Christopher Hill (bishop)

Christopher Hill (bishop)
The Rt Revd
 Christopher Hill 
MTh BD[1]
Bishop of Guildford
Church Church of England
Diocese Diocese of Guildford
Enthroned 2004
Predecessor The Rt Revd John Gladwin
Other posts Bishop of Stafford (1996–2004)
Orders
Ordination 1970[2]
Consecration 1996
Personal details
Born 10 October 1945 (1945-10-10) (age 66)
Nationality British
Denomination Anglican
Residence Willow Grange, Guildford
Alma mater King's College London

Christopher John Hill (born 10 October 1945), is the Bishop of Guildford (from 2004) and the Clerk of the Closet in the Ecclesiastical Household of the Royal Household of the Sovereign of the United Kingdom from 2005.

Hill was educated at Sebright School and at King's College London (BD, MTh, AKC). He served his first curacy at Tividale in the diocese of Lichfield from 1969 to 1973; he was then curate of Codsall from 1973 to 1974. From 1974 to 1981 he was the Archbishop of Canterbury's Assistant Chaplain for Foreign Relations and from 1982 to 1989 his Secretary for Ecumenical Affairs. From 1982 to 1989 he was also an Honorary Canon of Canterbury Cathedral. From 1987 to 1996 he was a chaplain to the Queen. In 1989 he became a canon residentiary and Precentor of St Paul's Cathedral, London. Prior to his current appointment, he had been the Bishop Suffragan of Stafford, Lichfield diocese, from 1996.

He has been continuously involved in ecumenical affairs throughout his ministry. From 1974-1981 he was Co-Secretary of the Anglican-Roman Catholic International Commission.

In July 2009, Hill courted controversy over interference in another church's affairs by admonishing the Church of Sweden on their decision to approve gay marriage, sending a strongly worded letter to the head of the Church of Sweden, Archbishop Anders Wejryd, warning of "immediate and negative ecumenical consequences" owing to the decision. [3][4]

Styles

  • Christopher Hill Esq (1945–1969?)
  • The Revd Christopher Hill (1969?–1989)
  • The Revd Canon Christopher Hill (1989–1996)
  • The Rt Revd Christopher Hill (1996—present)

References

  1. ^ Church of England — Bishop of Guildford
  2. ^ BBC News — Guildford's Bishop marks 40 years of ministry
  3. ^ Beckford, Martin. Church of England bishops fear for 'fragile unity' of Anglicanism over new gay marriage moves. London: Daily Telegraph. 11 July 2009
  4. ^ Church of Sweden says yes to gay marriage. The Local: Sweden's News in English. 22 October 2009. Retrieved July 2010 from http://www.thelocal.se/22810/20091022/

External links

Church of England titles
Preceded by
Michael Scott-Joynt
Bishop of Stafford
1996–2004
Succeeded by
Gordon Mursell
Preceded by
John Gladwin
Bishop of Guildford
2004—
Incumbent
Preceded by
Jonathan Bailey
Clerk of the Closet
2005—
Incumbent