List of bishops in the Church of England
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The active bishops of the Church of England are usually either diocesan bishops or suffragan bishops. Several also hold portfolios of national responsibility, either as spokesperson bishops for the Church of England or as Lords Spiritual in the House of Lords.
| Key | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Active bishop | Male bishop | ||
| Inactive bishop | Female bishop | ||
| Position vacant | |||
Diocesan bishops
As there are 42 dioceses of the Church of England, there are 42 bishops diocesan (including vacancies). Of the 42: both archbishops and the Bishops of London, of Durham and of Winchester, sit in the House of Lords as Lords Spiritual ex officio; a further 21 sit there by seniority (of whom eight had their seniority accelerated); the Bishop of Sodor and Man sits ex officio in the Legislative Council of the Isle of Man and also in Tynwald Court; fourteen diocesans are not currently Lords Spiritual; and the Bishop in Europe is ineligible to be a Lord Spiritual.
Lords Spiritual ex officio
| Bishop | Person | Date of birth & age | Election confirmed[a] | Consecrated[b] | Introduced[c] |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Archbishop of Canterbury | Sarah Mullally | 26 March 1962[1] | 28 January 2026[2] | 22 July 2015[3] | 24 May 2018 (London)[4] 5 February 2026 (Canterbury)[5] |
| The Archbishop of York | Stephen Cottrell | 31 August 1958 | 9 July 2020[6] | 4 May 2004[i] | 25 March 2014 (Chelmsford) 22 October 2020 (York)[8] |
| The Bishop of London | Vacant since 28 January 2026 | ||||
| The Bishop of Durham | Rick Simpson | 5 July 1966 | 29 April 2026[9] | 30 April 2026[10] | TBA |
| The Bishop of Winchester | Philip Mounstephen | 13 July 1959 | 10 October 2023[d] | 30 November 2018[ii] | 12 December 2023[13] |
Lords Spiritual by virtue of seniority of service
Until 2015, the 21 longest-serving among the remaining diocesan bishops were eligible to sit in the House of Lords as Lords Spiritual. Since women became eligible as bishops in 2015, female diocesan bishops take precedence over male ones whenever a new vacancy in the Lords arises, in accordance with the Lords Spiritual (Women) Act 2015 (originally in force until 17 May 2025,[14][15] extended in 2025 by five more years until 18 May 2030).[16][17]
| Bishop | Person | Date of birth & age | Election confirmed[a] | Consecrated[b] | Introduced[c] |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Bishop of Lincoln | Stephen Conway | 22 December 1957 | 6 December 2010 (Ely)[18] 20 July 2023 (Lincoln)[19] |
22 June 2006[iii] | 7 July 2014 (Ely)[20] 21 November 2023 (Lincoln)[21] |
| The Bishop of Gloucester | Rachel Treweek[e] | 4 February 1963 | 15 June 2015[22] | 22 July 2015[23] | 26 October 2015[24] |
| The Bishop of Derby | Libby Lane[e][f] | 8 December 1966 | 11 February 2019[25] | 26 January 2015[26] | 2 July 2019[27] |
| The Bishop of Manchester, Convenor of the Lords Spiritual[28] |
David Walker[A] | 30 May 1957 | 7 October 2013 | 30 November 2000[iv] | 7 September 2020[30] |
| The Bishop of Chelmsford | Guli Francis-Dehqani[e] | 18 June 1966 | 11 March 2021[31] | 30 November 2017[32][v] | 1 November 2021[33] |
| The Bishop of Southwell and Nottingham | Paul Williams | 16 January 1968 | 11 May 2015[34] | 25 March 2009[35] | 13 June 2022[36] |
| The Bishop of Leicester | Martyn Snow | 25 January 1968[37] | 22 February 2016[38] | 25 September 2013 | 8 November 2022[39] |
| The Bishop of Lichfield | Michael Ipgrave[B] | 18 April 1958 | 10 June 2016[41] | 21 March 2012[42] | 20 February 2023[43] |
| The Bishop of Sheffield | Pete Wilcox | 10 October 1961 | 5 June 2017[44][45] | 22 June 2017[46] | 14 March 2023[47] |
| The Bishop of Newcastle | Helen-Ann Hartley[e] | 28 May 1973 | 3 February 2023[48] | 22 February 2014 | 26 October 2023[49] |
| The Bishop of Norwich | Graham Usher | 11 September 1970 | 17 June 2019 | 25 March 2014[50] | 26 October 2023[51] |
| The Bishop of Hereford | Richard Jackson | 22 January 1961 | 7 January 2020[52] | 14 May 2014[53] | 23 January 2024[54] |
| The Bishop of Peterborough | Debbie Sellin[e] | 1 October 1964[55] | 13 December 2023[56] | 3 July 2019[57] | 30 January 2025[58] |
| The Bishop of Chester | Mark Tanner | November 1970 (age 55) | 15 July 2020[59] | 18 October 2016[60] | 17 July 2025[61] |
| The Bishop of Coventry | Sophie Jelley[e] | 1972 (age 53–54)[62] | 14 February 2025[63] | 21 September 2020 (morning)[64] | 4 September 2025[65] |
| The Bishop of Portsmouth | Jonathan Frost | 26 September 1964 | 18 January 2022[66] | 30 November 2010[67] | 23 October 2025[68] |
| The Bishop of St Edmundsbury and Ipswich | Joanne Grenfell[e] | 27 May 1972[69] | 5 September 2025[70] | 3 July 2019[71] | 5 February 2026[72] |
| The Bishop of Salisbury | Stephen Lake | 17 December 1963[73] | 1 April 2022[74] | 25 April 2022[74] | TBA |
| The Bishop of Ely | Sarah Clark[e] | 21 April 1965 | 17 April 2026[75] | 27 February 2019[76] | TBA |
| The Bishop of Rochester | Jonathan Gibbs | 6 May 1961 | 24 May 2022 | 17 October 2014[77] | TBA |
| The Bishop of Bath and Wells | Michael Beasley | 1968 (age 57–58)[78] | 29 June 2022[79] | 14 May 2015[80] | TBA |
Other diocesan bishops
| Bishop | Person | Date of birth & age | Election confirmed[a] | Consecrated[b] |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Bishop to the Archbishops of Canterbury and York (ad interim)[g] | David Urquhart | 14 April 1952 | Appointed February 2023[81] | 2000 |
| The Bishop in Europe[h] | Robert Innes | 1959 (age 66–67)[82] | Not elected[83] | 20 July 2014[83] |
| The Bishop of Blackburn | Philip North[i] | 2 December 1966 | 25 April 2023[86] | 2 February 2015[87] |
| The Bishop of Birmingham | Michael Volland | 2 May 1974[88] | 22 November 2023[89] | 30 November 2023[90] |
| The Bishop of Sodor and Man[h] | Tricia Hillas | 1966 (age 59–60) | 23 September 2024 (letters patent)[91] | 10 October 2024[92] |
| The Bishop of Exeter | Mike Harrison | 7 March 1963 | 25 September 2024[93] | 24 February 2016[94] |
| The Bishop of Truro | David Williams | 16 April 1961 | 28 March 2025[95] | 19 September 2014[96] |
| The Bishop of Carlisle | Rob Saner-Haigh | 20 February 1973[97] | 1 September 2025[98] | 15 July 2022[99] |
| The Bishop of Worcester, The Bishop to the Forces |
Hugh Nelson | 1972 (age 53–54)[100] | 28 November 2025[101] 20 September 2021 (Forces)[102] |
15 July 2020[103] (morning)[104] |
| The Bishop of St Albans | Andrew Rumsey | 11 February 1968 | 9 June 2026[105] | 25 January 2019[106] |
| The Bishop-designate of Leeds, The Bishop of Bradford |
Toby Howarth | 12 July 1962 | TBA | 17 October 2014[77] |
| The Bishop of Liverpool | Vacant since 31 July 2025[107] | |||
| The Bishop of Bristol | Vacant since 1 September 2025 | |||
| The Bishop of Guildford | Vacant since 3 March 2026 | |||
| The Bishop of Chichester | Vacant since 1 April 2026 | |||
| The Bishop of Oxford | Vacant since 1 August 2026 | |||
| The Bishop of Southwark | Vacant since 5 August 2026[108] |
Acting diocesan bishops
- Acting diocesan bishops, properly called episcopal commissaries, are referred to by a wide variety of informal titles. For simplicity, this article generally refers to the Acting Bishop of Somewhere.
| Acting bishop | Person | Date of birth & age | Acting since | Consecration[b] |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Interim Bishop of Liverpool, The Bishop of Wigan |
Ruth Worsley[j] | 1962 (age 63–64) | 4 April 2025 (translated to Wigan)[109] | 29 September 2015[110] |
| Acting Bishop of Bristol, The Bishop of Swindon |
Neil Warwick | 1964 (age 61–62)[111] | 1 September 2025[112] | 30 November 2023[113] |
| Acting Bishop of Leeds, The Bishop-designate of Leeds, The Bishop of Bradford |
Toby Howarth | 12 July 1962 | 1 December 2025[114] | 17 October 2014[77] |
| Acting Bishop of Guildford, The Bishop of Dorking |
Paul Davies | 15 March 1973 | 3 March 2026 | 29 September 2023 |
| Acting Bishop of Chichester The Bishop of Lewes |
Will Hazlewood[115] | 1971 (age 54–55) | 1 June 2026[116] | 15 July 2020 |
| Acting Bishop of Oxford, The area Bishop of Dorchester |
Gavin Collins | 31 December 1966 | 1 August 2026[117] | 14 April 2021[118] |
| Acting Bishop of Southwark, The area Bishop of Croydon |
Rosemarie Mallett | 1959 (age 66–67)[119] | 5 August 2026[120] | 24 June 2022[121] |
Suffragan bishops
As of 1 May 2022[update], there are 73 bishops suffragan. Of the 73: one, the Bishop of Dover, acts as a diocesan bishop; one, the Bishop of Islington, has a national role (though often focused in London); five bishops provide Alternative Episcopal Oversight (to parishes who reject the presbyteral and/or episcopal ministry of women); 20 are area bishops; and the remaining 46 are deployed in suffragan roles across their diocese (or have informal portfolios or geographical responsibility).
| Diocese | Bishop | Person | Date of birth & age | Took office[k] | Consecrated[b] |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Canterbury | The Bishop of Dover | Rose Hudson-Wilkin | 19 January 1961 | 19 November 2019 (consecration) | 19 November 2019[122] |
| Manchester | The Bishop of Middleton | Mark Davies | 12 May 1962 | 25 April 2008 (consecrated) | 25 April 2008[123] |
| London AEO | The Bishop of Fulham | Jonathan Baker[j] | 6 October 1966 | 13 February 2013 (translated)[124][125] | 16 June 2011[vi] |
| St Albans | The Bishop of Bedford | Richard Atkinson[126][C] | 17 December 1958[128] | 17 May 2012 (consecrated) | 17 May 2012[129] |
| Lichfield | The area Bishop of Wolverhampton | Tim Wambunya | 1966 (age 59–60)[130] | 15 October 2024 (installation)[131] | 6 October 2013 |
| Chelmsford | The area Bishop of Colchester | Roger Morris[132] | 18 July 1968[133] | 25 July 2014 (consecrated) | 25 July 2014[132] |
| Leeds | The area Bishop of Bradford, Acting Bishop of Leeds |
Toby Howarth[77] | 12 July 1962 | 17 October 2014 (consecrated) | 17 October 2014[77] |
| Liverpool | The Bishop of Wigan, Interim Bishop of Liverpool |
Ruth Worsley[j] | 1962 (age 63–64) | 4 April 2025 (letters patent)[109] | 29 September 2015 (Taunton)[110] |
| Lincoln | The Bishop of Grantham | Nicholas Chamberlain | 25 November 1963 | 19 November 2015 (consecrated) | 19 November 2015[134] |
| Salisbury | The Bishop of Sherborne | Karen Gorham[l] | 24 June 1964 | 24 February 2016 (consecrated) | 24 February 2016[135] |
| Gloucester | The Bishop of Tewkesbury | Robert Springett[l] | 15 September 1962 | 30 November 2016 (consecrated) | 30 November 2016[136] |
| York | The Bishop of Hull | Eleanor Sanderson | 1977 (age 48–49)[137] | 22 September 2022[138] | 2 June 2017[139] |
| Blackburn | The Bishop of Lancaster | Jill Duff[l] | 1972 (age 53–54) | 29 June 2018 (consecration) | 29 June 2018[140] |
| Rochester | The Bishop of Tonbridge | Simon Burton-Jones | 23 December 1962[141] | 3 July 2018 (consecration) | 3 July 2018[142] |
| London | The area Bishop of Kensington | Emma Ineson | 1969 (age 56–57) | 19 February 2023 (oaths)[143] | 27 February 2019[vii] |
| Lichfield | The area Bishop of Shrewsbury | Sarah Bullock | 17 March 1964[146] | 3 July 2019 (consecration) | 3 July 2019[147] |
| Worcester | The Bishop of Dudley | Martin Gorick[l] | 23 June 1962 | 28 January 2020 (consecration) | 28 January 2020[148] |
| Chichester | The Bishop of Horsham | Ruth Bushyager | 1977 (age 48–49)[149] | 15 July 2020 (consecration) | 15 July 2020 (morning)[150] |
| Chichester | The Bishop of Lewes, Acting Bishop of Chichester |
Will Hazlewood | 1971 (age 54–55)[151] | 15 July 2020 (consecration) | 15 July 2020 (afternoon)[150] |
| Southwell & Nottingham | The Bishop of Sherwood | Andy Emerton | 1972 (age 53–54)[152] | 21 September 2020 (consecration) | 21 September 2020 (afternoon)[64] |
| Newcastle | The Bishop of Berwick | Mark Wroe | 1969 (age 56–57)[153] | 5 January 2021 (consecration) | 5 January 2021[154] |
| Oxford | The area Bishop of Dorchester | Gavin Collins | 31 December 1966 | 14 April 2021 (consecration) | 14 April 2021[118] |
| Lichfield | The area Bishop of Stafford | Matthew Parker | 1 June 1963 | 14 April 2021 (consecration) | 14 April 2021[118] |
| Norwich | The Bishop of Lynn | Jane Steen | 1964 (age 61–62) | 23 June 2021 (consecration) | 23 June 2021[155] |
| Chester | The Bishop of Birkenhead | Julie Conalty[l] | 1963 (age 62–63) | 19 July 2021 (consecration) | 19 July 2021[156] |
| Chester | The Bishop of Stockport | Sam Corley | 1976 (age 49–50)[157] | 19 July 2021 (consecration) | 19 July 2021[156] |
| Chelmsford | The area Bishop of Barking | Lynne Cullens | 1964 (age 61–62)[158] | 25 January 2022 (consecration) | 25 January 2022[159] |
| Leicester | The Bishop of Loughborough | Saju Muthalaly | 1979 (age 46–47)[160] | 25 January 2022 (consecration) | 25 January 2022[159] |
| London | The area Bishop of Willesden | Lusa Nsenga-Ngoy | 1977 (age 48–49)[161] | 25 January 2022 (consecration) | 25 January 2022[159] |
| Southwark | The area Bishop of Croydon | Rosemarie Mallett | 1959 (age 66–67)[162] | 24 June 2022 (consecration) | 24 June 2022[163] |
| Leeds | The Bishop of Kirkstall | Arun Arora | 1971 (age 54–55)[164] | 15 July 2022 (consecration) | 15 July 2022[165] |
| Exeter | The Bishop of Plymouth | James Grier | aged c. 47[166] | 29 September 2022 (consecration) | 29 September 2022[167] |
| York AEO | The Bishop of Beverley | Stephen Race[l] | 1969 (age 56–57)[168] | 30 November 2022 (consecration) | 30 November 2022[169] |
| Lichfield AEO | The Bishop of Oswestry | Paul Thomas | 1975 (age 50–51)[170] | 2 February 2023 (consecration) | 2 February 2023[171] |
| Southwark | The area Bishop of Kingston | Martin Gainsborough | 1966 (age 59–60)[172] | 2 February 2023 (consecration) | 2 February 2023[173] |
| St Albans | The Bishop of Hertford | Jane Mainwaring | 1970 (age 55–56)[174] | 2 February 2023 (consecration) | 2 February 2023[173] |
| Canterbury AEO | The Bishop of Ebbsfleet | Rob Munro | 1963 (age 62–63)[175] | 2 February 2023 (consecration) | 2 February 2023[173] |
| Leeds | The area Bishop of Huddersfield | Smitha Prasadam | 1964 (age 61–62)[176] | 22 June 2023 (consecration) | 22 June 2023[177] |
| Manchester | The Bishop of Bolton | Matthew Porter | 1969 (age 56–57)[178] | 22 June 2023 (consecration) | 22 June 2023[177] |
| Leeds | The area Bishop of Ripon | Anna Eltringham | 1974 (age 51–52)[179] | 22 June 2023 (consecration) | 22 June 2023[177] |
| Norwich | The Bishop of Thetford | Ian Bishop | 13 November 1962 | 29 September 2023 (consecration) | 29 September 2023[180] |
| Chelmsford | The area Bishop of Bradwell | Adam Atkinson | 1967 (age 58–59)[181] | 29 September 2023 (consecration) | 29 September 2023[180] |
| Guildford | The Bishop of Dorking, Acting Bishop of Guildford |
Paul Davies | 15 March 1973 | 29 September 2023 (consecration) | 29 September 2023[180] |
| Bristol | The Bishop of Swindon, Acting Bishop of Bristol |
Neil Warwick | 1964 (age 61–62)[182] | 30 November 2023 (consecration) | 30 November 2023[113] |
| London | The area Bishop of Edmonton | Anderson Jeremiah | 1975 (age 50–51)[183] | 25 April 2024 (consecration) | 25 April 2024[184] |
| Southwark | The area Bishop of Woolwich | Alastair Cutting | May 29, 1960 | 3 July 2024 (consecration) | 3 July 2024[185] |
| Blackburn | The Bishop of Burnley | Joe Kennedy | 1969 (age 56–57)[186] | 19 July 2024 (consecration) | 19 July 2024[187] |
| York | The Bishop of Selby | Flora Winfield | 1964 (age 61–62)[188] | 10 October 2024 (consecration) | 10 October 2024[189] |
| York | The Bishop of Whitby | Barry Hill | 1979 (age 46–47)[190] | 10 October 2024 (consecration) | 10 October 2024[189] |
| Winchester | The Bishop of Southampton | Rhiannon King | 1972 (age 53–54)[191] | 18 October 2024 (consecration) | 18 October 2024[192] |
| Birmingham | The Bishop of Aston | Esther Prior | 1973 (age 52–53)[193] | 27 February 2025 (consecration) | 27 February 2025 (morning)[194] |
| Europe | The Suffragan Bishop in Europe | Andrew Norman | 1963 (age 62–63)[195] | 27 February 2025 (consecration) | 27 February 2025 (morning)[196] |
| Oxford | The area Bishop of Buckingham | Dave Bull | 1972 (age 53–54)[197] | 27 February 2025 (consecration) | 27 February 2025 (morning)[198] |
| Oxford | The area Bishop of Reading | Mary Gregory | 1970 (age 55–56)[199] | 27 February 2025 (consecration) | 27 February 2025 (morning)[198] |
| Canterbury AEO | The Bishop of Richborough[j] | Luke Irvine-Capel | 1975 (age 50–51)[200] | 27 February 2025 (consecration) | 27 February 2025 (afternoon)[201] |
| Leeds | The area Bishop of Wakefield | Malcolm Chamberlain | 1 December 1969 | 11 June 2025 (consecration) | 11 June 2025 (announced)[202] |
| Exeter | The Bishop of Crediton | Moira Astin | 18 February 1965 | 3 July 2025 (consecration) | 3 July 2025[203] |
| Sheffield | The Bishop of Doncaster | Leah Vasey-Saunders | 1977 (age 48–49)[204] | 16 September 2025 (consecration) | 16 September 2025[205] |
| Winchester | The Bishop of Basingstoke | Kelly Betteridge | 1969 (age 56–57)[206] | 15 October 2025 (consecration) | 15 October 2025[207] |
| Lincoln | The Bishop of Grimsby | Jean Burgess | 10 June 1962 | 6 February 2026 (consecration) | 6 February 2026[208] |
| Bath & Wells | The Bishop of Taunton | Fiona Gibson | 1970 (age 55–56)[209] | 6 February 2026 (consecration) | 6 February 2026[210] |
| Carlisle | The Bishop of Penrith | Michael Leyden | 12 December 1985 | 30 April 2026 (consecration) | 30 April 2026[211] |
| Liverpool | The Bishop of Warrington | Simon Robinson | 17 August 1967 | 30 April 2026 (consecration) | 30 April 2026[212] |
| London | The area Bishop of Stepney | Rod Green | 29 May 1974[213] | 1 May 2026 (consecration) | 1 May 2026[214] |
| Truro | The Bishop of St Germans | James Treasure | 1975 (age 50–51) | 1 May 2026 (consecration) | 1 May 2026[215] |
| Peterborough | The Bishop of Brixworth | Alex Hughes | 3 October 1975[216] | 16 July 2026 (consecration) | 16 July 2026[217] |
| Coventry | The Bishop of Warwick | Vacant since 7 August 2023 | |||
| St Edmundsbury & Ipswich | The Bishop of Dunwich | Vacant since 25 September 2024 | |||
| London | The Bishop of Islington, national bishop for church plants |
Vacant since 30 November 2025 | |||
| Durham | The Bishop of Jarrow | Vacant since 17 April 2026 | |||
| Derby | The Bishop of Repton | Vacant since 1 May 2026 | |||
| Ely | The Bishop of Huntingdon | Vacant since 30 May 2026 | |||
| Salisbury | The Bishop of Ramsbury | Vacant since 9 June 2026 |
Other bishops
As of 15 October 2024[update], there are sixteen people in active ministry (i.e. not retired) in the Church of England who are in episcopal orders but not in episcopal posts in the Church of England.
- Jonathan Ruhumuliza, former Bishop of Cameroon (Church of the Province of West Africa) and of Kigali (Anglican Church of Rwanda; consecrated 1991), has been in parish ministry in England since 2005[218]
- Pete Broadbent, former Bishop of Willesden (consecrated 2001), has been Bishop's Adviser (2030 Vision) in the Diocese of London since 1 October 2021.[219]
- Saulo Barros, former Bishop of The Amazon (Anglican Episcopal Church of Brazil; consecrated 2006) is Priest-in-Charge of St Martin's Church, Plaistow.[220]
- Humphrey Southern, former Bishop of Repton (consecrated 2007)[221] has been Principal of Ripon College Cuddesdon since 2015[222]
- Anthony Poggo, former Bishop of Kajo-Keji (Episcopal Church of South Sudan; consecrated 2007), has been based at Lambeth Palace since 2016: as the Archbishop of Canterbury's Advisor on Anglican Communion Affairs[223] until 2022 and as Secretary General of the Anglican Consultative Council since[224]
- Christopher Cocksworth, former Bishop of Coventry (consecrated 2008), has been Dean of Windsor since 2023
- Mark Sowerby, former Bishop of Horsham (consecrated 2009),[225] has been Principal of the College of the Resurrection, Mirfield, since 2019[226]
- Mark Rylands, former Bishop of Shrewsbury (consecrated 2009),[227] has been a parish priest in Devon since 2018[228]
- Chris Goldsmith, former Bishop of St Germans (consecrated 2013),[229] has been based at Church House, Westminster as national Director of Ministry since 2019[230]
- Rob Gillion, former Bishop of Riverina (Anglican Church of Australia; consecrated 2014), has been Vicar of Streatham Christ Church and Associate Bishop for the Arts in the Diocese of Southwark since 2020[231]
- Graham Tomlin, former area Bishop of Kensington (consecrated 2015), has been leading the Centre for Cultural Witness since 2022[232]
- Rob Wickham, former area Bishop of Edmonton[233] (consecrated 2015),[234] has been the CEO of Church Urban Fund since July 2023.
- Anne Hollinghurst, former Bishop of Aston (consecrated 2015),[235] has been Principal of The Queen's Foundation, Edgbaston, and an honorary assistant bishop in the neighbouring Diocese of Lichfield (and member of that diocese's House of Bishops) since September 2024.[236]
- Jan McFarlane, former Bishop of Repton (consecrated 2016),[237] has been Dean of Lichfield since 2024.[238]
- Jo Bailey Wells, former Bishop of Dorking (consecrated 2016),[239] has been "Bishop for Episcopal Ministry" at the Anglican Communion Office since January 2023.[240]
- Anthony Ball, part-time bishop (consecrated 2021) in the Episcopal/Anglican Province of Alexandria.[241] is a Canon of Westminster and has been Director of the Anglican Centre in Rome and Archbishop of Canterbury's Representative to the Holy See since 2025.
House of Bishops
The membership of the General Synod's House of Bishops is:[242]
- All 42 bishops diocesan (or as many as are in post)
- The Bishop suffragan of Dover (as a quasi-diocesan bishop; Rose Hudson-Wilkin, since 2019) and the Bishop to the Forces (Hugh Nelson, Bishop of Worcester; since 2021)
- 9 bishops suffragan (5 from Canterbury province; 4 from York) elected by and from among all the bishops suffragan.
- The following have been elected to serve in the Convocations for 2021–2026:[243]
- Martin Gorick, Bishop suffragan of Dudley (since 2021)[244]
- Jill Duff, Bishop suffragan of Lancaster (since 2022)[245]
- Julie Conalty, Bishop suffragan of Birkenhead (since 2023)[246]
- Stephen Race, Bishop suffragan of Beverley (since 2023)[246]
- Jonathan Baker, Bishop suffragan of Fulham (since 2025)[247]
- Robert Springett, Bishop suffragan of Tewkesbury (since 2026)
- Karen Gorham, Bishop suffragan of Sherborne (since 2026)
- one southern vacancy vice Hollinghurst
- one northern vacancy vice Mason
Acting diocesan bishops (commissaries) also attend but do not vote (unless they happen to hold a vote as an elected representative suffragan) at meetings of the House.[248]
The four "provincial episcopal visitors" (the Bishops suffragan of Richborough, of Ebbsfleet, of Oswestry and of Beverley) may attend and speak, but are not members and may not vote — unless they are elected as representative suffragans[242][249] (as Beverley is).
Since 1 December 2016 six female bishops suffragan are "[given] rights of attendance".[250] They are:[242]
- Alison White, Bishop suffragan of Hull
- Ruth Worsley, Bishop suffragan of Wigan
- Karen Gorham, Bishop suffragan of Sherborne
- one vacancy vice Hartley
- one vacancy vice Bailey Wells
- one vacancy vice Hollinghurst
Scheduled Crown Nominations Committee (CNC) meetings
The following meetings of the Crown Nominations Commission have been held since 2020, with the outcomes listed:[251]
| See | First meeting | Second meeting | Announcement | Election confirmed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chester | 3 February 2020 | 16 & 17 March 2020 | 12 May 2020 | 15 July 2020 |
| Chelmsford | 12 October 2020 | 18 & 19 November 2020 | 17 December 2020 | 11 March 2021 |
| Portsmouth | 21 June 2021 | 20 & 21 July 2021 | 8 October 2021 | 18 January 2022[66] |
| Salisbury | 29 September 2021 | 9 & 10 November 2021 | 13 January 2022 | 1 April 2022 |
| Rochester | 14 December 2021 | 27 & 28 January 2022 | 31 March 2022 | 24 May 2022 |
| Bath and Wells | 31 January 2022 | 28 & 1 March 2022 | 28 April 2022 | 29 June 2022 |
| Liverpool | 16 May 2022 | 21 & 22 June 2022 | 18 October 2022 | 20 January 2023 |
| Newcastle | 7 June 2022 | 18 & 19 July 2022 | 20 October 2022 | 3 February 2023 |
| Blackburn | 21 September 2022 | 8 & 9 November 2022 | 10 January 2023 | 25 April 2023 |
| Lincoln | 24 February 2023 | 28 & 29 March 2023 | 24 May 2023 | 20 July 2023 |
| Winchester | 21 March 2023 | 27 & 28 April 2023 | 6 July 2023 | 10 October 2023 |
| Birmingham | 21 April 2023 | 18 & 19 May 2023 | 31 August 2023 | 22 November 2023 |
| Peterborough | 13 June 2023 | 19 & 20 July 2023 | 28 September 2023 | 13 December 2023 |
| Carlisle | 7 November 2023 | 13 & 14 December 2023 | 15 December 2023: not filled[252] |
— |
| Sodor and Man | 17 January 2024 | 13 & 14 March 2024 | 16 May 2024 | n/a |
| Exeter | 29 February 2024 | 9 & 10 April 2024 | 4 June 2024 | 25 September 2024 |
| Ely | 13 May 2024 | 11 & 12 July 2024 | 15 July 2024: not filled[253] |
— |
| Coventry | 26 June 2024 | 11 & 12 September 2024 | 4 November 2024 | 14 February 2025 |
| Truro | 6 September 2024 | 15 & 16 October 2024 | 11 December 2024 | 28 March 2025 |
| Durham | 11 October 2024 | 26 & 27 November 2024 | 17 February 2025 (nominated candidate withdrew)[254] |
— |
| Carlisle | 22 January 2025 | 13 & 14 March 2025 | 9 May 2025 | 1 September 2025 |
| St Edmundsbury & Ipswich | 4 March 2025 | 28 & 29 April 2025 | 27 June 2025[255] | 5 September 2025 |
| Worcester | 9 May 2025 | 12 & 13 June 2025 | 29 July 2025[256] | 28 November 2025 |
| Canterbury | May & July 2025[257] | September 2025 | 3 October 2025 | 28 January 2026 |
| Ely | 2 October 2025 | 12 & 13 November 2025 | 27 January 2026 | 17 April 2026 |
| Durham | 3 September 2025 | 9 & 10 December 2025 | 19 February 2026 | 29 April 2026 |
| St Albans | 4 December 2025 | 20 & 21 January 2026 | 19 March 2026 | 9 June 2026 |
| Bristol | 19 February 2026 | 15 & 16 April 2026 | 27 May 2026 (nominated candidate withdrew)[258] | — |
| Leeds | 4 March 2026 | 13 & 14 May 2026 | 31 July 2026 | TBA |
| See | First meeting | Second meeting | Estimated announcement | Election Confirmed |
| London | 23 September 2026 | 12 & 13 November 2026 | c. 2027 | TBA |
| Bristol | 22 September 2026 | 19 & 20 November 2026 | TBA | |
| Oxford | 9 October 2026 | 9 & 10 December 2026 | c. 2027 | TBA |
| Liverpool | 1 December 2026 | 27 & 28 January 2027 | c. 2027 | TBA |
| Southwark | 4 February 2027 | 17 & 18 March 2027 | TBA | |
| Chichester | 11 March 2027 | 20 & 21 April 2027 | TBA | |
| Lichfield | 12 May 2027 | 30 June & 1 July 2027 | TBA | |
| Guildford | 9 June 2027 | 20 & 21 July 2027 | TBA | |
| Manchester | 9 September 2027 | 19 & 20 October 2027 | TBA |
See also
Consecration notes
- Mounstephen was consecrated as Bishop of Truro in 2018.
- Conway was consecrated as area Bishop of Ramsbury in 2006.
- Walker was consecrated as area Bishop of Dudley in 2000.
- Francis-Dehqani was consecrated as Bishop suffragan of Loughborough in 2017.
- Baker was consecrated as Bishop suffragan of Ebbsfleet (PEV) in 2011.
Resignations and retirements
Bishops are generally required to retire at age 70, but may continue in office for longer (up to a maximum of 75) by direction of their superior (the archbishop for diocesan bishops, the diocesan bishop for suffragan bishops).[259]
Notes
- The date the person was consecrated as an Anglican bishop.
- The date(s) the person was introduced in the House of Lords.
- Accelerated in accordance with the Lords Spiritual (Women) Act 2015.[14]
- Lane has the distinction of being the first woman consecrated into bishop's orders in the Church of England (as Bishop suffragan of Stockport in 2015). Hartley was a priest of the Church of England consecrated bishop in 2014 in the Anglican Church in Aotearoa, New Zealand and Polynesia.
- The Bishop to the Archbishops is neither a diocesan (they cannot be a Lord Spiritual) nor a suffragan bishop, but ranks highly as episcopal chief of staff to the Archbishops of Canterbury (at Lambeth Palace) and of York (at Bishopthorpe) and Urquhart is a retired diocesan bishop; unlike the holders of the predecessor office Bishop at Lambeth, Urquhart has not been appointed Bishop to the Forces, so he does not have a seat in the House of Bishops.
- The Bishops of Sodor and Man and in Europe are ineligible to be Lords Spiritual; the Bishop of Sodor and Man is, however, ex officio a member of the Manx Legislative Council.
- Attends the House of Bishops.
- The date the person took up office in their current suffragan role; for suffragans in their first see, this date is the same as their consecration.
- Elected suffragan member of the House of Bishops for the 2021–2026 Convocations.