Jonathan Gibbs (bishop)

Jonathan Robert Gibbs (born 6 May 1961) is a Church of England bishop. He is the current Bishop of Rochester, the diocesan bishop for the Diocese of Rochester. He served as the first Bishop of Huddersfield between 2014 and 2022.[1]

The Right Reverend

Jonathan Gibbs
Bishop of Rochester
ChurchChurch of England
DioceseDiocese of Rochester
In office2022–present
Other post(s)area Bishop of Huddersfield (2014–2022)
Orders
Ordination1989 (deacon)
1990 (priest)
Consecration17 October 2014
by John Sentamu
Personal details
Born
Jonathan Robert Gibbs

(1961-05-06) 6 May 1961
NationalityBritish
DenominationAnglicanism
SpouseToni
ChildrenThree
EducationThe King's School, Chester
Alma materJesus College, Oxford
Ridley Hall, Cambridge
Jesus College, Cambridge

Early life and education

Gibbs was born on 6 May 1961.[2][3] He was educated at The King's School, a private school in Chester, Cheshire. He then studied Philosophy and Politics at Jesus College, Oxford, and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree; as per tradition, his BA was later promoted to Master of Arts (MA Oxon) degree.[4]

In 1984, Gibbs entered Ridley Hall, Cambridge, an Anglican theological college, to train for ordained ministry.[3][4] He also undertook postgraduate research at Jesus College, Cambridge, completing a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degree in 1990.[3] His doctoral thesis was titled "The challenge of transformation: towards a theology of work in the light of the thought of H. Richard Niebuhr".[5]

Ordained ministry

Gibbs was ordained in the Church of England as a deacon in 1989 and as a priest in 1990.[4] He served his curacy at Holy Trinity and Christ Church, Stalybridge, in the Diocese of Chester.[3] He was the Intercontinental Church Society Chaplain at Basel (Switzerland) and Freiburg im Breisgau (Germany) from 1992 until 1998. He was then the incumbent at Heswall from 1998 until his elevation to the episcopate in 2014.[3]

Episcopal ministry

In August 2014, it was announced that Gibbs would be the first Bishop of Huddersfield, an area bishop in the newly created Diocese of Leeds.[1] On 17 October 2014, he was consecrated a bishop by John Sentamu, Archbishop of York, during a service at York Minster.[6]

On 31 March 2022, it was announced that Gibbs would succeed James Langstaff as the Bishop of Rochester, the diocesan bishop of the diocese of Rochester.[7] He took up the See on 24 May 2022 (at St Mary-le-Bow) at the confirmation of his election[8] and was afterwards installed as Bishop of Rochester during a service at Rochester Cathedral on 24 September 2022.[9]

Views

In 2023, following the news that the House of Bishop's of the Church of England was to introduce proposals for blessing same-sex relationships, he signed an open letter which stated:[10]

many Christians in the Church of England and the Anglican Communion, together with Christians from across the churches of world Christianity, continue to believe that marriage is given by God for the union of a man and woman and that it cannot be extended to those who are of the same sex. [...] Without seeking to diminish the value of many committed same-sex relationships, for which there is much to give thanks, we find ourselves constrained by what we sincerely believe the Scriptures teach which cannot be set aside.[10]

Personal life

Gibbs is married to Toni.[6] Together, they have three children; Harriet, Edward and Thomas.[11]

References
  1. "Huddersfield's first ever bishop named as Jonathan Gibbs". BBC News. 26 August 2014. Retrieved 22 November 2014.
  2. "Gibbs, Jonathan Robert". Who's Who. Vol. 2016 (November 2015 online ed.). A & C Black. Retrieved 24 July 2016. (Subscription or UK public library membership required.)
  3. "Jonathan Robert Gibbs". Crockford's Clerical Directory (online ed.). Church House Publishing. Retrieved 23 June 2018.
  4. "Suffragan Bishop of Huddersfield: Jonathan Robert Gibbs". News. Government of the United Kingdom. 26 August 2014. Retrieved 4 December 2014.
  5. Gibbs, Jonathan Robert (1989). "The challenge of transformation: towards a theology of work in the light of the thought of H. Richard Niebuhr". E-Thesis Online Service. The British Library. Retrieved 16 June 2016.
  6. "Celebration as the new bishops for Huddersfield and Bradford are consecrated". Diocese of Leeds. Church of England. Retrieved 16 June 2016.
  7. "Appointment of Bishop of Rochester: 31 March 2022". GOV.UK. Prime Minister's Office, 10 Downing Street. 31 March 2022. Retrieved 31 March 2022.
  8. "(Section: Forthcoming Events)". St Mary-le-Bow. Archived from the original on 4 June 2022. Retrieved 29 September 2022.
  9. "New Bishop of Rochester announced". Diocese of Rochester. 31 March 2022. Retrieved 31 March 2022.
  10. "LLF: a paper on the Doctrine of Marriage". Thinking Anglicans. 31 January 2023. Retrieved 31 January 2023.
  11. "The consecration of Bishop Dr Jonathan Gibbs". Diocese of Chester. Church of England. 21 October 2014. Retrieved 16 June 2016.
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