Christopher Lowson Explained

Honorific-Prefix:The Right Reverend
Christopher Lowson
Bishop of Lincoln
Church:Church of England
Diocese:Diocese of Lincoln
Term:2011–2021
Predecessor:John Saxbee
Ordination:1977 (deacon)
1978 (priest)
Ordained By:Mervyn Stockwood
Consecration:2011
Birth Date:3 February 1953
Birth Place:Consett,
Nationality:British
Residence:new bishop's house, Lincoln?-->
Religion:Anglican
Spouse:Susan Lowson
Children:2
Alma Mater:King's College London

Christopher Lowson (born 3 February 1953) is a British retired Anglican bishop. He was Bishop of Lincoln from 2011 to 2021.[1]

Education and ordination

Lowson was educated at Newcastle Cathedral School, Consett Grammar School and King's College London where he was awarded an Associateship of King's College qualification in theology in 1975.[2] [3] He then studied at the Pacific School of Religion in Berkeley, California, (as a World Council of Churches' scholar), where he received a Master of Sacred Theology degree in theology before being ordained in 1977.[4] [5] [6] [7] During his work Lowson studied part-time at Heythrop College, University of London, where he obtained a Master of Theology degree in pastoral theology in 1996 and, in 2003, he completed a Master of Laws degree in canon law at Cardiff Law School.

Ordained ministry

Lowson was made a deacon at Petertide on 3 July 1977 and was ordained as a priest the following year, both times by Mervyn Stockwood, Bishop of Southwark, at Southwark Cathedral. He began his ordained ministry as an assistant curate in Richmond, Surrey. He was successively priest in charge (1982 to 1983) and vicar (1983 to 1991) at Holy Trinity, Eltham. From 1982 to 1985 he was also a chaplain at Avery Hill College and then of Thames Polytechnic until 1991. That year, he became vicar of Petersfield and rector of Buriton.[8] He held this appointment for eight years, during the last four of which he was also rural dean of Petersfield. In 1999 he became Archdeacon of Portsmouth, which soon after was divided into the archdeaconries of The Meon and of Portsdown. After the split, Lowson became the Archdeacon of Portsdown and held this position until 2006. In that year he was appointed director of the Ministry Division of the Archbishops' Council and a priest vicar at Westminster Abbey, posts he held until the confirmation of his election to the See of Lincoln.[9]

Episcopal ministry

Lowson's election as Bishop of Lincoln was confirmed at Lambeth Palace on 19 July 2011.[10] He was consecrated as a bishop on 21 September 2011 in Westminster Abbey and enthroned in Lincoln Cathedral on 12 November 2011.[11] He is believed to be the only steel worker ever to have been appointed a bishop.[12] He was introduced to the House of Lords as a Lord Spiritual on 14 September 2017.[13]

Following information provided by police, Lowson was suspended from office by Justin Welby, Archbishop of Canterbury, on 16 May 2019. According to Welby, the suspension was in relation to a safeguarding children inquiry, but "is a neutral act" and there has been "no allegation that [he] has committed abuse of a child or vulnerable adult".[14] He accepted a misconduct penalty in relation to his mishandling of "a disclosure about a member of clergy in the Lincoln diocese in early 2019" and returned to work in February 2021.[15] [16] [17]

On 31 December 2021, he resigned the See of Lincoln and retired from full-time ministry.[18]

Clubs

He is a member of the Garrick Club, the MCC and the Savile Club.

Styles

Notes and References

  1. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-lincolnshire-13095429 BBC News
  2. News: Bishop of Lincoln to be introduced to House of Lords . 3 September 2018 . Market Rasen Journal . 12 September 2017.
  3. Web site: Three alumni appointed as Bishops . Comment (King's College London quarterly newsletter) . 199 . March 2012 . 16 November 2013.
  4. Web site: Home > News > Diocese of Lincoln . The Official Site of the British Prime Minister . HM Government . London, United Kingdom . 15 April 2011 . 16 July 2012 . The Queen has approved the nomination of the Venerable Christopher Lowson, AKC, STM, MTh, LLM, Director of Ministry at the Archbishops' Council, for election as Bishop of Lincoln..
  5. Web site: News > Appointment of 72nd Bishop of Lincoln . The Diocese of Lincoln . 14 April 2011 . 16 July 2012 . https://web.archive.org/web/20120715181521/http://www.lincoln.anglican.org/news_item.php?267 . 15 July 2012 . dead .
  6. [Crockford's clerical directory|Crockfords]
  7. Web site: Christopher Lowson, Bishop of Lincoln . Linkedin . 16 November 2013.
  8. http://www.stpeterspetersfield.org.uk/index.php?id=101 Church website
  9. http://www.number10.gov.uk/news/press-notices/2011/04/diocese-of-lincoln-63109 Number 10
  10. http://www.lincoln.anglican.org/news_item.php?299 Diocese of Lincoln – Confirmation of the 72nd Bishop
  11. http://lincoln.anglican.org/news_item.php?299 Diocese of Lincoln – Consecration of Christopher Lowson
  12. Web site: Director of Ministry – and former steel-worker – appointed 72nd Bishop of Lincoln . JUST Lincolnshire (Lincolnshire's Equality and Human Rights Council) . . 19 April 2011 . 30 June 2012 . His father, grandfather (a professional footballer) and great-grandfather had all worked at Consett's steel works and Lowson worked there for two summers as a labourer in the coke ovens at the plant while undertaking his initial training for the ordained ministry. . https://web.archive.org/web/20120425155224/http://justlincolnshire.org.uk/index.php/news/detail/director_of_ministry_-_and_former_steel-worker_-_appointed_72nd_bishop_of_l/ . 25 April 2012 . dead .
  13. http://calendar.parliament.uk/calendar/Lords/All/2017/9/14/Daily Lords' Calendar – 14 September 2017
  14. Web site: Bishop of Lincoln Christopher Lowson suspended from office . BBC News . 16 May 2019 . 16 May 2019 .
  15. News: Lincoln bishop accepts misconduct penalty after safeguarding probe . 2 February 2021 . The Lincolnite . 1 February 2021 . en.
  16. Web site: Bishop of Lincoln: Christopher Lowson can return after inquiry . BBC News . 2 February 2021 . 1 February 2021.
  17. News: Bishop of Lincoln can return to duty after 20-month safeguarding investigation. Church Times. 1 February 2021.
  18. Web site: The Bishop of Lincoln announces his retirement . Diocese of Lincoln . Lincoln Diocesan Trust and Board of Finance . 30 April 2021 . en . 30 April 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210430110210/https://www.lincoln.anglican.org/news/the-bishop-of-lincoln-announces-his-retirement . dead .
  19. Web site: St Peter's Petersfield . The History of St Peter’s Church . https://web.archive.org/web/20150215082102/http://stpeterspetersfield.org.uk/about_stpeters/the-history-of-st-peters-church . 15 February 2015 . 4 February 2023 .
  20. Web site: Southern Daily Echo . Archdeacon Peter is man for new era . 19 August 1999 . https://web.archive.org/web/20181208224417/https://www.dailyecho.co.uk/news/5633639.archdeacon-peter-is-man-for-new-era/ . 8 December 2018 . 4 February 2023 .
  21. Web site: The Daily Telegraph . Church to tackle shortage of vicars . 6 August 2007 . https://web.archive.org/web/20151222084048/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1559594/Church-to-tackle-shortage-of-vicars.html . 22 December 2015 . 4 February 2023 .
  22. Web site: The Daily Telegraph . Women priests to match males by 2025 . 12 August 2007 . https://web.archive.org/web/20090919134222/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1560104/Women-priests-to-match-males-by-2025.html . 19 September 2009 . 4 February 2023 .
  23. Web site: Lindisfarne Regional Training Partnership . Visit from Director of the Ministry Division . 8 October 2010 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160304122244/http://lindisfarnertp.org/news-details.aspx?id=41 . 4 March 2016 . 4 February 2023 .

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