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Robert Wilfrid Springett (born 15 September 1962) is a British Anglican bishop. He has served as the Bishop of Tewkesbury (a suffragan bishop in the Diocese of Gloucester) since his consecration as a bishop on 30 November 2016.[1] He previously served as the Archdeacon of Cheltenham in the same diocese from 2010.
Robert Springett | |
|---|---|
| Bishop of Tewkesbury | |
| Church | Church of England |
| Diocese | Diocese of Gloucester |
| In office | 30 November 2016–present |
| Predecessor | Martyn Snow |
| Other post(s) | Archdeacon of Cheltenham (April 2010 – 2016) |
| Orders | |
| Ordination | 1989 (deacon) 1990 (priest) |
| Consecration | 30 November 2016 by Justin Welby |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Robert Wilfrid Springett 15 September 1962 |
| Nationality | British |
| Denomination | Anglicanism |
| Spouse | Helen |
| Children | Two |
| Alma mater | Lincoln Theological College University of Nottingham King's College London |
Springett was born on 15 September 1962.[2] He was educated at Brentwood School, a private school in Brentwood, Essex, and at Chelmsford College, a further education college in Chelmsford, Essex.[3] In 1986, he entered Lincoln Theological College, an Anglican theological college, to train for ordination.[4] During this time, he also studied theology at the University of Nottingham and graduated with a Bachelor of Theology (BTh) degree in 1989.[4][5][6] Following ordination, he undertook postgraduate studies at King's College London,[6] and graduated with a Master of Arts (MA) degree from the University of London in 1992.[4]
Springett was ordained in the Church of England as a deacon in 1989 and as a priest in 1990.[4] From 1989 to 1992, he served his curacy at St James the Great, Colchester, an Anglo-Catholic parish in the Diocese of Chelmsford.[4][7] He was then a curate at St Martin of Tours, Basildon, between 1992 and 1994.[4] In 1994, he became priest-in-charge of All Saints, Belhus Park and St Nicholas, South Ockendon.[4] From 1998 to 2001, he was also Rural Dean of Thurrock.[5] In 2001, he was appointed Rector of the Parish of Wanstead.[4][5] During his time as incumbent of the parish, he "led the church into significant growth".[6] From 2008 to 2010, he was also Area Dean of Redbridge.[5][6] In 2008, he was made an Honorary Canon of Chelmsford Cathedral.[4]
In April 2010, Springett moved to the Diocese of Gloucester where he had been appointed the Archdeacon of Cheltenham.[6] As an archdeacon, he was one of the most senior priests in the diocese and was responsible for four deaneries (Cheltenham, Tewkesbury and Winchcombe, Cirencester, and the Cotswolds).[1] He was a member of the Crown Nominations Commission that chose Rachel Treweek as Bishop of Gloucester in 2015 (she became the first woman diocesan bishop in the Church of England).[6]
Episcopal ministry
On 25 July 2016, it was announced Springett was to become the next Bishop of Tewkesbury, a suffragan bishop in the Diocese of Gloucester.[5] He was consecrated a bishop on 30 November 2016 during a service at Canterbury Cathedral,[1] and was welcomed as the Bishop of Tewkesbury during a service at Gloucester Cathedral on 11 December 2016.[1] He has been chair of the Diocesan Board of Education since 2017, and therefore leads the oversight of the diocese's 116 church schools.[5][6][8]
Views
In January 2023, Springett stated that he supports the celebration and blessing of "faithful monogamous same-sex relationships", but does not support changing the Church of England's doctrine of marriage (i.e. that marriage is the life long union of one man and one woman).[9]
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".[10]
In 1991, Springett married Helen Bates.[3] Together, they have two daughters; Charlotte and Alice.[5]
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