The Right Reverend

Rob Wickham
area Bishop of Edmonton
ChurchChurch of England
DioceseDiocese of London
In office23 September 2015 – 9 July 2023
PredecessorPeter Wheatley
Other post(s)
Orders
Ordination1998 (deacon)
1999 (priest)
Consecration23 September 2015
by Justin Welby
Personal details
Born
Robert James Wickham

(1972-05-03) 3 May 1972 (age 51)
EducationHampton School
Alma materGrey College, Durham
King's College London

Robert James "Rob" Wickham (born 3 May 1972) is a British Anglican bishop. He has been CEO of the Church Urban Fund since June 2023,[1] having previously served as Bishop of Edmonton (an area bishop in the Diocese of London) 2015–2023. He also served part-time as Acting Bishop of Portsmouth.[2]

Early life and education

Wickham was born on 3 May 1972.[3][4] He was educated at Hampton School, an all-boys private school in Hampton, London. After a gap year, he studied geography at Grey College, Durham.[5] He graduated from the University of Durham with a Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree in 1994.[4] He then spent a year working at St Luke's Church, Wallsend, an Anglo-Catholic church in a deprived area of North Tyneside.[5] In 1995, he entered Ridley Hall, Cambridge, a Church of England theological college, where he spent three years studying for ordination to the priesthood.[4]

During his ordained ministry, he undertook post-graduate study. In 2012, he completed a Master of Arts (MA) degree in theology, politics and faith-based organisations at King's College London.[4][5]

Ordained ministry

Wickham was ordained in the Church of England as a deacon in 1998 and as a priest in 1999.[4] From 1998 to 2001, he continued his training for ministry as a curate at St Mary's Church, Willesden in the Diocese of London; the church contains the Anglican Shrine of Our Lady of Willesden.[4][5] In 2001, he moved to St Mary's Church, Somers Town where he served as a curate for the next two years.[6][7] In 2003, he became the Team Vicar in the newly created Parish of Old St Pancras which includes St Pancras Old Church.[4][5] In 2007, he moved parishes and became Rector of the Church of St John-at-Hackney;[4] this made him the 45th Rector of Hackney.[8] In 2014, he was additionally appointed the Area Dean of Hackney.[4]

Episcopal ministry

In July 2015, Wickham was announced as the next Bishop of Edmonton, an area bishop in the Diocese of London.[6][9] On 23 September 2015, he was consecrated a bishop in Canterbury Cathedral by Justin Welby, the Archbishop of Canterbury.[10] It was announced on 26 February 2021 that he was to additionally serve part-time as Acting Bishop of Portsmouth (archbishop's commissary) during the vacancy of that See, starting 28 April 2021.[2] On 18 January 2022, the new Bishop of Portsmouth, Jonathan Frost, took up the See.[11]

On 21 February 2023, it was announced that Wickham was to become CEO of Church Urban Fund.[12] He resigned his See effective 9 July 2023.[13] He has also been an honorary assistant bishop in the Diocese of London since November 2023.[14]

Personal life

Wickham is married to Helen, a primary school teacher.[6] Together, they have three children.[8] He is a supporter of Plymouth Argyle football club.[6]

References

  1. ^ Communications (21 February 2023). "Bishop Rob appointed next CEO of Church Urban Fund". Diocese of London. Retrieved 21 February 2023.
  2. ^ a b "Diocese of Portsmouth - News - New 'commissary bishop' will help to lead diocese".
  3. ^ "Wickham, Robert James". Who's Who. Vol. 2016 (November 2015 online ed.). A & C Black. Retrieved 24 July 2016. (Subscription or UK public library membership required.)
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h i "Robert James Wickham". Crockford's Clerical Directory (online ed.). Church House Publishing. Retrieved 23 June 2018.
  5. ^ a b c d e "Order of Service: Ordination and Consecration of the new Bishops of Maidstone, Kensington and Edmonton" (PDF). Canterbury Cathedral. 23 September 2015. Retrieved 23 September 2015.
  6. ^ a b c d "Suffragan Bishop of Edmonton: Robert Wickham". Government of the United Kingdom. Retrieved 18 July 2015.
  7. ^ "EDMONTON, Area Bishop of". Who's Who 2016. Oxford University Press. November 2015. Retrieved 1 November 2016.
  8. ^ a b "Who's Who". St John at Hackney Church. Retrieved 23 September 2015.
  9. ^ "Two new bishops and new archdeacon for London announced". Diocese of London. 9 July 2015. Retrieved 10 July 2015.
  10. ^ "Ordination and Consecration of the new Bishops of Maidstone, Kensington and Edmonton". Canterbury Cathedral. 23 September 2015. Retrieved 23 September 2015.
  11. ^ "Acting Dean of York announced". York Minster. 11 January 2022. Archived from the original on 11 January 2022. Retrieved 18 January 2022. & "Services beginning Sunday 16 January 2022 (image)". St Mary le Bow Church, London. Retrieved 18 January 2022.
  12. ^ "Bishop Rob appointed next CEO of Church Urban Fund". Diocese of London. 21 February 2023. Archived from the original on 21 February 2023. Retrieved 21 February 2023.
  13. ^ "Classified advertisements". Church Times. No. 8362. 23 June 2023. p. 35. ISSN 0009-658X. Retrieved 6 July 2023 – via UK Press Online archives.
  14. ^ Bishop of Southwark [@BishopSouthwark] (2 November 2023). "A joy to commission Rob Wickham as an Honorary Assistant Bishop @SouthwarkCofE @StPetersVxhall a wonderful inner urban church and nearest to @churchurbanfund at The Foundry - praying for God's blessing on +Rob and the work for urban mission and renewal" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
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