Suffragan Bishop of Doncaster: 2 December 2019
The Queen has approved the nomination of the Reverend Canon Sophie Rebecca Jelley, Mphil, BA to the Suffragan See of Doncaster, in the Diocese of Sheffield.
Published 2 December 2019
From: Prime Minister’s Office, 10 Downing Street
The Queen has approved the nomination of the Reverend Canon Sophie Rebecca Jelley, Mphil, BA, Residentiary Canon at Durham Cathedral, in the Diocese of Durham, to the Suffragan See of Doncaster, in the Diocese of Sheffield, in succession to the Right Reverend Peter Burrows following his resignation on 30th September 2019.
Sophie was educated at the University of Leeds and trained for ministry at Wycliffe Hall, Oxford. She served her title at St Peter’s Shipley in the Diocese of Bradford and was ordained priest in 1998. Sophie took up the role of Mission Partner with the Church Mission Society in Uganda in 2000 and returned to the UK in 2003 to take up the role of Resident Minister of St John the Evangelist, Church in the Diocese of Guildford. In 2010 Sophie was appointed Vicar, St Andrew’s Burgess Hill in the Diocese of Chichester and in 2013 she took up the additional role of Assistant Diocesan Director of Ordinands.
In 2015, Sophie was appointed to her current role as Canon Missioner and Diocesan Director of Mission, Discipleship and Ministry in the Diocese of Durham.
Sophie is married to Chris, a technology consultant, and they have three teenage children. Sophie is a keen runner and musician.
There are more details on the Sheffield diocesan website.
A much, much better Diocesan press release than most linked here..
And, unlike the Number 10 announcement, the diocesan notice spells “Churt” correctly where she was resident minister.
And also capitalizes MPhil correctly!
I know nothing of Canon Jelley, and wish her nothing but good in her appointment. However, I do groan that it appears to be yet another evangelical appointment. As someone said recently in a completely different thread, as long as the CofE is in hock to the biblical fundamentalists, it is not going to go anywhere.
Christopher Do I understand you to believe that evangelicals are ‘biblical fundamentalists’?
Perhaps “happy – clappy” is more accurate.
Nothing if not predictable …
Christopher provoked a bit of research. It didn’t take long. Here are the resuls of my quick survey of bishops. The categories are mine and are based upon training colleges, patrons of livings held, and word on the street. Of course, people’s views can change. Ca = usually Westcott. Cuddesdon, SSH, Mirfield. E = Cranmer (there seems to be a Cranmer mafia), Bristol, Oak Hill, Ridley, Wyclffe. ECon means no-women evangelical. CaTrad means no-women catholic. Ce means probably central, though that increasingly is open evangelical. I have no axe to grind – I’m a Wesleyan who likes dressing up, and… Read more »
Stanley Monkhouse – you need to add St John’s Nottingham – and factor in that a number of bishops trained on Courses … But I am not sure what all this actually reveals. Where people train and where they end up within the spectrum of church traditions can and does vary widely. And I know from experience that colleges with specific historic traditions host ordinands from outside those ranks – and more than ever. The scene is not as tribal as it once was. But either way it is disturbing to discover from these figures that apparently just under 70… Read more »
Yes I forgot St John’s and the others you mention, but St J is included in E, and the others either Ce or E (based on what I’ve deduced) or don’t know . Your other comments need to be directed elsewhere.
Stanley Monkhouse. ‘I am not sure what all this actually reveals’ was a comment addressed to you. I think listing a person’s college (and course) of origin tells us much less than is supposed or would once have been the case – based on some years teaching at several of these colleges.
The Bishop of Ebbsfleet trained at Wycliffe Hall.
Whether Evangelical or not they all seem quite attached to the trappings and tat of office. Very few seem to reject the cope and mitre in favour of the rochet and chimere. I recall that Wallace Benn never crowned his pate with a mitre and I suspect that the Bishop of Maidstone doesn’t either but evangelical bishops like the few remaining Anglo-Catholic prelates favour Catholic episcopal vesture.
Rochet, chimere and Canterbury cap look rather splendid. Even black chimere, still seen in Ireland. Cope and mitre conjure up fairy on Christmas tree. One needs stature and aplomb to carry that off. I once saw a bishop in – wait for it – rochet, stole and mitre. I ask you.
Now that we are back on the subject of the colour of the chimere, Wikipedia (I think that is where I looked when this subject surfaced recently) suggested that the red or scarlet chimere was reserved to bishops holding the degree of Doctor of Divinity. In my youth, it seemed that all C of E bishops did. I was confirmed by Dr Henry Montgomery-Campbell, tall and distinguished-looking and a most imposing sight in ‘proper’ cope and mitre. I only ever saw him in a scarlet chimere, but I understand that there are occasions when C of E bishops (whether or… Read more »
My wife refused to let me wear the CC. She said it looked ridiculous. “More ridiculous that any other tat I wear?” says I. Response came there none. Don’t get me wrong – I like tat, and think it has value in all sorts of ways, but I don’t “attach any particular doctrinal significance” to any of it. I think it a solecism to wear alb without a dalmatic or chasuble on top. Nothing wrong with cassock, surplice, stole/scarf. At a recent ordination at Derby cathedral I saw senior clerics wearing hood over scarf, and even stole with hood. Ye… Read more »
The recent GAFCON consecration in New Zealand had the bishops in red chimere and black scarf. But Archbishop Beach, Primate of ACNA and GAFCON chairman, substituted a broad red scarf with gold crosses. No black scarf for him! It was similar to the red papal stole, but much larger.
I remember greeting Bishop Tom Wright when he was coming to my Durham college to celebrate the Holy Communion service. He had the largest episcopal ring I had ever seen and very willingly allowed it to be kissed before granting his blessing. (Despite not having a very high view of the episcopate.)
Bishop John Hind has a very high view of the episcopate but wore a tiny episcopal ring and would wince and pull his hand away if anyone tried to kiss it.
Back to the core post. Good appointment. WB #25. We need more.
Has a date been set yet for Canon Jelley’s consecration?