Background
White was born in south-east London in 1953 and attended Eltham College.
White was born in south-east London in 1953 and attended Eltham College.
He was educated at Clare College, Cambridge (graduating Bachelor in English and Theology 1975, Master of Arts 1979) and Oriel College, Oxford (Master of Letters 1980).
After leaving school he spent a year undertaking Voluntary Service Overseas in Africa. He prepared for ordination at Wycliffe Hall, Oxford. He was a tutor in doctrine and ethics at Wycliffe Hall from 1977 to 1983, then Chaplain and Lecturer at the University of Exeter from 1983 to 1987.
He then became jointly Director of Ordinands for the Diocese of Guildford and Rector of Wotton and Holmbury Street Mary in Surrey (1987-1993).
From 1993 until 2001 he was Canon Chancellor of Lincoln Cathedral and also a special lecturer at the University of Nottingham, becoming Principal of the Southern Theological Education and Training Scheme in 2001 and Canon Theologian of Winchester Cathedral in 2006. In 2011 he was appointed Canon Theologian at Westminster Abbey and Visiting Professor in the Department of and Religious Studies at King"s College London.