John Saxbee
Encyclopedia
John Charles Saxbee was the 71st Bishop of Lincoln
in the Church of England
between 23 March 2002 and 31 January 2011. He was introduced to the House of Lords
as a new Lord Spiritual
on 1 July 2008 together with former Director-General of MI5
, Baroness Manningham-Buller
.
-born, Saxbee was educated at the University of Bristol
and went on to complete his PhD at Durham University
. He trained for the priesthood at Cranmer Hall in Durham and was ordained in Exeter Cathedral
in 1972. From 1972 he was curate at Compton Gifford in the Diocese of Exeter
before moving to Weston Mill in the same diocese as priest-in-charge in 1977. He later became Vicar of Weston Mill before moving to become Team Vicar of Central Exeter Team Ministry in 1981; a post he held until 1987. He was Joint Director of the South West Ministerial Training Course between 1981 and 1992 and was a member of the General Synod
between 1985 and 1994.
He became a prebendary
at Exeter Cathedral
in 1988 until his appointment as Archdeacon of Ludlow
and a prebendary of Hereford Cathedral
in 1992. Between 1992 and 1994 he was also priest-in-charge of Wistanstow and Acton Scott. He was appointed Suffragan Bishop of Ludlow in 1994 whilst remaining Archdeacon of Ludlow. He relinquished both posts when he took up his role as Bishop of Lincoln in 2002, his appointment having been announced on 4 September 2001. Saxbee is also an academic writer having published Liberal Evangelism: a flexible response to the decade in 1994.
. He enjoys reading Victorian novels, watching sport on television and listening to music. Hailing from the South West, he is also an avid supporter of Bristol City FC.
Bishop of Lincoln
The Bishop of Lincoln is the Ordinary of the Church of England Diocese of Lincoln in the Province of Canterbury.The present diocese covers the county of Lincolnshire and the unitary authority areas of North Lincolnshire and North East Lincolnshire. The Bishop's seat is located in the Cathedral...
in 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...
between 23 March 2002 and 31 January 2011. He was introduced to the House of Lords
House of Lords
The House of Lords is the upper house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Like the House of Commons, it meets in the Palace of Westminster....
as a new Lord Spiritual
Lords Spiritual
The Lords Spiritual of the United Kingdom, also called Spiritual Peers, are the 26 bishops of the established Church of England who serve in the House of Lords along with the Lords Temporal. The Church of Scotland, which is Presbyterian, is not represented by spiritual peers...
on 1 July 2008 together with former Director-General of MI5
MI5
The Security Service, commonly known as MI5 , is the United Kingdom's internal counter-intelligence and security agency and is part of its core intelligence machinery alongside the Secret Intelligence Service focused on foreign threats, Government Communications Headquarters and the Defence...
, Baroness Manningham-Buller
Eliza Manningham-Buller
Elizabeth Lydia "Eliza" Manningham-Buller, Baroness Manningham-Buller, DCB was Director General of MI5, the British internal Security Service, from October 2002 until her retirement on 20 April 2007, aged 58....
.
Education and ordination
BristolBristol
Bristol is a city, unitary authority area and ceremonial county in South West England, with an estimated population of 433,100 for the unitary authority in 2009, and a surrounding Larger Urban Zone with an estimated 1,070,000 residents in 2007...
-born, Saxbee was educated at the University of Bristol
University of Bristol
The University of Bristol is a public research university located in Bristol, United Kingdom. One of the so-called "red brick" universities, it received its Royal Charter in 1909, although its predecessor institution, University College, Bristol, had been in existence since 1876.The University is...
and went on to complete his PhD at Durham University
Durham University
The University of Durham, commonly known as Durham University, is a university in Durham, England. It was founded by Act of Parliament in 1832 and granted a Royal Charter in 1837...
. He trained for the priesthood at Cranmer Hall in Durham and was ordained in Exeter Cathedral
Exeter Cathedral
Exeter Cathedral, the Cathedral Church of Saint Peter at Exeter, is an Anglican cathedral, and the seat of the Bishop of Exeter, in the city of Exeter, Devon in South West England....
in 1972. From 1972 he was curate at Compton Gifford in the Diocese of Exeter
Diocese of Exeter
The Diocese of Exeter is a Church of England diocese covering the county of Devon. It is one of the largest dioceses in England. The Cathedral Church of Saint Peter in Exeter is the seat of the diocesan bishop, the Right Reverend Michael Langrish, Bishop of Exeter. It is part of the Province of...
before moving to Weston Mill in the same diocese as priest-in-charge in 1977. He later became Vicar of Weston Mill before moving to become Team Vicar of Central Exeter Team Ministry in 1981; a post he held until 1987. He was Joint Director of the South West Ministerial Training Course between 1981 and 1992 and was a member of the General Synod
General Synod
-Church of England:In the Church of England, the General Synod, which was established in 1970 , is the legislative body of the Church.-Episcopal Church of the United States:...
between 1985 and 1994.
He became a prebendary
Prebendary
A prebendary is a post connected to an Anglican or Catholic cathedral or collegiate church and is a type of canon. Prebendaries have a role in the administration of the cathedral...
at Exeter Cathedral
Exeter Cathedral
Exeter Cathedral, the Cathedral Church of Saint Peter at Exeter, is an Anglican cathedral, and the seat of the Bishop of Exeter, in the city of Exeter, Devon in South West England....
in 1988 until his appointment as Archdeacon of Ludlow
Ludlow
Ludlow is a market town in Shropshire, England close to the Welsh border and in the Welsh Marches. It lies within a bend of the River Teme, on its eastern bank, forming an area of and centred on a small hill. Atop this hill is the site of Ludlow Castle and the market place...
and a prebendary of Hereford Cathedral
Hereford Cathedral
The current Hereford Cathedral, located at Hereford in England, dates from 1079. Its most famous treasure is Mappa Mundi, a mediæval map of the world dating from the 13th century. The cathedral is a Grade I listed building.-Origins:...
in 1992. Between 1992 and 1994 he was also priest-in-charge of Wistanstow and Acton Scott. He was appointed Suffragan Bishop of Ludlow in 1994 whilst remaining Archdeacon of Ludlow. He relinquished both posts when he took up his role as Bishop of Lincoln in 2002, his appointment having been announced on 4 September 2001. Saxbee is also an academic writer having published Liberal Evangelism: a flexible response to the decade in 1994.
Personal life
Saxbee is married to Jacqueline ("Jackie"), who was his secretary and with whom he has one grown-up daughter, Helen, who works for the Church TimesChurch Times
The Church Times is an independent Anglican weekly newspaper. It is published in the United Kingdom on Fridays.The Church Times was founded in 1863 to campaign for Anglo-Catholic principles and has always been independent of the Church of England hierarchy. It was a family concern The Church Times...
. He enjoys reading Victorian novels, watching sport on television and listening to music. Hailing from the South West, he is also an avid supporter of Bristol City FC.
Retirement
Saxbee announced to the March meeting of Lincoln's Diocesan Synod that he intended to retire as Bishop of Lincoln on 31 January 2011, and duly did so.Other appointments
- President, Modern ChurchModern ChurchModern Church is a UK-based membership organisation that promotes liberal Christian theology. Its president is the Revd Professor John Barton, who succeeded the Rt Revd Dr John Saxbee in 2011....
(1997–2011) - Religious Adviser, Central Television (?–present)
- Member, Springboard Executive (1998–present)
- Member, College of Evangelists (1998–present)
- Chair of Governors, Bishop Grosseteste University College Lincoln (2002–present)
- Visitor, Eton CollegeEton CollegeEton College, often referred to simply as Eton, is a British independent school for boys aged 13 to 18. It was founded in 1440 by King Henry VI as "The King's College of Our Lady of Eton besides Wyndsor"....
(2002–present)
Styles
- John Saxbee Esq (1946–1970)
- Dr John Saxbee (1970–1972)
- The Revd Dr John Saxbee (1972–1988)
- The Revd Prebendary Dr John Saxbee (1988–1992)
- The Ven Dr John Saxbee (1992–1994)
- The Rt Revd Dr John Saxbee (1994–present)