Andrew Watson (bishop)

Andrew John Watson (born 16 July 1961) is the Bishop of Guildford in the Church of England.[2] He previously served as Bishop of Aston,[3] the suffragan bishop of the Diocese of Birmingham, from 2008 until 2014.

The Right Reverend

Andrew Watson
Bishop of Guildford
Watson in 2014
ChurchChurch of England
DioceseDiocese of Guildford
In office2014–present
PredecessorChristopher Hill
Other postsBishop of Aston (2008–2014)
Orders
Ordination1987 (deacon); 1988 (priest)
by Philip Goodrich
Consecration28 October 2008
Personal details
Born (1961-07-16) 16 July 1961
Bicester, Oxfordshire, United Kingdom
NationalityBritish
DenominationAnglican
ResidenceWillow Grange, Jacobs Well[1]
Spouse
​
​
(m. 1986)​
Childrenfour
Occupationalso author
Alma materCorpus Christi College, Cambridge

Early life and education

Watson was born, the son of Angus and Alison Watson, in Bicester, Oxfordshire,[4] and was educated at Winchester College and Corpus Christi College, Cambridge.[5] He received his Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree in 1982; as per tradition, his BA was promoted to a Master of Arts (MA Cantab) degree in 1990. He then went to Ridley Hall, Cambridge to train for the ministry.[1]

Ministry

Leaving Ridley in 1987, he was made a deacon that Michaelmas (27 September) at St Stephen's, Redditch,[6] and then ordained priest the Petertide next (3 July 1988) at Worcester Cathedral, both times by Philip Goodrich, Bishop of Worcester.[7] His first positions were curacies at St Peter's Ipsley in the Diocese of Worcester (1987–1991) and at St John's & St Peter's, Notting Hill in the Diocese of London (1991–1996). His only incumbency was Vicar of St Stephen's, East Twickenham (1996–2008),[4] from which three new churches were planted;[8] while at Twickenham, he was also Area Dean of Hampton from 2003 onwards.[9][1]

In 2008, he was appointed as Bishop of Aston; he was consecrated a bishop on 28 October 2008,[10] and on 26 September 2014 it was announced that he would be translated to Bishop of Guildford.[8][11] The confirmation of his election to the See of Guildford occurred on 24 November 2014;[12] his ministry was inaugurated at Guildford Cathedral on 28 February 2015.[2]

Family and interests

Watson married in 1986,[4] and his wife was ordained a deacon in 2008; they have four children.[13] He is the author of The Fourfold Leadership of Jesus,[14] Confidence in the Living God (2009),[15] and The Way of the Desert (2011).[16][17] He regularly speaks on the themes of Church Growth and Renewal in the UK, Norway and Sweden. He is on the board of the Queen's Foundation, Birmingham, and the Archbishops' College of Evangelists and chairs the CPAS Trustees and the Panel for World Mission and the Anglican Communion.

In February 2015, his handling of the controversy over anti-semitic material that was shared online by Stephen Sizer was praised by the Jewish community.[18] In February 2017, he said that as a young man he was beaten by John Smyth.[19][20]

Styles

References
  1. "Andrew John Watson". Crockford's Clerical Directory (online ed.). Church House Publishing. Retrieved 29 June 2017.
  2. http://www.cofeguildford.org.uk/whats-on/news/detail/2015/02/25/tenth-bishop-of-guildford-to-be-inaugurated-at-guildford-cathedral
  3. Daily Telegraph, "Appointments in the clergy", p. 28, 8 September 2008
  4. "Watson, Andrew John". Who's Who. ukwhoswho.com. 2017 (November 2016 online ed.). A & C Black, an imprint of Bloomsbury Publishing plc. Retrieved 29 June 2017. (subscription or UK public library membership required)
  5. Church of England press release
  6. "Michaelmas ordinations". Church Times (#6503). 2 October 1987. p. 14. ISSN 0009-658X. Retrieved 29 June 2017 – via UK Press Online archives.
  7. "Ordinations". Church Times (#6543). 8 July 1988. p. 14. ISSN 0009-658X. Retrieved 29 June 2017 – via UK Press Online archives.
  8. BBC announcement
  9. "New Bishop of Aston announced"
  10. Worcester Diocese — New Bishop of Aston... Archived 18 August 2011 at the Wayback Machine
  11. https://www.guildford-cathedral.org/news/2014/new-bishop-of-guildford-announced
  12. Diocese of Guildford – Confirmation of election of new Bishop of Guildford (Accessed 28 January 2015)
  13. "New Bishop of Aston announced". The Church of England. 2 September 2008. Archived from the original on 15 September 2008.CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  14. "The Fourfold Leadership of Jesus". Archived from the original on 19 July 2011. Retrieved 9 October 2010.
  15. "Confidence in the living God". Archived from the original on 13 June 2010. Retrieved 26 February 2010.
  16. New Lent Courses 2012 – The Way of The Desert by Andrew Watson: connecting the Exodus to the Everyday
  17. A review of The Way of the Desert
  18. http://www.bod.org.uk/board-welcomes-churchs-swift-action-over-sizer/
  19. "Statement from Bishop of Guildford, Andrew Watson". Church of England. 6 February 2017. Archived from the original on 8 February 2017.
  20. "C of E bishop: I was subject of 'excruciating' beating by John Smyth". The Guardian. 6 February 2017. Retrieved 6 February 2017.
Church of England titles
Vacant
Title last held by
John Austin		 Bishop of Aston
2008–2014		 Succeeded by
Anne Hollinghurst
Preceded by
Christopher Hill		 Bishop of Guildford
2014–present		 Incumbent
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