Stephen Cottrell
Encyclopedia
Stephen Geoffrey Cottrell BA
SCP
(born 31 August 1958) is the Church of England
Bishop of Chelmsford
since 7 October 2010.
, Essex
on 31 August 1958, he was educated at Belfairs High School
and the Polytechnic of Central London
.
After a period of study at St Stephen's House, Oxford
he was ordained in 1985. His career began with a curacy
at Christ Church, Forest Hill
, after which he was Priest in charge
of St Wilfrid's, Chichester
then Diocesan Missioner for the Diocese of Wakefield
and finally (before his elevation to the Episcopate) Canon Pastor
of Peterborough Cathedral
.
He was nominated Bishop of Reading
on 6 January 2004, after Jeffrey John
controversially withdrew his nomination to the post in 2003. Cottrell had been a supporter of John's original appointment. He said of his nomination:
He was consecrated on 4 May 2004, following confirmation of the appointment by Letters Patent
.
The Affirming Catholic
bishop is a keen evangelist, having written several books on the subject among his 38 published titles.
In 2007 he publicly opposed the renewal of Britain's Trident missile systems
. Bishop Stephen is married with three children.
Following his nomination as Bishop of Chelmsford
on 22 March 2010, he was translated
to the Diocese of Chelmsford
as bishop on 6 October 2010. He was installed at Chelmsford Cathedral
on 27 November 2010.
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...
SCP
Society of Catholic Priests
The Society of Catholic Priests is a religious society of clergy in the Anglican Communion which draws its membership from Anglicans who consider themselves a part of the Anglo-Catholic tradition of Anglicanism.-Founding and early history:...
(born 31 August 1958) is 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...
Bishop of Chelmsford
Bishop of Chelmsford
The Bishop of Chelmsford is the Ordinary of the Church of England Diocese of Chelmsford in the Province of Canterbury.The current bishop is the Right Reverend Stephen Cottrell, the 10th Bishop of Chelmsford, who signs Stephen Chelmsford...
since 7 October 2010.
Life
Born in Leigh-on-SeaLeigh-on-Sea
Leigh-on-Sea , sometimes called Leigh, is a civil parish in Essex, England. It is part of Southend-on-Sea for administrative purposes. It became a civil parish in 1996. The council tax was increased to support it. A town council was formed. Leigh is the only parish in Southend...
, Essex
Essex
Essex is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the East region of England, and one of the home counties. It is located to the northeast of Greater London. It borders with Cambridgeshire and Suffolk to the north, Hertfordshire to the west, Kent to the South and London to the south west...
on 31 August 1958, he was educated at Belfairs High School
Belfairs High School
Belfairs High School is a comprehensive secondary school in Leigh-on-Sea, Essex, England. The current head teacher is John Duprey B.A . The school has held Media Arts Status since 2003...
and the Polytechnic of Central London
University of Westminster
The University of Westminster is a public research university located in London, United Kingdom. Its origins go back to the foundation of the Royal Polytechnic Institution in 1838, and it was awarded university status in 1992.The university's headquarters and original campus are based on Regent...
.
After a period of study at St Stephen's House, Oxford
St Stephen's House, Oxford
St Stephen’s House, Oxford , is an Anglican theological college and one of six religious Permanent Private Halls of the University of Oxford, England...
he was ordained in 1985. His career began with a curacy
Curate
A curate is a person who is invested with the care or cure of souls of a parish. In this sense "curate" correctly means a parish priest but in English-speaking countries a curate is an assistant to the parish priest...
at Christ Church, Forest Hill
Forest Hill, London
Forest Hill is a district of south London, England, located in the London Borough of Lewisham. It situated between Dulwich and Sydenham. The area has enjoyed extensive investment since plans to extend the East London Line to Forest Hill were unveiled in 2004....
, after which he was Priest in charge
Priest in charge
A priest in charge or priest-in-charge is a priest in charge of a parish who does not receive the temporalities of the parish. He or she is not legally responsible for the churches and glebe, simply holds a licence rather than freehold and is not appointed by advowson.The appointment of priests in...
of St Wilfrid's, Chichester
Chichester
Chichester is a cathedral city in West Sussex, within the historic County of Sussex, South-East England. It has a long history as a settlement; its Roman past and its subsequent importance in Anglo-Saxon times are only its beginnings...
then Diocesan Missioner for the Diocese of Wakefield
Diocese of Wakefield
The Diocese of Wakefield is a Church of England diocese based in Wakefield in West Yorkshire, covering Wakefield, Barnsley, Kirklees and Calderdale...
and finally (before his elevation to the Episcopate) Canon Pastor
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 Peterborough Cathedral
Peterborough Cathedral
Peterborough Cathedral, properly the Cathedral Church of St Peter, St Paul and St Andrew – also known as Saint Peter's Cathedral in the United Kingdom – is the seat of the Bishop of Peterborough, dedicated to Saint Peter, Saint Paul and Saint Andrew, whose statues look down from the...
.
He was nominated Bishop of Reading
Bishop of Reading
The Bishop of Reading is an episcopal title used by a suffragan bishop of the Church of England Diocese of Oxford, which is within the Province of Canterbury, England. The current Bishop is the Rt Revd Andrew Proud....
on 6 January 2004, after Jeffrey John
Jeffrey John
Jeffrey Philip Hywel John SCP is a Church of England priest and the current Dean of St Albans. He made headlines in 2003 when he was the first person to have openly been in a same-sex relationship to be nominated as a Church of England bishop...
controversially withdrew his nomination to the post in 2003. Cottrell had been a supporter of John's original appointment. He said of his nomination:
He was consecrated on 4 May 2004, following confirmation of the appointment by Letters Patent
Letters patent
Letters patent are a type of legal instrument in the form of a published written order issued by a monarch or president, generally granting an office, right, monopoly, title, or status to a person or corporation...
.
The Affirming Catholic
Affirming Catholicism
Affirming Catholicism is a movement operating in several provinces of the Anglican Communion, most notably in the UK, Ireland, the United States and Canada...
bishop is a keen evangelist, having written several books on the subject among his 38 published titles.
In 2007 he publicly opposed the renewal of Britain's Trident missile systems
UK Trident programme
The UK Trident programme is the United Kingdom's Trident missile-based nuclear weapons programme. Under the programme, the Royal Navy operates 58 nuclear-armed Trident II D-5 submarine-launched ballistic missiles and around 200 nuclear warheads on 4 Vanguard-class ballistic missile submarines from...
. Bishop Stephen is married with three children.
Following his nomination as Bishop of Chelmsford
Bishop of Chelmsford
The Bishop of Chelmsford is the Ordinary of the Church of England Diocese of Chelmsford in the Province of Canterbury.The current bishop is the Right Reverend Stephen Cottrell, the 10th Bishop of Chelmsford, who signs Stephen Chelmsford...
on 22 March 2010, he was translated
Translation (ecclesiastical)
Translation is the technical term when a Bishop is transferred from one diocese to another.This can be* From Suffragan Bishop status to Diocesan Bishop*From Coadjutor bishop to Diocesan Bishop*From one country's Episcopate to another...
to the Diocese of Chelmsford
Diocese of Chelmsford
The Diocese of Chelmsford is a Church of England diocese, part of the Province of Canterbury. The diocese covers Essex and the five East London boroughs of Barking and Dagenham, Havering, Newham, Redbridge, and Waltham Forest, and is co-terminous with the boundaries of the Catholic Diocese of...
as bishop on 6 October 2010. He was installed at Chelmsford Cathedral
Chelmsford Cathedral
Chelmsford Cathedral in the county town of Chelmsford, Essex, England is dedicated to St Mary the Virgin, St Peter and St Cedd. It became a cathedral when the Anglican Diocese of Chelmsford was created in 1914 and is the seat of the Bishop of Chelmsford....
on 27 November 2010.
Styles
- Stephen Cottrell Esq (1958–1985)
- The Reverend Stephen Cottrell (1985–2001)
- The Reverend Canon Stephen Cottrell (2001–2004)
- The Right Reverend Stephen Cottrell (since 2004)
Works
- Hit the Ground Kneeling: Seeing Leadership Differently (Church House Publishing, November 2008); ISBN 0715141627
- The Things He Carried (SPCK Publishing, November 2008); ISBN 0281060800
- Do Nothing... Christmas is Coming: An Advent Calendar with a Difference (Church House Publishing, August 2008); ISBN 0715141643
- Do Nothing to Change Your Life: Discovering What Happens When You Stop (Church House Publishing, May 2007); ISBN 071514118X
- Abundance of the Heart: Catholic Evangelism for All Christians (Darton, Longman and Todd Ltd, May 2006); ISBN 0232526362
- I Thirst: The Cross - The Great Triumph of Love (Zondervan Publishing House, January 2004); ISBN 0310250692
- Praying through Life: How to Pray in the Home, at Work and in the Family (Church House Publishing; 2nd Revised edition edition, November 2003); ISBN 0715140108
- On This Rock: Bible Foundations for Christian Living (The Bible Reading Fellowship, January 2003); ISBN 1841012386
- Travelling Well: A Companion Guide to the Christian Faith (Church House Publishing, June 2000); ISBN 0715149350
- Catholic Evangelism (Affirming Catholicism) (Darton, Longman and Todd Ltd, March 1998); ISBN 0232522715
- Sacrament, Wholeness and Evangelism: A Catholic Approach (Grove Books Ltd, February 1996); ISBN 185174309X