Glyn Webster
Glyn Hamilton Webster (born 3 June 1951) is a British Anglican bishop. Since 2013, he has been the Bishop of Beverley in the Church of England. He was previously the Canon Chancellor (a canon residentiary) and Acting Dean of York at York Minster in the Diocese of York.
Glyn Webster | |
|---|---|
| Bishop of Beverley (PEV) | |
| Church | Church of England |
| Province | Province of York |
| Diocese | Diocese of York |
| In office | 2013–present |
| Predecessor | Martyn Jarrett |
| Other posts | Canon Treasurer, York Minster (2000–2003) Canon Chancellor, York Minster (2003–2013) Acting Dean of York (2003–2004 & 2012) Queen's Chaplain (2011–2012) |
| Orders | |
| Ordination | 1977 (deacon) 1978 (priest) |
| Consecration | 25 January 2013 by John Sentamu |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 3 June 1951 Darwen, Lancashire, United Kingdom |
| Nationality | British |
| Denomination | Anglican |
| Alma mater | Durham University |
Early life and education
Webster worked as a State Registered Nurse at the Blackburn Royal Infirmary before training for the ordained ministry at Cranmer Hall, Durham.
Ordained ministry
He was a curate at Huntington in the Diocese of York from 1977 to 1981. From 1981 to 1992, he was Vicar of St Luke's York. From 1981 to 1992, he was a chaplain at the York Hospital, known at the time as York District Hospital, and from 1992 to 1999, he was the Senior Chaplain for the York Health Services NHS Trust. He was additionally a canon and prebendary of York Minster from 1994 to 1999 and also Rural Dean for the City of York from 1997 to 2004. From 2005 to 2010, he was also Associate Diocesan Director of Ordinands. From 1999 his main role was as canon residentiary of York Minster — firstly as Treasurer until 2003, and then as Chancellor, and twice as Acting Dean during vacancies.[1] He was elected as a member of General Synod in 1995. From 2000 to January 2013, he served as Prolocutor of the Lower House of the Convocation of York and also as a member of the Crown Nominations Commission and the Archbishops' Council. He was a chaplain to Elizabeth II.
Episcopal ministry
In August 2012, his appointment as the next Bishop of Beverley was announced[2] following the announcement in December 2011 that Martyn Jarrett would retire as Bishop of Beverley on 30 September 2012.[3] Beverley is the see reserved for the Provincial Episcopal Visitor for the Province of York.
Webster is a member of the Council of Bishops of The Society.[4]
Safeguarding controversy, CDM complaint and Further Investigations
In May 2016 Webster was one of six bishops accused of misconduct by an alleged victim of child sex abuse. He was cited in the Guardian and Church Times along with Bishops Peter Burrows, Steven Croft, Martyn Snow, Roy Williamson and Archbishop of York, John Sentamu as subject of Clergy Disciplinary Measure complaints owing to their inaction on the alleged victim's disclosure.[5][6] The bishops contested the complaints because they were made after the church’s required one-year limit.[7] All six bishops were pictured on a protest brochure which the alleged victim handed out at Steven Croft's enthronement as Bishop of Oxford later that year.[8][9]
In October 2020, a report was published, entitled "A Betrayal of Trust" an independent past case review requested by The Church of England, chaired by His Hon. David Pearl. This has found on the balance of probabilities that Bishop Glyn Webster allegedly failed to act in a serious safeguarding breach within the Church[10]
On 23 October 2020 the Church Times reported the above findings and other national newspapers, including The Daily Telegraph, The Guardian and The Times have all published articles suggesting that Bishop Glyn Webster may lose his office as Bishop of Beverley and potentially may be banned from episcopal and priestly ministry within The Church of England.[11][12][13]
Styles
- The Reverend Glyn Webster (1977–1994)
- The Reverend Canon Glyn Webster (1994–2013)
- The Right Reverend Glyn Webster (2013–present)
References
- Diocese of York — Glyn Webster (Accessed 8 May 2016)
- Official announcement
- The Church Times, 9 December 2011, p. 6
- "The Council of Bishops". The Society. Retrieved 6 December 2015.
- "Senior Anglican clergy accused of failing to act on rape allegations". The Guardian. 26 July 2016. Retrieved 16 October 2016.
- "Goddard Inquiry begins to sift through Church's evidence". Church Times. 29 July 2016. Retrieved 16 October 2016.
- "Archbishop of York and four bishops accused of failing to act over historic rape claims". Christianity Today. 26 July 2016. Retrieved 16 October 2016.
- "Sex abuse survivors protest outside Christ Church enthronement and accuse bishop of ignoring rape claims". The Oxford Times. 30 September 2016. Retrieved 16 October 2016.
- "Ceremony to welcome new Bishop of Oxford is overshadowed by protest". ITV News. 30 September 2016. Retrieved 16 October 2016.
- Pearl, David. "A Betrayal of Trust" (PDF).
- "Bishop could lose office for 'failure to act on sexual abuse disclosure'". the Guardian. 22 October 2020. Retrieved 23 October 2020.
- "Review castigates Church's treatment of Bishop Whitsey's victims". www.churchtimes.co.uk. Retrieved 23 October 2020.
- Swerling, Gabriella (22 October 2020). "Bishop failed to act in case of serial abuser, claims independent report". The Telegraph. ISSN 0307-1235. Retrieved 23 October 2020.