Ian Gregory Bishop (born 13 November 1962) is a British Anglican bishop. Since September 2023, he has been Bishop of Thetford, a suffragan bishop in the Church of England's Diocese of Norwich.[1] He was Archdeacon of Macclesfield in the Diocese of Chester from 2011 to 2023.[2]
Ian Bishop | |
|---|---|
| Bishop of Thetford | |
| Church | Church of England |
| Diocese | Diocese of Norwich |
| In office | September 2023 to present |
| Predecessor | Alan Winton |
| Other post(s) | Archdeacon of Macclesfield (2011–2023) |
| Orders | |
| Ordination | 1991 (deacon) 1992 (priest) |
| Consecration | 29 September 2023 |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Ian Gregory Bishop 13 November 1962 |
| Nationality | British |
| Denomination | Anglicanism |
| Spouse | Sue |
| Children | 3 |
| Alma mater | Portsmouth Polytechnic Oak Hill College |
Early life and education
Bishop was born on 13 November 1962 in Devizes, Wiltshire, England.[3] He was educated at Devizes School, a comprehensive school in the town.[3] He studied urban and land administration at Portsmouth Polytechnic, graduating with a Bachelor of Science (BSc) degree in 1984.[4] He worked as a chartered surveyor,[5] and became a Professional Associate of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (ARICS) in 1986[4] or 1987.[6] He was a surveyor for Croydon Council from 1984 to 1986 and an estate manager at Gatwick Airport from 1986 to 1988.[7] He then trained for ordination at Oak Hill College, a conservative evangelical theological college, graduating with a Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree in 1991.[6]
Ordained ministry
Bishop was ordained in the Church of England as a deacon at Petertide 1991 (on 30 June, by Ronald Bowlby, Bishop of Southwark, at Southwark Cathedral)[8] and as a priest the next Petertide (5 July 1992, by Roy Williamson, Bishop of Southwark, at Croydon Parish Church).[9][6] From 1991 to 1995, he served his curacy at Christ Church, Purley, in the Diocese of Southwark.[6] He then became priest-in-charge of St Mary the Virgin, Saxlingham Nethergate and Shotesham in the Diocese of Norwich.[6] After pastoral reorganisation, he was rector of the newly created Tas Valley Team Ministry from 1998 to 2001.[7][6] He moved to the Diocese of Chester, and was he was Rector of St Michael and All Angels, Middlewich and St John the Evangelist's Church, Byley from 2001 to 2011.[5][6] He was additionally rural dean of Middlewich from 2005 to 2010.[10] He left parish ministry and became the Archdeacon of Macclesfield in January 2011.[11]
He is a director of the Simeon Trustees, a trust established in the nineteenth century by Charles Simeon to purchase advowsons for Anglican ministers aligned with the Evangelical Anglicanism.[12]
Episcopal ministry
On 14 June 2023, it was announced that he would be the next Bishop of Thetford, a suffragan bishop of the Diocese of Norwich.[13] On 29 September 2023, he was consecrated as a bishop by Justin Welby, Archbishop of Canterbury, during a service at Westminster Abbey.[11][14][15] He will then be welcomed into the Diocese of Norwich as Bishop of Thetford on 30 September during a service at Norwich Cathedral.[11]
Views
Bishop supports the introduction of blessings for committed same-sex relationships: "I personally intend to support the agenda of inclusion. [...] I find myself unconvinced that committed same sex relationships should be categorized as sinful."[16]
In November 2023, he was one of 44 Church of England bishops who signed an open letter supporting the use of the Prayers of Love and Faith (i.e. blessings for same-sex couples) and called for "Guidance being issued without delay that includes the removal of all restrictions on clergy entering same-sex civil marriages, and on bishops ordaining and licensing such clergy".[17]
Personal life
In 1986, Bishop married Sue. Together they have three sons.[4]
References
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