Diocese of Oxford

Diocese of Oxford

Location
Ecclesiastical province Canterbury
Archdeaconries Oxford, Buckingham, Berkshire, Dorchester
Statistics
Parishes 624
Churches 847
Information
Cathedral Christ Church
Current leadership
Bishop Vacant (acting bishop: the area Bishop of Dorchester; bishop-designate: Steven Croft)
Suffragans Colin Fletcher, area Bishop of Dorchester
Alan Wilson, area Bishop of Buckingham
Andrew Proud, area Bishop of Reading
Archdeacons Karen Gorham, Archdeacon of Buckingham
Martin Gorick, Archdeacon of Oxford
Olivia Graham, Archdeacon of Berkshire
Judy French, Archdeacon of Dorchester
Website
oxford.anglican.org

The Diocese of Oxford is a Church of England diocese that forms part of the Province of Canterbury.

History

The Diocese of Oxford was created by letters patent from Henry VIII on 1 September 1542,[1] out of part of the Diocese of Lincoln. Osney Abbey was designated the original cathedral, but in 1545 this was changed to St. Frideswide's which became Christ Church Cathedral.

In 1836 the Archdeaconry of Berkshire was transferred from the Diocese of Salisbury to Oxford. This comprises the county of Berkshire and parts of Wiltshire.

In 1837 the County of Buckingham was similarly transferred from the then Diocese of Lincoln, to become the Archdeaconry of Buckingham, although this annexation did not take effect until 1845.

In 2013 and 2014, the Diocese of Oxford discussed and resolved to undertake some pastoral alterations; the new archdeaconry of Dorchester was created on 1 March 2014.[2] On 3 March 2014, it was announced that Judy French would become the first Archdeacon of Dorchester from June 2014.[3]

Bishops

The diocesan Bishop of Oxford is assisted by the area bishops of Dorchester, Buckingham, and Reading; during the vacancy in the diocesan see, the Bishop of Dorchester is acting bishop. The suffragan See of Buckingham was created in 1914, and was the suffragan bishop for the whole diocese until 1939 when the See of Dorchester was created; the See of Reading was re-created in 1942, after having been 'in abeyance' since 1909.

The provincial episcopal visitor (for parishes in this diocese – among twelve others in the western part of the Province of Canterbury – who reject the ministry of priests who are women, since 1994) is Jonathan Goodall, Bishop suffragan of Ebbsfleet, who is licensed as an honorary assistant bishop of the diocese in order to facilitate his work there.

There are also eleven former bishops resident in (or near) the diocese who are licensed to serve as honorary assistant bishops:

George Carey (retired Archbishop of Canterbury) also lives in the diocese;[15] and Humphrey Southern, former Bishop suffragan of Repton, is the Principal of Ripon College Cuddesdon.[16]

Current extent

Counties

The Diocese now covers the counties of

and has

Episcopal areas

Map of the dioceses of the Church of England showing Oxford Diocese in mauve.

Since the creation of an area scheme in 1984,[17] the diocese has been divided into three Episcopal Areas corresponding to its Archdeaconries. The Bishop of Oxford has authority throughout the diocese, but also has primary responsibility for the city and suburbs of Oxford, which are part of the Archdeaconry of Oxford.

See also

References

  1. ↑ Clergy of the Church of England Database — Christ Church cathedral: history and description (Accessed 12 January 2016)
  2. ↑ Ridgeway Broadsheet, March 2014 (Accessed 24 May 2014)
  3. ↑ Diocese of Oxford – New archdeacon for Dorchester (Accessed 21 March 2014)
  4. ↑ Gordon, (Archibald) Ronald (McDonald). Who's Who 2014 (December 2013 online ed.). A & C Black, an imprint of Bloomsbury Publishing plc. Retrieved 30 April 2014.
  5. ↑ Arnold, Keith Appleby. Who's Who 2014 (December 2013 online ed.). A & C Black, an imprint of Bloomsbury Publishing plc. Retrieved 30 April 2014.
  6. ↑ Nott, Peter John. Who's Who 2014 (December 2013 online ed.). A & C Black, an imprint of Bloomsbury Publishing plc. Retrieved 30 April 2014.
  7. ↑ Richmond, (Francis) Henry (Arthur). Who's Who 2014 (December 2013 online ed.). A & C Black, an imprint of Bloomsbury Publishing plc. Retrieved 30 April 2014.
  8. ↑ Down, William John Denbigh. Who's Who 2014 (December 2013 online ed.). A & C Black, an imprint of Bloomsbury Publishing plc. Retrieved 30 April 2014.
  9. ↑ Johnson, James Nathaniel. Who's Who 2014 (December 2013 online ed.). A & C Black, an imprint of Bloomsbury Publishing plc. Retrieved 30 April 2014.
  10. ↑ Garton, John Henry. Who's Who 2014 (December 2013 online ed.). A & C Black, an imprint of Bloomsbury Publishing plc. Retrieved 30 April 2014.
  11. ↑ Russell, Anthony John. Who's Who 2014 (December 2013 online ed.). A & C Black, an imprint of Bloomsbury Publishing plc. Retrieved 30 April 2014.
  12. ↑ Scriven, Henry William. Who's Who 2014 (December 2013 online ed.). A & C Black, an imprint of Bloomsbury Publishing plc. Retrieved 30 April 2014.
  13. ↑ Jennings, David Willfred Michael. Who's Who 2014 (December 2013 online ed.). A & C Black, an imprint of Bloomsbury Publishing plc. Retrieved 26 April 2014.
  14. ↑ Went, John Stewart. Who's Who 2014 (December 2013 online ed.). A & C Black, an imprint of Bloomsbury Publishing plc. Retrieved 30 April 2014.
  15. ↑ "GL Carey of Clifton". Crockford's Clerical Directory (online ed.). Church House Publishing. Retrieved 7 May 2014. (subscription required)
  16. ↑ Ripon College Cuddesdon — Appointment of new Principal (Accessed 3 April 2015)
  17. ↑ "4: The Dioceses Commission, 1978–2002" (PDF). Church of England. Retrieved 23 April 2013.

External links

Coordinates: 51°45′01″N 1°15′21″W / 51.750199°N 1.255853°W / 51.750199; -1.255853

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