Alastair Cutting

Cutting was born on 29 May 1960 in Birmingham, England, the son of William Alexander Murray Cutting and his wife, Margaret McLean Cutting, née Manderson.[1] He was educated in three different countries: at George Watson's College, an independent school in Edinburgh, Scotland; at Lushington Boys School, a private international Christian school in Ootacamund, India; and at Watford Grammar School for Boys, a state comprehensive school in Watford, England.[1] He grew up in South India where his parents worked at a rural hospital and "where four generations of his family lived and worked for nearly a century".[3]

Cutting took a gap year between school and university, during which he worked with the Salvation Army in South India.[3] He then returned to England where he studied teaching and youth work at Westhill College, University of Birmingham.[1][3] He graduated in 1983 with a Bachelor of Education (BEd) degree.[2] From 1983 to 1984, he worked as a science laboratory technician at a school.[4] In 1984, he entered St John's College, Nottingham, an Open Evangelical Anglican theological college to study theology and train for ordination.[2] During this time, he completed a Licentiate of Theology (LTh) degree and a Diploma in Pastoral Studies (DPS).[1]

While undertaking parish ministry in the Diocese of Chichester, Cutting studied at Heythrop College, University of London.[1] He graduated with a Master of Arts (MA) degree in 2003.[2] His master's thesis concerned Maori and Celtic spirituality.[4]

Cutting was ordained in the Church of England as a deacon in 1987 and as a priest in 1988.[2] He served his curacy in the Diocese of Sheffield at All Saints Church, Woodlands from 1987 to 1988, and then at Wadsley Parish Church from 1989 to 1991.[2][4] From 1991 to 1996, he was Chaplain to The Nave and Uxbridge Town Centre, and an assistant curate in the Uxbridge Team Ministry in the Diocese of London.[2][4]

In 1996, Cutting moved to the Diocese of Chichester where he took up his first incumbency as Vicar of St John the Evangelist, Copthorne, West Sussex.[1][2] After 14 years, in 2010, he moved parishes and became Rector of the Benefice of St Peter's Church, Henfield with Shermanbury and Woodmancote, West Sussex.[2][4] In 2011, he was elected Pro-Prolocutor of the Province of Canterbury of the General Synod in addition to his parish ministry.[3][4]

In December 2012, he was announced as the next Archdeacon of Lewisham & Greenwich in the Diocese of Southwark.[4] On 14 April 2013, he was instituted and installed as archdeacon during a service at Southwark Cathedral.[3][4] The Archdeaconry of Lewisham & Greenwich covers the area deaneries of Lewisham, East Lewisham, Charlton, Eltham and Mottingham, Plumstead, West Lewisham, and Deptford.[4] He has also been priest-in-charge of Holy Trinity with St Augustine, Sydenham since 2015.[1]

In 1984, Cutting married Kay Elizabeth Greenhalgh.[1][3] Together they have two daughters.[1]