British Anglican bishop (born 1968)
Martyn James Snow[2] (born 25 January 1968) is a British Anglican bishop. Since 2016, he has been the Bishop of Leicester. He previously served as Bishop of Tewkesbury from 2013 to 2016, and as Archdeacon of Sheffield and Rotherham from 2010 to 2013.[1]
Early life and education
Martyn James Snow was born on 25 January 1968[3] in Indonesia.[4][5] His parents worked with the church in Indonesia and his grandparents were missionaries in China.[6] His grandfather was James O. Fraser who pioneered work among the Lisu people of Southwestern China and is credited with developing the Fraser script for their language.[7] Christianity is thriving in the Salween River valley, where the Lisu live nearly 70 years after the death of Fraser. In Yunnan it is estimated that there are 100,000–200,000 total Lisu Christians in the Lisu Church. More than 75,000 Lisu Bibles have been legally printed in China following the explosive growth of the church.[8]
Snow was educated at Sheffield University, where he studied chemistry.[4] He trained for ordination at Wycliffe Hall, Oxford, and holds a Masters in theology from Durham University.[9]
Ordained ministry
Snow was made a deacon at Petertide 1995 (2 July) by David Lunn, Bishop of Sheffield, at Sheffield Cathedral[10] and ordained a priest the Petertide following (5 July 1996) by Michael Gear, Bishop of Doncaster at his title church (St Andrew's, Brinsworth).[11] He was an assistant curate at Brinsworth with Catcliffe and Treeton before service with the Church Mission Society in Guinea. He worked as Youth Chaplain with the Anglican Diocese of Guinea in the Church of the Province of West Africa. He was vicar of Christ Church, Pitsmoor from 2001 to 2010 and area dean of Ecclesfield from 2007. In 2010 he became Archdeacon of Sheffield and Rotherham.[9]
Episcopal ministry
On 25 September 2013, Snow was consecrated a bishop by Justin Welby, Archbishop of Canterbury, during a service in Westminster Abbey.[5][12] In October 2013, he started his duties as Bishop of Tewkesbury, a suffragan bishop in the Diocese of Gloucester.[5] He was acting diocesan Bishop of Gloucester from 5 August 2014 until Rachel Treweek took up the role of diocesan bishop in June 2015.[13]
On 15 December 2015, it was announced that Snow would be translated to Leicester in 2016.[9][14] Snow officially became Bishop of Leicester with the confirmation of his election on 22 February 2016.[15] He then become the youngest diocesan bishop in the Church of England, aged 48.[16] On 14 May 2016, a service of installation was held at Leicester Cathedral during which he was seated on his Cathedra and given the crozier of the Diocese of Leicester.[17]
As from October 2017, Snow has been chair of the Archbishops College of Evangelists .[18]
In April 2021, Snow became the Bishop Protector for the Third Order of Franciscans known as the Third Order Society of St Francis (T.S.S.F.).[19]
Snow is also Sponsoring Bishop for the Church of England project to grow the number of children and youth ministers in the church to 30,000. [20]
In Leicester, Snow is also chair of the Oversight Group for Leicester Homelessness Charter, an umbrella organisation for businesses, charities and statutory agencies who work with people who have experienced homelessness. [21]
He became a member of the House of Lords (as a Lord Spiritual) on 6 October 2022.[22]
In November 2023, Snow became the lead bishop for the Living in Love and Faith (LLF) process involving the introduction of "Prayers of Love and Faith" for same sex couples. [23]
Views
Snow has been outspoken on issues of racial justice including 'taking the knee' outside Leicester Cathedral in July 2020 [24] and speaking at a conference on the subject of Whiteness.[25]
In 2023, he abstained during a vote on introducing "standalone services for same-sex couples" on a trial basis during a meeting of the General Synod; the motion passed.[26][27]
In February 2023, he spoke of his willingness to implement the votes the General Synod on the Prayers of Love and Faith even though he had not voted for them. [28]
