John William Hind

John William Hind (born 19 June, 1945 in Watford, Hertfordshire); Bishop of Chichester, theologian.

He attended Watford Grammar School for Boys and went to Leeds University where he studied theology before teaching in a secondary school and a college of education. Following training for ordination at Cuddesdon College, he was ordained in Southwark Cathedral in 1972.

After working in parishes in the Diocese of Southwark; Catford St John as Curate (1972-76), and Christ Church Forest Hill as vicar (1976-82), he was appointed Principal of Chichester Theological College from 1982.

He became Area, or suffragan Bishop of Horsham in the Chichester Diocese in 1991; but quite swiftly in 1993 was 'translated' to be Bishop of Gibraltar in Europe (often shortened to 'Bishop of Europe').

On the retirement of Eric Kemp in 2001 after 26 years as Bishop of Chichester, John Hind succeeded in the See of Saint Wilfrid, Saint Richard of Chichester, Lancelot Andrewes, and George Bell, amongst others.

He was one of the 'rebel' bishops who signed a letter against Rowan Williams' appointment of the Reverend Dr Jeffrey John as Bishop of Reading in 2003, due to John being a self-identified homosexual. The others were the Bishops of Bradford, Carlisle, Chester, Exeter, Liverpool, Rochester, Southwell and Winchester. Although his diocese includes the city of Brighton & Hove, which has a disproportionately high percentage gay population, John Hind has a history of opposition to initiatives such as (and including) civil partnership. ["They are led by the Bishop of Chichester who it is agreed has more than 'something of the night about him'. He even refused to bless the civil marriage of his son because he was divorced. Look out for the forked tail under the mitre and never trust him with anything." Find the full quotation at [http://denniswine.blogspot.com/2008/01/regarding-bishop-of-horsham.html this article] .] [See also John Hind's "Pastoral Letter" on this subject, published on his diocesan website [http://www.diochi.org.uk/content/leaflet/civilpart051119.htm at this location] .]

Family

John Hind, the eldest son of Harold Hind (1914-97) and Joan Kemp (1918-76) is married to Janet McLintock, a former social worker and Child Protection Adviser for the Church of England and present Child Protection Adviser for the Diocese of Guildford they have three children.

External links

* [http://www.diochi.org.uk/content/bishopchi.htm Bishop of Chichester]
* [http://www.diochi.org.uk/ The Diocese of Chichester website]

References