Anthony Priddis
Encyclopedia
Anthony Martin Priddis (born 1948) is the current Bishop of Hereford
ion the Church of England
.
in 1972 and began his ordained ministry as a deacon
at New Addington
, Surrey
. In 1975 he moved to High Wycombe
in the Diocese of Oxford
and held a number of positions including St John's in High Wycombe and St Mary's in Amersham
. He became the Bishop of Warwick
in 1996. He was appointed the Bishop of Hereford in March 2004; this appointment was the first time a bishop had been appointed by the Church of England
following external advertising.
In April 2007, Priddis was in the news as having vetoed the appointment of a practising homosexual youth officer who then brought Employment Tribunal proceedings against him claiming unlawful sexual orientation discrimination. The youth officer was not in a sexual relationship but could not assure Priddis that he would remain celibate. The proceedings were successful and Priddis was found to have acted unlawfully by discriminating against the youth officer because of his sexuality. Although English law refers to "orientation", the EU interprets orientation to also include behaviour. Priddis was chosen as "Bigot of the Year
" by Stonewall
later that year. The diocese failed to agree a settlement and was, therefore, ordered by the Employment Tribunal to pay the youth worker over £47,000 in compensation in February 2008. The Employment Tribunal also said that it expected Priddis to undergo equal opportunities training.
Priddis had previousy attracted attention in the media for ordaining a transsexual woman to the priesthood in 2005, a decision that he defended against criticism from the Evangelical Alliance
.
Priddis has three children.
Bishop of Hereford
The Bishop of Hereford is the Ordinary of the Church of England Diocese of Hereford in the Province of Canterbury.The see is in the City of Hereford where the seat is located at the Cathedral Church of Saint Mary and Saint Ethelbert which was founded as a cathedral in 676.The Bishop's residence is...
ion the Church of England
Church of England
The Church of England is the officially established Christian church in England and the Mother Church of the worldwide Anglican Communion. The church considers itself within the tradition of Western Christianity and dates its formal establishment principally to the mission to England by St...
.
Ministry
Priddis was ordainedOrdination
In general religious use, ordination is the process by which individuals are consecrated, that is, set apart as clergy to perform various religious rites and ceremonies. The process and ceremonies of ordination itself varies by religion and denomination. One who is in preparation for, or who is...
in 1972 and began his ordained ministry as a deacon
Deacon
Deacon is a ministry in the Christian Church that is generally associated with service of some kind, but which varies among theological and denominational traditions...
at New Addington
New Addington
New Addington is an area on the edge of South London in the London Borough of Croydon. It is a large local authority estate surrounded by open countryside, woodland and golf courses. The Prime Meridian crosses the eastern edge of New Addington...
, Surrey
Surrey
Surrey is a county in the South East of England and is one of the Home Counties. The county borders Greater London, Kent, East Sussex, West Sussex, Hampshire and Berkshire. The historic county town is Guildford. Surrey County Council sits at Kingston upon Thames, although this has been part of...
. In 1975 he moved to High Wycombe
High Wycombe
High Wycombe , commonly known as Wycombe and formally called Chepping Wycombe or Chipping Wycombe until 1946,is a large town in Buckinghamshire, England. It is west-north-west of Charing Cross in London; this figure is engraved on the Corn Market building in the centre of the town...
in the Diocese of Oxford
Diocese of Oxford
-History:The Diocese of Oxford was created in 1541 out of part of the Diocese of Lincoln.In 1836 the Archdeaconry of Berkshire was transferred from the Diocese of Salisbury to Oxford...
and held a number of positions including St John's in High Wycombe and St Mary's in Amersham
Amersham
Amersham is a market town and civil parish within Chiltern district in Buckinghamshire, England, 27 miles north west of London, in the Chiltern Hills. It is part of the London commuter belt....
. He became the Bishop of Warwick
Bishop of Warwick
The Bishop of Warwick is an episcopal title used by a suffragan bishop of the Church of England Diocese of Coventry, in the Province of Canterbury, England. The title takes its name after Warwick, the county town of Warwickshire....
in 1996. He was appointed the Bishop of Hereford in March 2004; this appointment was the first time a bishop had been appointed by the Church of England
Church of England
The Church of England is the officially established Christian church in England and the Mother Church of the worldwide Anglican Communion. The church considers itself within the tradition of Western Christianity and dates its formal establishment principally to the mission to England by St...
following external advertising.
In April 2007, Priddis was in the news as having vetoed the appointment of a practising homosexual youth officer who then brought Employment Tribunal proceedings against him claiming unlawful sexual orientation discrimination. The youth officer was not in a sexual relationship but could not assure Priddis that he would remain celibate. The proceedings were successful and Priddis was found to have acted unlawfully by discriminating against the youth officer because of his sexuality. Although English law refers to "orientation", the EU interprets orientation to also include behaviour. Priddis was chosen as "Bigot of the Year
Stonewall Awards
The Stonewall Awards is an annual event to celebrate people who have had a positive impact on the lives of British LGBT people. The event was first held in 2006 at the Royal Academy of Arts and from 2007 were held at the Victoria and Albert Museum.-2006:...
" by Stonewall
Stonewall (UK)
Stonewall is a lesbian, gay and bisexual rights charity in the United Kingdom named after the Stonewall Inn of Stonewall riots fame. Now the largest gay equality organization not only in the UK but in Europe, it was formed in 1989 by political activists and others lobbying against section 28 of the...
later that year. The diocese failed to agree a settlement and was, therefore, ordered by the Employment Tribunal to pay the youth worker over £47,000 in compensation in February 2008. The Employment Tribunal also said that it expected Priddis to undergo equal opportunities training.
Priddis had previousy attracted attention in the media for ordaining a transsexual woman to the priesthood in 2005, a decision that he defended against criticism from the Evangelical Alliance
Evangelical Alliance
The Evangelical Alliance is a London-based charitable organization founded in 1846. It has a claimed representation of over 1,000,000 evangelical Christians in the United Kingdom and is the oldest alliance of evangelical Christians in the world....
.
Priddis has three children.
Styles
- Anthony Priddis Esq (1948–1972)
- The Revd Anthony Priddis (1972–1996)
- The Rt Revd Anthony Priddis (1996—present)