent’s first Chair. 

Regent College had a tumultuous beginning. The first Regent summer school was held in 1968.  In 1970, they prepared to receive diploma students.  Two Texan Marine Veterans, having had their lives saved in Vietnam, were the first to register for the college.  While driving to attend a wedding, an old man in a large car ploughed into their small Vauxhall, and killed them. The first year’s class was composed of only four students and two professors. 

Jim brought in other key scholars, such as F. F. Bruce, Samuel Escobar, Michael Green, and John Stott to Regent’s summer school program.

Dr. Carl E. Armerding was a co-founder with Jim of Regent College, and his successor as Principal. He comments,

Dr. Jim Houston (1922-2026), was a dear friend of almost sixty years, a colleague for most of that time, and an inspiration to generations of students and others throughout the world. His lectures and publications in that field have created a following world-wide, and it was only recently, after his 103rd birthday, that he had to lay down his pen. We shall miss him, not only for his scintillating, and often fresh, commentary on life as a follower of Jesus, but for his friendship, which was legendary. Stepping into heaven would have been, for Jim, both a ‘coming home’ and a grand re-union.

Jim also co-founded the C.S. Lewis Institute in Washington, D.C., where he served as a Senior Fellow and lecturer for decades. 

Dr. Jeff Greenman, who served as President of Regent from 2015 to 2025, first met Jim in 1982 in Washington, D.C. where he would visit in order to disciple leaders,

My first impressions were that Jim was warm, personable and kind. He had a remarkable ability to ask penetrating questions, to listen to my story and to discern what God might be doing amidst the threads of my personal story.

Jim invited Jeff to attend Regent where he currently serves as Research Professor of Theology & Ethics,

(Jim) always had big ideas, grand schemes and lofty dreams about what Regent could be doing. I deeply appreciated that he was eager to come to my office to pray for me. To my surprise, he even became eager to help Regent raise funds, and supported me in my fundraising role as President. This was a shift for him…he remained able to learn and grow, his mind was always active and his ideas were always evolving, and this quality remained active right into his final weeks of life. 

Many of the first Regent students were involved in the Jesus Movement, a youth revival impacting millions. Dr. Paddy Ducklow, a Regent student who later served as the Carey Professor of Marriage & Family, recalls how Jim’s wise compassion saved him from joining the Children of God cult. While Jim took the CoG literature to analyze it, Rita gave Paddy a bowl of soup and a warm blanket in front of their fireplace. Jim then returned, saying, ‘It’s not true, Paddy.’  This didn’t just rescue Paddy, but also potentially the 1,400 youth that Paddy was leading at Salt Circus.  

Dr Paul Spilsbury, President of Regent College, commented,

Jim Houston was deeply loved at Regent College. Jim always seemed to be miles ahead of everyone else in the depth of his insight into the Christian life and into what the Spirit was saying to God’s people and calling forth from us. As president, I have benefited enormously from Jim’s personal advice and kindly guidance on many occasions. He was someone who knew much about the ups and downs of institutional life, and he offered his support unstintingly. It’s hard to put into words how much Jim meant to us or to quantify how much we will miss him. He was more than a friend. He was a brother in Christ, a confidante, and an exemplar who filled us with a sense of the reality of God.

In 2014, Jim’s wife Rita passed away after battling dementia. Jim’s final years were spent in a care home, where he would anoint visitors with frankincense and remind them: ‘Our Lord is the best friend you could ever have.’” With one of his final books written at age 102 on aging well, it is not surprising that the James Houston Centre for Faith & Successful Aging has become part of his legacy. Regent is also inviting people to consider donating to the Jim & Rita Houston Courage Fund.

May Jim’s courageous example inspire us all to more fully integrate our thought and action towards transforming our world.