Jeremy Sheehy

Sheehy was born on 31 October 1956.[1] He was educated at Trinity School of John Whitgift, an all-boys private school in the London Borough of Croydon, at Bristol Grammar School, then a direct grant grammar school in Bristol, and at King Edward's School, Birmingham, an all-boys independent school in Birmingham.[1] He studied jurisprudence at Magdalen College, Oxford,[1][2] graduating with a first class Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree in 1978:[1][3] as per tradition, his BA was promoted in 1981 to a Master of Arts (MA Oxon) degree.[3]

While studying for his first degree and having been sponsored by his home diocese of the Diocese of Birmingham, Sheehy attended a selection conference for ordained ministry in the Church of England.[2] In 1978, he entered St Stephen's House, Oxford, an Anglo-Catholic theological college, to train for Holy Orders and study theology.[3] Following his studies, he graduated from the University of Oxford with a further first class BA degree.[1][2] He left theological college in 1981 to be ordained.[3] He later undertook postgraduate research at New College, Oxford: he completed his Doctor of Philosophy (DPhil) degree in 1990 with a thesis titled "The sinlessness of Christ as a problem in modern systematic theology".[3][4]

Sheehy was ordained in the Church of England as a deacon in 1981 and as a priest in 1982.[3] From 1981 to 1983, he served his curacy at St Barnabas' Church, Erdington in the Diocese of Birmingham.[1] From 1983 to 1984, he served a further curacy at St Gregory the Great's Church, Small Heath.[3][2] In 1984, he left the Diocese of Birmingham to return to the University of Oxford where he had been appointed Dean of Divinity, Chaplain, and Fellow of New College, Oxford.[1][2] While at New College, he worked to increase chapel attendance and also taught law and theology.[2] In 1990, he returned to parish ministry having been appointed Vicar of the Church of St Margaret with St Columba, Leytonstone in the Diocese of Chelmsford.[3] He was additionally appointed priest-in-charge of nearby St Andrew's Church, Leytonstone in 1993.[1][2]

In 1996, Sheehy once more returned to Oxford having been appointed Principal of St Stephen's House, Oxford in succession to Edwin Barnes.[1] St Stephen's House is an Anglo-Catholic theological college and a permanent private hall of the University of Oxford.[5] He also served as Chair of the Oxford Partnership for Theological Education and Training (OPTET) between 1999 and 2001:[1] the OPTET consists of the numerous theological colleges and halls in and surrounding Oxford.[6]

In 2006, after ten years heading a theologian college, Sheehy was appointed Team Rector of St Peter's Church, Swinton and Pendlebury in the Diocese of Manchester.[3] The benefice receives alternative episcopal oversight from the Bishop of Beverley.[2][7] Since 2008, he has also been an examining chaplain to the Bishop of Manchester and teaches doctrine at the All Saints Centre for Mission and Ministry, a part-time training course covering the North-West, Isle of Man and East Midlands.[1][8] From 2011 to 2013, he was additionally the Area Dean of Eccles.[3]

In 2004, Sheehy was awarded an honorary Doctor of Divinity (DDhc) by the Graduate Theological Foundation.[1][11] In 2009, he was awarded a DDhc degree by Nashotah House in Wisconsin.[12]