' s ▁to ▁undert ake ▁post grad uate ▁research , ▁and ▁completed ▁his ▁Doctor ▁of ▁Philosoph y ▁( Ph D ) ▁degree ▁in ▁ 1 9 6 9 . ▁He ▁later ▁studied ▁at ▁the ▁University ▁of ▁B irmingham , ▁gradu ating ▁with ▁a ▁Master ▁of ▁Social ▁Sciences ▁( MS oc Sc ) ▁degree ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 2 . ▁ ▁Career ▁Gill ▁was ▁ord ained ▁in ▁the ▁Church ▁of ▁England ▁as ▁a ▁de acon ▁in ▁ 1 9 6 8 ▁and ▁as ▁a ▁priest ▁in ▁ 1 9 6 9 . ▁From ▁ 1 9 6 8 ▁to ▁ 1 9 7 1 , ▁he ▁served ▁his ▁cur acy ▁at ▁St ▁Andrew ' s ▁Church , ▁Rugby ▁in ▁the ▁Dioc ese ▁of ▁Cov entry . ▁From ▁ 1 9 7 1 ▁to ▁ 1 9 7 2 , ▁he ▁was ▁a ▁lect urer ▁at ▁the ▁Ang lic an ▁The ological ▁College ▁in ▁Pap ua ▁New ▁Guinea . ▁In ▁ 1 9 7 2 , ▁he ▁joined ▁the ▁University ▁of ▁Edinburgh ▁as ▁a ▁lect urer ▁in ▁Christian ▁eth ics . ▁Additionally , ▁he ▁was ▁priest - in - charge ▁of ▁St ▁Philip ' s ▁and ▁St ▁James ', ▁Edinburgh ▁from ▁ 1 9 7 3 ▁to ▁ 1 9 7 5 ▁in ▁the ▁Dioc ese ▁of ▁Edinburgh ▁and ▁priest - in - charge ▁of ▁the ▁Church ▁of ▁St ▁Michael ▁and ▁All ▁Ang els , ▁Ford , ▁North umber land ▁from ▁ 1 9 7 5 ▁to ▁ 1 9 8 7 ▁in ▁the