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The Diocese of Birmingham is a diocese founded in 1905 in the Church of England's Province of Canterbury, covering the north-west of the traditional county of Warwickshire, the south-east of the traditional county of Staffordshire and the north-east of the traditional county of Worcestershire (now the central section of the West Midlands and small parts of south Staffordshire, north Warwickshire and north Worcestershire) in England.
Diocese of Birmingham Dioecesis Birminghamiensis | |
|---|---|
 Coat of arms | |
 Flag | |
| Location | |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Ecclesiastical province | Canterbury |
| Archdeaconries | Aston, Birmingham |
| Statistics | |
| Parishes | 162 |
| Churches | 195 |
| Information | |
| Denomination | Church of England |
| Established | 1905 |
| Cathedral | Cathedral Church of St Philip |
| Language | English |
| Current leadership | |
| Bishop | Michael Volland, Bishop of Birmingham |
| Suffragan | Esther Prior, Bishop-designate of Aston |
| Archdeacons | Jenny Tomlinson, Archdeacon of Birmingham Phelim O'Hare, Archdeacon of Aston |
| Website | |
| https://www.cofebirmingham.com/ | |
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The see is in the centre of the City of Birmingham, where the seat of the diocese is located at the Cathedral Church of Saint Philip.
The 18th-century parish church of Saint Philip in Birmingham was elevated to cathedral status in 1905 when the see was founded, on 13 January 1905.[1] Previously the area had been part of the Diocese of Worcester.
Besides the diocesan Bishop of Birmingham (Michael Volland) and the Bishop suffragan of Aston (vacant; which see was created in 1954), there are two retired bishops resident in (or near) the diocese who are licensed to serve as honorary assistant bishops:[2][dead link]
- 2002–present: Maurice Sinclair is a retired Presiding Bishop of the Southern Cone living in Selly Park.[3]
- 2005–present: Iraj Mottahedeh is a retired diocesan Bishop of Iran who lives in Church Aston, Shropshire, in the neighbouring Lichfield diocese.[4]
From 2023, alternative episcopal oversight (for parishes in the diocese who reject the ministry of women priests) was provided by the provincial episcopal visitor, the Bishop suffragan of Oswestry (since 2023 Paul Thomas), who is licensed as an honorary assistant bishop of the diocese in order to facilitate his work there.
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The former deaneries of Yardley and Bordesley were merged in 2000.[5] Central Birmingham was known as Birmingham City until 1996 and then Birmingham City Centre until 2004.[6]
| Diocese | Archdeaconries | Rural Deaneries | Churches | Population | People/church |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Diocese of Birmingham | Archdeaconry of Aston | Deanery of Aston | 10 | 94,960 | 9,496 |
| Deanery of Coleshill | 18 | 137,541 | 7,641 | ||
| Deanery of Polesworth | 18 | 39,549 | 2,197 | ||
| Deanery of Solihull | 13 | 77,632 | 5,972 | ||
| Deanery of Sutton Coldfield | 14 | 102,817 | 7,344 | ||
| Deanery of Yardley & Bordesley | 16 | 206,603 | 12,913 | ||
| Archdeaconry of Birmingham | Deanery of Central Birmingham | 9* | 51,631* | 5,737 | |
| Deanery of Edgbaston | 13 | 129,568 | 9,967 | ||
| Deanery of Handsworth | 14 | 164,792 | 11,771 | ||
| Deanery of King's Norton | 17 | 125,538 | 7,385 | ||
| Deanery of Moseley | 16 | 134,813 | 8,426 | ||
| Deanery of Shirley | 15 | 112,341 | 7,489 | ||
| Deanery of Warley | 11 | 121,861 | 11,078 | ||
| Total/average | 184 | 1,499,646 | 8,150 | ||
*including Cathedral
APC = ancient parish church.
Not in a deanery
| Benefice | Churches | Founded (building) | Population served[7] |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cathedra | Cathedral of St Philip, Birmingham | 1715 | 5,310 |
Deanery of Aston
| Benefice | Churches | Founded (building) | Population served[7] |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aston (St James) (St Peter and St Paul) and Nechells | SS Peter & Paul, Aston | APC | 23,808 |
| St James, Aston | 1891 | ||
| St Matthew, Nechells | 1839 | ||
| Erdington (St Barnabas) | St Barnabas, Erdington | 1822 | 17,167 |
| Erdington (St Chad) | St Chad, Erdington | 1914 | 7,232 |
| Erdington Christ the King | St Martin, Perry Common | 19,137 | |
| St Margaret, Short Heath | |||
| Gravelly Hill (All Saints) | All Saints, Gravelly Hill | 1900 | 17,313 |
| Stockland Green (St Mark) | St Mark, Stockland Green | 1908 | |
| Pype Hayes (St Mary the Virgin) | St Mary the Virgin, Pype Hayes | 1929 | 10,303 |
Deanery of Coleshill
| Benefice | Churches | Founded (building) | Population served[7] |
|---|---|---|---|
| Castle Bromwich (St Clement) | St Clement of Alexandria, Castle Bromwich | 12,593 | |
| Castle Bromwich (St Mary and St Margaret) | SS Mary & Margaret, Castle Bromwich | 7,559 | |
| Chelmsley Wood (St Andrew) | St Andrew, Chelmsley Wood | 16,194 | |
| Garretts Green (St Thomas) and Tile Cross | St Thomas, Garretts Green | 19,423 | |
| St Peter, Tile Cross | |||
| Hodge Hill (St Philip and St James) | SS Philip & James, Hodge Hill | 19,008 | |
| Kingshurst (St Barnabas) | St Barnabas, Kingshurst | 8,882 | |
| Lea Hall (St Richard) | St Richard, Lea Hall | 8,389 | |
| Marston Green (St Leonard) | St Leonard, Marston Green | 6,793 | |
| Coleshill (St Peter and St Paul) | SS Peter & Paul, Coleshill | 6,717 | |
| Maxstoke (St Michael and All Angels) | St Michael & All Angels, Maxstoke | ||
| Shard End (All Saints) | All Saints, Shard End | 1954 | 11,532 |
| Sheldon (St Giles) | St Giles, Sheldon | APC | 14,906 |
| Water Orton (St Peter and St Paul) | SS Peter & Paul, Water Orton | APC | 3,444 |
| The Whitacres, Lea Marston, and Shustoke | St John the Baptist, Lea Marton | 2,101 | |
| St Cuthbert, Shustoke | |||
| St Giles, Nether Whitacre | |||
| St Leonard, Over Whitacre |
Deanery of Polesworth
| Benefice | Churches | Founded (building) | Population served[7] |
|---|---|---|---|
| All Souls, North Warwickshire, Comprising Austrey, Newton Regis, Seckington, Shuttington, and Warton | St Nicholas, Austrey | 3,360 | |
| St Mary, Newton Regis | |||
| All Saints, Seckington | |||
| St Matthew, Shuttington | |||
| Holy Trinity, Warton | |||
| Amington (St Editha) | St Editha, Amington | APC | 8,250 |
| Baddesley Ensor (St Nicholas) with Grendon | St Nicholas, Baddesley Ensor | 3,537 | |
| All Saints, Grendon | |||
| Baxterley (Not Known) with Hurley and Wood End and Merevale with Bentley | Baxterley Parish Church | APC | 8,055 |
| Resurrection, Hurley | 1861 | ||
| St Michael & All Angels, Wood End | 1906 | ||
| St Mary the Virgin, Merevale | APC | ||
| Kingsbury (St Peter and St Paul) | SS Peter & Paul, Kingsbury | APC | |
| Dordon (St Leonard) | St Leonard, Dordon | 3,192 | |
| St Mary, Freasley | |||
| Dosthill (St Paul) | St Paul, Dosthill | 1870 | 6,158 |
| Polesworth (St Editha) | Abbey Church of St Editha, Polesworth | APC | 6,997 |
| St John, Birchmoor |
Deanery of Solihull
| Benefice | Churches | Population served[7] |
|---|---|---|
| Balsall Common (St Peter) |
|
5,459 |
| Barston (St Swithin) |
|
3,061 |
| Hampton-In-Arden (St Mary and St Bartholomew) with Bickenhill St Peter |
| |
| ||
| Elmdon (St Nicholas) (St Stephen's Church Centre) (Valley Church Centre) |
|
8,887 |
| Hobs Moat (St Mary) |
|
10,508 |
| Knowle (St John the Baptist) (St Lawrence & St Anne) | 9,165 | |
| Olton (St Margaret) |
|
11,019 |
| Solihull (Catherine De Barnes) (St Alphege) (St Helen) (St Michael) |
|
28,526 |
| Temple Balsall (St Mary) | 1,007 |
Deanery of Sutton Coldfield
| Benefice | Churches | Population served[7] |
|---|---|---|
| Boldmere (St Michael) |
|
14,291 |
| Castle Vale (St Cuthbert of Lindisfarne) with Minworth |
|
11,470 |
| Curdworth (St Nicholas and St Peter Ad Vincula) (St George), Middleton and Wishaw |
|
1,981 |
| Four Oaks (All Saints) |
|
6,498 |
| Hill (St James) |
|
12,269 |
| Maney (St Peter) |
|
6,003 |
| Sutton Coldfield (Holy Trinity) | 10,736 | |
| Sutton Coldfield (St Chad) |
|
14,461 |
| Sutton Coldfield (St Columba) |
|
6,767 |
| Walmley (St John the Evangelist) |
|
13,340 |
| Wylde Green (Emmanuel) |
|
5,001 |
Deanery of Yardley and Bordesley
| Benefice | Churches | Population served[7] |
|---|---|---|
| Acocks Green (St Mary) | 15,747 | |
| Bordesley (St Benedict) |
|
10,850 |
| Saltley (St Saviour) and Washwood Heath |
|
28,747 |
| Small Heath (All Saints) |
|
25,580 |
| Sparkbrook (Christ Church) |
|
7,000 |
| Sparkhill (St John the Evangelist) | 20,694 | |
| Springfield (St Christopher) |
|
7,638 |
| Stechford (All Saints) (St Andrew) |
|
12,616 |
| Tyseley (St Edmund) |
|
11,048 |
| Ward End Holy Trinity (St Margaret) with Bordesley Green |
|
27,753 |
| ||
| Yardley (St Cyprian) Hay Mill |
|
21,470 |
| Yardley, South (St Michael and All Angels) |
| |
| Yardley (St Edburgha) |
|
17,460 |
Deanery of Central Birmingham
| Benefice | Churches | Population served[7] |
|---|---|---|
| Birmingham (St George) |
|
6,837 |
| Birmingham (St Luke) |
|
10,839 |
| Birmingham (St Martin-In-The-Bull-Ring) with Bordesley St Andrew |
|
4,083 |
| Birmingham (St Paul) |
|
4,565 |
| Highgate (St Alban the Martyr and St Patrick) | 4,481 | |
| Ladywood (St John the Evangelist) (St Peter) | 11,030 | |
| Sparkbrook (St Agatha) with Balsall Heath St Barnabas |
|
4,486 |
Deanery of Edgbaston
| Benefice | Churches | Population served[7] |
|---|---|---|
| Bartley Green (St Michael and All Angels) | 14,906 | |
| Edgbaston (St Augustine) | 8,843 | |
| Edgbaston (St Bartholomew) | 9,260 | |
| Edgbaston (St George with St Michael) (St Michael's Hall) |
|
3,807 |
| Edgbaston (St Germain) |
|
6,650 |
| Harborne (St Faith and St Laurence) | 8,784 | |
| Harborne (St Peter) |
|
10,825 |
| Harborne Heath (St John the Baptist) |
|
7,080 |
| Quinton Road West (St Boniface) |
|
10,198 |
| Quinton, the (Christ Church) |
|
17,361 |
| Selly Oak (St Mary) |
|
10,893 |
| Summerfield (Christ Church) (Cavendish Road Hall) |
|
10,745 |
| Weoley Castle (St Gabriel) |
|
10,216 |
Deanery of Handsworth
| Benefice | Churches | Population served[7] |
|---|---|---|
| Birchfield (Holy Trinity) |
|
17,809 |
| Hamstead (St Bernard) |
|
6,136 |
| Hamstead (St Paul) |
|
14,970 |
| Handsworth (St Andrew) |
|
31,328 |
| Handsworth (St James) |
| |
| Handsworth (Good News Asian Church) Proprietary Chapel |
| |
| Birmingham (Bishop Latimer with All Saints) | 19,786 | |
| Handsworth (St Michael) (St Peter) |
| |
| Handsworth (St Mary) Epiphany |
|
14,834 |
| Kingstanding (St Luke) |
|
16,156 |
| Kingstanding (St Mark) |
|
8,921 |
| Perry Barr (St John the Evangelist) | 12,242 | |
| Perry Beeches (St Matthew) |
|
14,568 |
| Lozells (St Paul and St Silas) |
|
8,042 |
Deanery of King's Norton
| Benefice | Churches | Population served[7] |
|---|---|---|
| Allens Cross (St Bartholomew) | 14,795 | |
| Cofton Hackett (St Michael) with Barnt Green |
|
3,569 |
| Cotteridge (St Agnes) |
|
4,680 |
| Frankley (St Leonard) |
|
8,427 |
| Kings Norton (St Nicolas) |
|
28,374 |
| Lickey (Holy Trinity) |
|
4,292 |
| Longbridge (St John the Baptist) | 9,233 | |
| Northfield (St Laurence) |
|
15,713 |
| Rednal (St Stephen the Martyr) |
|
7,166 |
| Rubery (St Chad) |
|
9,725 |
| Shenley Green (St David) |
|
9,165 |
| West Heath (St Anne) |
|
10,399 |
Deanery of Moseley
| Benefice | Churches | Population served[7] |
|---|---|---|
| Balsall Heath (St Paul) and Edgbaston |
|
18,375 |
| Billesley Common (Holy Cross) |
|
9,486 |
| Bournville (St Francis) | 8,062 | |
| Brandwood (St Bede) |
|
8,996 |
| Hazelwell (St Mary Magdalen) |
|
6,496 |
| Highters Heath (Immanuel) |
|
9,608 |
| Kings Heath (All Saints) |
|
12,613 |
| Moseley (St Agnes) |
|
10,083 |
| Moseley (St Anne) (St Mary) |
|
14,346 |
| Selly Park (Christ Church) |
|
5,503 |
| Selly Park (St Stephen) (St Wulstan) |
|
14,099 |
| Stirchley (Ascension) |
|
6,256 |
| Yardley Wood (Christ Church) |
|
10,890 |
Deanery of Shirley
| Benefice | Churches | Population served[7] |
|---|---|---|
| Dorridge (St Philip) |
|
9,411 |
| Hall Green (Church of the Ascension) |
|
14,839 |
| Hall Green (St Michael) |
|
23,505 |
| Hall Green (St Peter) |
| |
| Lapworth (St Mary the Virgin) |
|
1,611 |
| Baddesley Clinton (St Michael) |
| |
| Packwood (St Giles) with Hockley Heath |
|
2,657 |
| Salter Street (St Patrick) |
|
12,732 |
| Shirley (St James the Great) |
|
35,412 |
| Tanworth (St Mary Magdalene) | 2,460 | |
| Wythall (St Mary) |
|
9,714 |
Deanery of Warley
| Benefice | Churches | Population served[7] |
|---|---|---|
| Bearwood (St Mary the Virgin) |
|
6,811 |
| Blackheath (St Paul) |
|
23,970 |
| Rounds Green (St James) |
| |
| Oldbury (Christ Church), Langley, and Londonderry |
|
27,664 |
| Rowley Regis (St Giles) |
|
17,777 |
| Smethwick (Old Church) |
|
8,973 |
| Smethwick (Resurrection) (St Stephen and St Michael) |
|
15,924 |
| Smethwick (St Matthew with St Chad) |
|
10,199 |
| Warley Woods (St Hilda) |
|
10,543 |
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In December 2018 the diocese was criticised for its use of a Non-disclosure Agreement (NDA) in relation to an abuse case. The survivor described the ten-year process since her first complaint as "haphazard" and claimed she was warned by an unnamed bishop not to talk to the media as it wouldn't be "very godly". The diocese carried out an independent review which delivered damning findings about the handling of her case by the (then) Bishop of Birmingham, David Urquhart, and then forced the survivor to sign the NDA before she was permitted to see the review into her own case. The Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, had previously questioned the legitimacy of these agreements in March 2018 at the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse
A non-disclosure agreement seems to me to be dangerous because it creates suspicion, 'Why are you doing an NDA? Surely you're trying to cover something up'.
The Bishop of Buckingham, Alan Wilson, commenting on the scandal said it was the fourth "corrupt and destructive" non-disclosure agreement (NDA) that had come to his attention since September.
They seem inherently abusive, mainly used to provide a carpet under which to sweep abuse. If people really want them they should be time-limited with reasons.
He said he was unable to share details of the other cases but that some were "complete shockers". The Diocese of Birmingham said the NDA had been used to ensure that those who read the report did not share information provided by other contributors who wanted to remain anonymous. A Church of England spokesperson stated that guidance would be sent to all dioceses to discourage use of these agreements. The bishop and the diocese apologised to the survivor and her husband.[8][9][10][11]
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