Paul Ferguson (bishop)

Ferguson was born on 13 July 1955. He was educated at Birkenhead School, an independent school in Merseyside.[3] Having been awarded a organ scholarship, he studied music at New College, Oxford, graduating with a Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree in 1976:[3][4] as per tradition, his BA was promoted to a Master of Arts (MA Oxon) degree in 1980. He undertook teacher training at Westminster College, Oxford completing a Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE).[3] He returned to his former school as a teacher and organ player.[4] He then returned to university, and studied theology at King's College, Cambridge while training for ordination at Westcott House, Cambridge, a Liberal Anglo-Catholic theological college.[3] He graduated with a further BA in 1984.[1]

Ferguson was made a deacon at Petertide 1985 (30 June), by Ronald Brown, Bishop of Birkenhead, at St Mary-without-the-Walls, Chester,[5] and ordained a priest the Petertide following (29 June 1986), by Michael Baughen, Bishop of Chester, at Chester Cathedral.[6] After a curacy at St Mary, Chester he was Curate, Chaplain, Sacrist and Precentor at Westminster Abbey from 1988 to 1995. After this he was Precentor and a Residentiary Canon at York Minster until his appointment as Archdeacon of Cleveland in 2001.[7]

He was consecrated at York Minster on 3 July 2014 by John Sentamu, Archbishop of York.[8] In the vacancy in See between the retirement of Sentamu and the confirmation of Stephen Cottrell, Ferguson was acting diocesan bishop.[9] His retirement has been announced for July 2024.[10]