Pete Williamson

Pete Williamson

InterVarsity Christian Fellowship
Pete Williamson

Email: pete.williamson@intervarsity.org
Web site: hgscf.org
Special areas of interest:  Biblical studies, Hebrew, Greek, physics, astronomy, technology, running

Most of us spend most of our lives ticking boxes on a to-do list, whether that list is written or simply exists in our heads. My role at Harvard is to invite graduate students to remove themselves—albeit temporarily—from their to-do lists and to consider the deeper questions of life, love, purpose, God, and Jesus Christ. My parent organization, InterVarsity Christian Fellowship, is a non-denominational organization that seeks to help communities of thoughtful students across hundreds of campuses to grow in their faith in Jesus Christ and to explore how that relates to their studies and career paths.

I came to faith in Jesus Christ as a young teenager, and before long it became evident that Jesus Christ was not part of my life. Rather, my life was part of his. Everything in my life fell into the context of Jesus Christ and the grace he extends to all people, and I became dedicated to fostering this faith in others, and my role at Harvard is a culmination of that.

I completed a BSc in Physics at the University of Otago (in New Zealand - where I’m from) at the same time as my BTheol in Biblical Studies there. Science has always been a central passion in my life, and I, for a time, became a High School teacher in New Zealand, teaching Math and Physics. I’ve always been better at doing analytical homework problems than I have been at writing essays, so when I approached theological studies, I was naturally drawn to learning Biblical languages such as Greek and Hebrew. These languages have constituted the core of my studies while I completed my MDiv at Harvard Divinity School. The Bible is the central text for defining my faith, and in reading it, I find myself able to step outside of all the current norms in the 21st century and all the current circumstances in my life, and meditate on the God who exists beyond current circumstance to see what is real and true and good.

At Harvard, I’m excited about building and supporting Christian communities who worship and grow together, while learning about their vocations and serving others. Beyond my Harvard life, I am married to Kelly Williamson, a tax lawyer, and we have three young boys. I’m ordained as a Deacon in the Anglican Church of North America, and serve at Church of the Cross, a local Anglican community. I’m excited each day for where God is leading me in my life and in this position!