Michael Lewis (bishop)
Encyclopedia
Michael Augustine Owen Lewis is the Anglican Bishop of the Diocese of Cyprus and the Gulf
in the province of Jerusalem and the Middle East. Within his diocese lie Cyprus, Iraq, and the whole of the Arabian Peninsula.
Lewis was born on 8 June 1953. He was educated at King Edward VI School, Southampton
and Merton College, Oxford
, where he read Oriental Studies
(Hebrew, Aramaic, and Syriac) taking a BA
in 1975 and MA in 1979. He then began formation for the priesthood Cuddesdon College
, taking the Final Honour School of Theology in 1977.
He was ordained deacon in 1978 and priest in 1979. After a curacy at Christ the King, Salfords, Surrey, in the Diocese of Southwark
he became Chaplain
of Thames Polytechnic in 1980. He was Vicar
of St Mary the Virgin, Welling, Southwark from 1984 to 1991 when he became Team Rector of Worcester South East and later Rural Dean
of Worcester
and Canon of Worcester Cathedral
. Ordination to the Episcopate followed in 1999 when he was appointed to the Suffragan Bishopric of Middleton
. In 2007 he was translated to Cyprus and the Gulf
On June 5, 2011, Lewis ordained the first female priest
in the Middle East in Saint Christopher's Cathedral, Manama
.
He is a member of the International Commission for Anglican-Orthodox Theological Dialogue, and is Bishop- Visitor of the Community of the Sisters of the Love of God, Convent of the Incarnation, Fairacres, Oxford.
Anglican Diocese of Cyprus and the Gulf
The Diocese of Cyprus and the Gulf is one of four dioceses in the Province of Jerusalem and the Middle East, and includes Cyprus, the Gulf, the Arabian Peninsula, Iraq and the Yemen...
in the province of Jerusalem and the Middle East. Within his diocese lie Cyprus, Iraq, and the whole of the Arabian Peninsula.
Lewis was born on 8 June 1953. He was educated at King Edward VI School, Southampton
King Edward VI School, Southampton
King Edward VI School, often referred to as King Edward's, or simply KES, is a selective co-educational independent day School located in Southampton, United Kingdom and is a member of the Headmasters' and Headmistresses' Conference. It was founded in 1553, after the death of William Capon , who...
and Merton College, Oxford
Merton College, Oxford
Merton College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England. Its foundation can be traced back to the 1260s when Walter de Merton, chancellor to Henry III and later to Edward I, first drew up statutes for an independent academic community and established endowments to...
, where he read Oriental Studies
Oriental studies
Oriental studies is the academic field of study that embraces Near Eastern and Far Eastern societies and cultures, languages, peoples, history and archaeology; in recent years the subject has often been turned into the newer terms of Asian studies and Middle Eastern studies...
(Hebrew, Aramaic, and Syriac) taking a BA
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
in 1975 and MA in 1979. He then began formation for the priesthood Cuddesdon College
Ripon College Cuddesdon
Ripon College Cuddesdon is a Church of England theological college in Cuddesdon, a village outside Oxford, England.-History:Ripon College Cuddesdon was formed from an amalgamation in 1975 of Cuddesdon College and Ripon Hall...
, taking the Final Honour School of Theology in 1977.
He was ordained deacon in 1978 and priest in 1979. After a curacy at Christ the King, Salfords, Surrey, in the Diocese of Southwark
Anglican Diocese of Southwark
The Diocese of Southwark is one of the 44 dioceses of the Church of England, part of the worldwide Anglican Communion. The Diocese forms part of the Province of Canterbury in England. It was formed on May 1, 1905 from part of the Diocese of Rochester...
he became 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...
of Thames Polytechnic in 1980. He was Vicar
Vicar
In the broadest sense, a vicar is a representative, deputy or substitute; anyone acting "in the person of" or agent for a superior . In this sense, the title is comparable to lieutenant...
of St Mary the Virgin, Welling, Southwark from 1984 to 1991 when he became Team Rector of Worcester South East and later Rural Dean
Rural Dean
In the Anglican Communion and the Roman Catholic Church, a Rural Dean presides over a Rural Deanery .-Origins and usage:...
of Worcester
Worcester
The City of Worcester, commonly known as Worcester, , is a city and county town of Worcestershire in the West Midlands of England. Worcester is situated some southwest of Birmingham and north of Gloucester, and has an approximate population of 94,000 people. The River Severn runs through the...
and Canon of Worcester Cathedral
Worcester Cathedral
Worcester Cathedral is an Anglican cathedral in Worcester, England; situated on a bank overlooking the River Severn. It is the seat of the Anglican Bishop of Worcester. Its official name is The Cathedral Church of Christ and the Blessed Mary the Virgin of Worcester...
. Ordination to the Episcopate followed in 1999 when he was appointed to the Suffragan Bishopric of Middleton
Bishop of Middleton
The Bishop of Middleton is an episcopal title used by a suffragan bishop of the Church of England Diocese of Manchester, in the Province of York, England. The title takes its name after the town of Middleton in Greater Manchester....
. In 2007 he was translated to Cyprus and the Gulf
Anglican Diocese of Cyprus and the Gulf
The Diocese of Cyprus and the Gulf is one of four dioceses in the Province of Jerusalem and the Middle East, and includes Cyprus, the Gulf, the Arabian Peninsula, Iraq and the Yemen...
On June 5, 2011, Lewis ordained the first female priest
Ordination of women in the Anglican communion
The ordination of women in the Anglican Communion has become increasingly accepted in recent years.-Introduction:Some provinces within the Anglican Communion, such as the Episcopal Church in the United States of America , the Anglican Church of New Zealand, the Anglican Church of Canada and the...
in the Middle East in Saint Christopher's Cathedral, Manama
Manama
Manama is the capital and largest city of Bahrain, with an approximate population of 155,000 people.Long an important trading center in the Persian Gulf, Manama is home to a very diverse population...
.
He is a member of the International Commission for Anglican-Orthodox Theological Dialogue, and is Bishop- Visitor of the Community of the Sisters of the Love of God, Convent of the Incarnation, Fairacres, Oxford.