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Rachel Treweek

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The Right Reverend

Rachel Treweek
Bishop of Gloucester
Official portrait, 2019
ChurchChurch of England
DioceseDiocese of Gloucester
In office2015–present
PredecessorMichael Perham
Other post(s)
Orders
Ordination
  • 3 July 1994 (deacon)
  • 27 June 1995 (priest)

by 
Consecration22 July 2015
by Justin Welby
Personal details
Born
Rachel Montgomery

(1963-02-04) 4 February 1963 (age 61)
Broxbourne, Hertfordshire, England
NationalityBritish
DenominationAnglican
ResidenceBishopscourt, Gloucester[1]
Spouse
Guy Treweek
​
(m. 2006)​
Profession
Alma mater
Member of the House of Lords
(Lord Spiritual)
Incumbent
Assumed office
26 October 2015

Rachel Treweek (née Montgomery; born 4 February 1963) is an English Anglican bishop who sits in the House of Lords as a Lord Spiritual.

In June 2015 she was appointed as Bishop of Gloucester, the first female diocesan bishop in the Church of England. A former speech and language therapist, she was the Archdeacon of Hackney in the Diocese of London from 2011 until 2015.

Early life and career

[edit]

Born Rachel Montgomery on 4 February 1963,[2] she was educated at Broxbourne School, a state school in Broxbourne, Hertfordshire.[3] She studied at the University of Reading, graduating in 1984 with a Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree in linguistics and language pathology.[3][1][4]

Treweek's first career was as a speech and language therapist. After six years as a paediatric speech therapist in the National Health Service, she left her job to train for ordination in the Church of England.[5][6]

Ordained ministry

[edit]

Treweek studied for ordained ministry at Wycliffe Hall, Oxford, an Anglican theological college, and graduated with a Bachelor of Theology (BTh) degree in 1994. She was made a deacon at Petertide 1994 (3 July), by David Hope, Bishop of London, at St Paul's Cathedral,[7] and ordained a priest the following Petertide (27 June 1995), by Martin Wharton, Bishop of Kingston, at her title church.[8] From 1994 to 1997, she served a curacy at St George and All Saints’ Church, Tufnell Park, London. She remained at St George and All Saints’ Church as the associate vicar from 1997 to 1999.[9] In 1999, she was appointed Vicar of St James-the-Less, Bethnal Green, London.[6][10] In addition to the incumbency, she was appointed the continuing ministerial education officer for the Diocese of London.[1]

In 2006, Treweek left parish ministry on her appointment as the Archdeacon of Northolt, one of six archdeacons in the Diocese of London.[11] She held the position for five years before becoming the Archdeacon of Hackney on 14 May 2011.[1] She relinquished this appointment on confirmation of her appointment as Bishop of Gloucester on 15 June 2015.[12]

In September 2013, Treweek was elected as one of eight "participant observers" of the House of Bishops representing the South East of England.[13] Such observers were senior female priests who attended and participated in meetings of the House of Bishops until six women were sitting in the House by right as bishops.[14] She attended her first meeting of the House of Bishops of the General Synod of the Church of England on 9 December 2013.[15]

Episcopal ministry

[edit]

On 26 March 2015, it was announced that Treweek was to become the next Bishop of Gloucester, the diocesan bishop of the Diocese of Gloucester.[3] Though there had been two women appointed bishops previously in the Church of England, she was the first woman to be appointed a diocesan rather than suffragan bishop.[16] She was the first woman to become a bishop in the Province of Canterbury, jointly with Sarah Mullally, Bishop of Crediton.[17] On 15 June 2015, her election was confirmed during a sitting of the Arches Court of Canterbury at St Mary-le-Bow, City of London.[12][18] At this point, she legally became the bishop of Gloucester.[19] On 22 July 2015, she was consecrated by Justin Welby, Archbishop of Canterbury, during a ceremony at Canterbury Cathedral,[20] being the first woman to be consecrated as diocesan bishop in the Church of England.[21] On 19 September 2015, she was installed at Gloucester Cathedral as the 41st Bishop of Gloucester.[22][23]

Following the Lords Spiritual (Women) Act 2015, Treweek was the first woman bishop eligible to be admitted to the House of Lords as a Lord Spiritual when parliament reconvened in September 2015 after its summer recess,[16] in place of Tim Stevens who had retired as Bishop of Leicester and Convenor of the Bishops in the Lords.[24][25] She sent back the first version of her writ of summons because it referred to her as a "Right Reverend Father in God"[26]—bishops' writs have simply omitted "Father in God" ever since, even for male bishops.[27] Then, on 26 October 2015, she was introduced to the House by Justin Welby, Archbishop of Canterbury, and Richard Chartres, Bishop of London.[28][29] In 2020, she became (additionally) Bishop to HM Prisons.[30]

Treweek in the chamber of the House of Lords, observing Justin Welby, Archbishop of Canterbury speaking, 2021

Theology and views

[edit]

Treweek believes that God should be considered to be neither male nor female and tries to avoid using gender-specific pronouns when referring to God.[26] Explaining this view to The Observer, she said she "personally prefers to say neither 'he' nor 'she', but 'God'. 'Sometimes I lapse, but I try not to.'"[31] On 15 January 2016 Treweek presided at an LGBTI Eucharist with Inclusive Church.[32]

In January 2023, she stated that she supported the celebration and blessing of "faithful monogamous same-sex relationships", but did not support changing the Church of England's doctrine of marriage as the life-long union of one man and one woman.[33]

In November 2023, she was one of 44 Church of England bishops who signed an open letter supporting the use of the Prayers of Love and Faith (i.e. blessings for same-sex couples) and called for "Guidance being issued without delay that includes the removal of all restrictions on clergy entering same-sex civil marriages, and on bishops ordaining and licensing such clergy".[34]

Following Justin Welby's decision in November 2024 to stand down as Archbishop of Canterbury due to his failing to act after becoming aware of child abuse by John Smyth, who was associated with the Church of England, Treweek said that resignation was the right thing to do, commented that the position was "very, very difficult ... stepping into the structures that do need to change", and said that the affair had shown the "very clunky governance we have within the Church of England ... We do not have quick decision making, there are too many different levels, groups, involved. We need to be able to move much more swiftly".[35]

Personal life

[edit]

In 2006, she married Guy Treweek; he is a Church of England priest and was priest-in-charge of two ancient City of London parishes at the time of her appointment to the episcopate.[36]

Patronages

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Treweek is a Patron of Prisoners Abroad, a charity supporting the welfare of Britons imprisoned overseas and their families.

Honours

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On 8 July 2016, Treweek received an honorary doctorate (Hon DLitt) from her alma mater, the University of Reading.[37]

Styles

[edit]
  • The Reverend Rachel Montgomery (1994 – March 2006)
  • The Reverend Rachel Treweek (March – May 2006)[38]
  • The Venerable Rachel Treweek (May 2006 – 2015)
  • The Right Reverend Rachel Treweek (since 2015)

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b c d "Rachel Treweek". Crockford's Clerical Directory (online ed.). Church House Publishing. Retrieved 30 November 2015.
  2. ^ "Treweek, Rachel". Who's Who. Vol. 2014 (November 2014 online ed.). A & C Black. Retrieved 19 May 2015. (Subscription or UK public library membership required.)
  3. ^ a b c "The Bishop of Gloucester Designate". About the Diocese. Diocese of Gloucester. Archived from the original on 2 April 2015. Retrieved 26 March 2015.
  4. ^ "New Bishop of Gloucester Rachel Treweek to be first woman in the Church of England to be consecrated as a diocesan bishop". Wilts and Gloucestershire Standard. 20 July 2015. Retrieved 21 July 2015.
  5. ^ Gledhill, Ruth (26 March 2015). "Church of England appoints first female diocesan bishop". Christian Today. Retrieved 29 March 2015.
  6. ^ a b "The Archdeacon of Hackney, the Venerable Rachel Treweek, announced as the next Bishop of Gloucester". Communications. Diocese of London. 26 March 2015. Retrieved 26 March 2015.
  7. ^ "Ordinations". Church Times. No. 6857. 15 July 1994. p. 5. ISSN 0009-658X. Retrieved 10 June 2017 – via UK Press Online archives.
  8. ^ "Ordinations continued". Church Times. No. 6908. 7 July 1995. p. 8. ISSN 0009-658X. Retrieved 10 June 2017 – via UK Press Online archives.
  9. ^ "Diocese of Gloucester: Venerable Rachel Treweek". Press release. Prime Minister's Office, 10 Downing Street. 26 March 2015. Retrieved 26 March 2015.
  10. ^ "Archdeacons" Archived 2012-02-05 at the Wayback Machine, Diocese of London website.
  11. ^ Gregory, Julia (18 May 2011). "New Archdeacon of Hackney is appointed". Hackney Gazette. Retrieved 27 March 2015.
  12. ^ a b Bingham, John (16 June 2015). "Belle bells in Bow as Church of England celebrates first female diocesan bishop". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 16 June 2015.
  13. ^ "First Female Representatives to House of Bishops Elected". Media Centre. The Church of England. 26 September 2013. Retrieved 26 March 2015.
  14. ^ Davies, Madeleine (7 February 2013). "Women dignitaries to be elected as Bishops' 'participant observers'". Church Times. Retrieved 19 December 2014.
  15. ^ "(Photo) Female observers join House of Bishops meeting". Christian Today. 9 December 2013. Retrieved 26 March 2015.
  16. ^ a b Ward, Victoria (26 March 2015). "Church of England names first female bishop to sit in the House of Lords". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 26 March 2015.
  17. ^ "Rachel Treweek to become the new bishop of Gloucester". BBC News. 26 March 2015. Retrieved 26 March 2015.
  18. ^ Archbishop of Canterbury — Diary: Bishop of Gloucester — Confirmation of Election (Accessed 27 May 2015)
  19. ^ Working with the Spirit: Choosing Diocesan Bishops: a Review of the Operation of the Crown Appointments Commission and Related Matters page 81, section 5.24 (Accessed 27 May 2015)
  20. ^ "Consecrations - Bishops of Gloucester and Crediton". Archbishop's diary. Archbishop of Canterbury. Retrieved 21 July 2015.
  21. ^ First female diocesan bishop in C of E consecrated. Anglicannews.org. Retrieved on 23 July 2015.
  22. ^ "First female bishop to represent church in the House of Lords". BBC News. 13 October 2015. Retrieved 14 October 2015.
  23. ^ "New Bishop of Gloucester Rachel Treweek visits All Saints' Academy in Cheltenham". Gloucestershire Echo. 26 March 2015. Archived from the original on 11 August 2015. Retrieved 14 October 2015.
  24. ^ The Lord Bishop of Leicester (Valedictory Speech) (16 July 2015). "Freedom of Religion and Belief". Parliamentary Debates (Hansard). United Kingdom: House of Lords. col. 779–780.
  25. ^ "House of Lords Recess dates". House of Lords FAQs. Parliament.co.uk. Retrieved 22 July 2015.
  26. ^ a b "'God is neither male nor female', says first female bishop to sit in the House of Lords". The Guardian. 24 October 2015. Retrieved 5 November 2015.
  27. ^ e.g. Chris Lincoln & Martin Chichester
  28. ^ "Future business: Monday 26 October at 2.30pm". House of Lords Business. Parliament.uk. Retrieved 23 September 2015.
  29. ^ "Gloucester bishop Rachel Treweek to take seat in Lords". BBC News. 26 October 2015. Retrieved 26 October 2015.
  30. ^ "Bishop of Gloucester takes on new national role for prisons".
  31. ^ "'God is not to be seen as male' says top woman bishop | Christian News on Christian Today". www.christiantoday.com. Retrieved 22 May 2017.
  32. ^ Farley, Harry (25 November 2015). "Senior Anglican Bishop To Preside At LGBT Eucharist". Christian Today.
  33. ^ Treweek, Rachel; Springett, Robert (18 January 2023). "A message from Bishop Rachel and Bishop Robert". Diocese of Gloucester. Retrieved 20 January 2023. Both of us have longed for the Church of England to celebrate and bless faithful monogamous same-sex relationships, and we are thankful for the goodness and gifts such relationships continue to bring to the Church and wider society. Therefore, we are fully supportive of where we have reached at the end of this Living in Love and Faith process. Neither of us is pushing for a change in the doctrine of marriage, yet both of us are committed to continuing to listen, taking part in conversations and prayerfully reflecting over the coming months and years.
  34. ^ Martin, Francis (1 November 2023). "Don't delay guidance allowing priests to be in same-sex marriages, say 44 bishops". Church Times. Archived from the original on 2 November 2023. Retrieved 2 November 2023.
  35. ^ Elgee, Emma; Martin, Caroline (17 November 2024). "Archbishop candidates need 'heads reading'". BBC News.
  36. ^ Caroline, Davies. "Church of England appoints most senior female bishop". The Guardian. Retrieved 26 March 2015.
  37. ^ "Pioneering leadership: Rt Revd Rachel Treweek awarded honorary degree". University of Reading. 8 July 2016. Retrieved 25 July 2016.
  38. ^ St Martin's (West Acton) Magazine — February 2006 (Accessed 8 November 2015)
Church of England titles
Preceded by Archdeacon of Northolt
2006–2011 		Succeeded by
Duncan Green
Preceded by Archdeacon of Hackney
2011–15 June 2015 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Bishop of Gloucester
15 June 2015–present 		Incumbent


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