Paul Thomas (bishop)

The Right Reverend

Paul Thomas

SSC
The Right Reverend; Paul Thomas; SSC
Bishop of Oswestry (PEV)
Church	Church of England
Diocese	Diocese of Lichfield
In office	2023 to present
Other post(s)	Vicar of St James's Church, Paddington (2011–2023)
Orders
Ordination	2002 (deacon) ; 2003 (priest)
Consecration	2 February 2023; by Martin Warner
Personal details
Born	Paul Richard Thomas; 1975 (age 47–48)
Nationality	British
Denomination	Anglicanism
Alma mater	Cardiff University ; Ripon College Cuddesdon

Paul Richard Thomas SSC (born 1975) is a British Anglican bishop who has served as Bishop of Oswestry, a suffragan bishop in the Diocese of Lichfield and the provincial episcopal visitor for the western half of the Province of Canterbury (a post which was formerly exercised by the Bishop of Ebbsfleet) since February 2023.[1] From 2011, he was vicar of St James's Church, Paddington.

Early life and education

Thomas was born in 1975 and raised in Carmarthenshire, Wales.[2][3] He studied medieval English at Cardiff University, graduating with a Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree in 1996.[4] He continued his studies and graduated with a Master of Arts (MA) degree in 1998[2] or 1999.[3] He trained for ordained ministry at Ripon College Cuddesdon, a theological college near Oxford.[5] He graduated with a further BA in 2001 and an MA in 2006.[3]

Thomas was ordained in the Church of England as a deacon in 2002 and as a priest in 2003.[2] From 2002 to 2006, he served his curacy in the Parish of St Mary with Christ Church, Wanstead in the Diocese of Chelmsford.[4] He was an assistant priest at St Marylebone Parish Church from 2006, and then additionally a chaplain at St Marylebone School and chaplain to the Royal Academy of Music from 2008.[2][6]

In 2011, Thomas was appointed vicar of St James's Church, Paddington.[2] Having stepped down as school chaplain when he left Marylebone, he continued as chaplain to the Royal Academy of Music until 2012.[3] He was additionally area dean of Westminster Paddington from 2016 to 2021, and acting Archdeacon of Charing Cross from 2017 to 2019.[4][3] He was also a school chaplain at Wellington College, Berkshire, between 2018 and 2019.[3]

On 2 December 2022, it was announced that Thomas would be the next Bishop of Oswestry, a suffragan bishop in the Diocese of Lichfield.[2][7] The Bishop of Oswestry is also the provincial episcopal visitor for traditionalist Anglo-Catholic parishes (i.e. those who reject the ordination of women as priests and bishops) in the thirteen dioceses of the western half of the Province of Canterbury.[5][8][9] This role had formerly been undertaken by the Bishop of Ebbsfleet, and as such Thomas is the first PEV Bishop of Oswestry.[8][9] He was consecrated a bishop on Candlemas (2 February) 2023 by Martin Warner, Bishop of Chichester, during a service in Canterbury Cathedral.[1]

Thomas, Paul (2012). Using the Book of Common Prayer: a simple guide. London: Church House. ISBN 9780715142769.

"The Consecration of the first Bishop of Oswestry". See of Oswestry. 2 February 2023. Archived from the original on 2 February 2023. Retrieved 3 February 2023.
"Appointment of Suffragan Bishop of Oswestry: 2 December 2022". GOV.UK. Prime Minister's Office, 10 Downing Street. 2 December 2022. Retrieved 2 December 2022.
"Paul Richard Thomas". Crockford's Clerical Directory (online ed.). Church House Publishing. Retrieved 2 December 2022.
Beddowes, Brian. "Bishop of Oswestry (Bishop-Designate)". The See of Oswestry. Archived from the original on 2 December 2022. Retrieved 2 December 2022.
Thornton, Ed (2 December 2022). "Paul Thomas to serve traditionalists in revived see of Oswestry". Church Times. Retrieved 2 December 2022.
"New Bishop of Oswestry announced". Diocese of Lichfield. 2 December 2022. Retrieved 2 December 2022.
"No. 63943". The London Gazette. 20 January 2023. p. 934.
"Father Paul Thomas named as first Bishop of Oswestry". The Church of England. 2 December 2022. Retrieved 2 December 2022.
"Bishop of Oswestry proposals approved". Diocese of Lichfield. 30 June 2022. Retrieved 2 December 2022.

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Diocese of Lichfield
Lichfield Cathedral Bishop's House, Lichfield St Mary's House, Lichfield Area scheme (1992–present)
Office holders	Michael Ipgrave, Bishop of Lichfield Sarah Bullock, area Bishop of Shrewsbury Matthew Parker, area Bishop of Stafford area Bishop of Wolverhampton (vacant) Jan McFarlane, Canon and honorary assistant bishop AEO: the Bishop suffragan of Oswestry & Rob Munro, Bishop suffragan of Ebbsfleet Dean of Lichfield (vacant) Paul Thomas, Archdeacon of Salop Sue Weller, Archdeacon of Lichfield Julian Francis, Archdeacon of Walsall Megan Smith, Archdeacon of Stoke
Provincial episcopal visitors	Paul Thomas, Bishop suffragan of Oswestry
Historic offices	Archdeacon of Chester (12th century – 1541; erected into Chester diocese) Archdeacon of Stafford (12 C. – 1980; renamed to Lichfield archdeaconry) Archdeacon of Coventry (12 C. – 1837; moved to Worcester then erected into Coventry diocese) Archdeacon of Derby (12th C. – 1884; moved to Southwell then erected into Derby diocese)