A Choral Evensong to celebrate the work of John Louis Petit as a clergyman and theologian

All Saints Church in Oakham October 5th 2025

John Louis Petit was an Anglican clergyman, ordained deacon in 1825 and priest in 1826, both at Lichfield Cathedral. He served two curacies – the first from 1825 to 1828 at St. Michael’s Lichfield and the second from 1828 to 1832 at Bradfield in Essex. He then retired from parish ministry to concentrate on his artistic and architectural interests. He remained a priest however, and was much interested in the theological developments of the mid-19th century – in particular the revelations of the earth and astronomical sciences. At his death he left a long unfinished poem “The lesser and the greater light” that was a meditation of the relationship between theology and science, which was edited and published by his sister. This poem has many contemporary echoes and reveals that Petit was a serious theological thinker.

To celebrate and reflect on Petit’s role as a clergyman and theologian, a Choral Evensong was held at All Saints church at 6.00pm on Sunday October 5th with the service sung by the Laudamus (Oakham Team Ministry) choir. The choral setting and hymns reflected Petit’s period and an address was delivered by Revd. Professor Chris Baker on the subject matter of “The lesser and the greater light” and its implications for both the Victorian period and for today. All Saints church was itself heavily restored by Gilbert Scott in the 1850s.

In this post we gather together some material associated with the event – the advertising poster, a copy of The Lesser and the Greater Light, the Order of Service and a transcript of the address.