Christopher Hill (Anglican divine)
Encyclopedia
Christopher John Hill is the Bishop of Guildford
(from 2004) and the Clerk of the Closet
in the Ecclesiastical Household
of the Royal Household
of the Sovereign
of the United Kingdom
from 2005.
Hill was educated at Sebright School and at King's College London
(BD, MTh, AKC). He served his first curacy at Tividale
in the diocese of Lichfield
from 1969 to 1973; he was then curate of Codsall
from 1973 to 1974. From 1974 to 1981 he was the Archbishop of Canterbury
's Assistant Chaplain for Foreign Relations and from 1982 to 1989 his Secretary for Ecumenical Affairs. From 1982 to 1989 he was also an Honorary Canon
of Canterbury Cathedral
. From 1987 to 1996 he was a chaplain
to the Queen
. In 1989 he became a canon residentiary and Precentor of St Paul's Cathedral, London. Prior to his current appointment, he had been the Bishop Suffragan of Stafford
, Lichfield diocese, from 1996.
He has been continuously involved in ecumenical affairs throughout his ministry. From 1974-1981 he was Co-Secretary of the Anglican-Roman Catholic International Commission.
In July 2009, Hill courted controversy over interference in another church's affairs by admonishing the Church of Sweden
on their decision to approve gay marriage, sending a strongly worded letter to the head of the Church of Sweden
, Archbishop Anders Wejryd, warning of "immediate and negative ecumenical consequences" owing to the decision.
Bishop of Guildford
The Bishop of Guildford is the Ordinary of the Church of England Diocese of Guildford in the Province of Canterbury.The title was first created as a suffragan see in the Diocese of Winchester in 1874. The suffragan bishop of Guildford assisted the Bishop of Winchester in overseeing the diocese...
(from 2004) and the Clerk of the Closet
Clerk of the Closet
The College of Chaplains of the Ecclesiastical Household of the Sovereign of the United Kingdom is under the Clerk of the Closet, an office dating from 1437. It is normally held by a diocesan bishop, who may however remain in office after leaving his see...
in the Ecclesiastical Household
Ecclesiastical Household
The Ecclesiastical Household is a part of the Royal Household of the Sovereign of the United Kingdom. Reflecting the different constitutions of the Churches of England and of Scotland, there are separate Ecclesiastical Households in each nation.-England:...
of the Royal Household
Royal Household
A Royal Household in ancient and medieval monarchies formed the basis for the general government of the country as well as providing for the needs of the sovereign and his relations....
of the Sovereign
Monarch
A monarch is the person who heads a monarchy. This is a form of government in which a state or polity is ruled or controlled by an individual who typically inherits the throne by birth and occasionally rules for life or until abdication...
of the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
from 2005.
Hill was educated at Sebright School and at King's College London
King's College London
King's College London is a public research university located in London, United Kingdom and a constituent college of the federal University of London. King's has a claim to being the third oldest university in England, having been founded by King George IV and the Duke of Wellington in 1829, and...
(BD, MTh, AKC). He served his first curacy at Tividale
Tividale
- History :The village was in the parish of St Michael named after the church built there. It was created in 1878 as an extension of the town of Tipton in the county of Staffordshire, England...
in the diocese of Lichfield
Diocese of Lichfield
The Diocese of Lichfield is a Church of England diocese in the Province of Canterbury, England. The bishop's seat is located in the Cathedral Church of the Blessed Virgin Mary and Saint Chad in the city of Lichfield. The diocese covers 4,516 km² The Diocese of Lichfield is a Church of England...
from 1969 to 1973; he was then curate of Codsall
Codsall
Codsall is a large village in the South Staffordshire district of Staffordshire, England. It is situated north west of the city of Wolverhampton.-History:...
from 1973 to 1974. From 1974 to 1981 he was the Archbishop of Canterbury
Archbishop of Canterbury
The Archbishop of Canterbury is the senior bishop and principal leader of the Church of England, the symbolic head of the worldwide Anglican Communion, and the diocesan bishop of the Diocese of Canterbury. In his role as head of the Anglican Communion, the archbishop leads the third largest group...
's Assistant Chaplain for Foreign Relations and from 1982 to 1989 his Secretary for Ecumenical Affairs. From 1982 to 1989 he was also an Honorary Canon
Canon (priest)
A canon is a priest or minister who is a member of certain bodies of the Christian clergy subject to an ecclesiastical rule ....
of Canterbury Cathedral
Canterbury Cathedral
Canterbury Cathedral in Canterbury, Kent, is one of the oldest and most famous Christian structures in England and forms part of a World Heritage Site....
. From 1987 to 1996 he was a chaplain
Chaplain
Traditionally, a chaplain is a minister in a specialized setting such as a priest, pastor, rabbi, or imam or lay representative of a religion attached to a secular institution such as a hospital, prison, military unit, police department, university, or private chapel...
to the Queen
Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom
Elizabeth II is the constitutional monarch of 16 sovereign states known as the Commonwealth realms: the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Jamaica, Barbados, the Bahamas, Grenada, Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, Tuvalu, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Belize,...
. In 1989 he became a canon residentiary and Precentor of St Paul's Cathedral, London. Prior to his current appointment, he had been the Bishop Suffragan of Stafford
Bishop of Stafford
The Bishop of Stafford is an episcopal title used by a suffragan bishop of the Church of England Diocese of Lichfield, in the Province of Canterbury, England. The title takes its name after Stafford, the county town of Staffordshire. The Bishop of Stafford has particular episcopal oversight of the...
, Lichfield diocese, from 1996.
He has been continuously involved in ecumenical affairs throughout his ministry. From 1974-1981 he was Co-Secretary of the Anglican-Roman Catholic International Commission.
In July 2009, Hill courted controversy over interference in another church's affairs by admonishing the Church of Sweden
Church of Sweden
The Church of Sweden is the largest Christian church in Sweden. The church professes the Lutheran faith and is a member of the Porvoo Communion. With 6,589,769 baptized members, it is the largest Lutheran church in the world, although combined, there are more Lutherans in the member churches of...
on their decision to approve gay marriage, sending a strongly worded letter to the head of the Church of Sweden
Church of Sweden
The Church of Sweden is the largest Christian church in Sweden. The church professes the Lutheran faith and is a member of the Porvoo Communion. With 6,589,769 baptized members, it is the largest Lutheran church in the world, although combined, there are more Lutherans in the member churches of...
, Archbishop Anders Wejryd, warning of "immediate and negative ecumenical consequences" owing to the decision.
Styles
- Christopher Hill Esq (1945–1969?)
- The Revd Christopher Hill (1969?–1989)
- The Revd Canon Christopher Hill (1989–1996)
- The Rt Revd Christopher Hill (1996—present)