| Honorific-Prefix: | The Rt Revd |
| Jonathan Gibbs | |
| Bishop of Rochester | |
| Church: | Church of England |
| Province: | Canterbury |
| Diocese: | Diocese of Rochester |
| Appointed: | --> |
| Term: | 2022–present |
| Predecessor: | James Langstaff |
| Successor: | in office |
| Other Post: | Area Bishop of Huddersfield (2014 - 2022) |
| Ordination: | 1989 (deacon) 1990 (priest) |
| Consecration: | 17 October 2014 |
| Consecrated By: | Archbishop John Sentamu |
| Birth Name: | Jonathan Robert Gibbs |
| Birth Date: | 1961 5, df=y |
| Tomb: | --> |
| Nationality: | British |
| Religion: | Anglicanism |
| Parents: | Phillip Gibbs |
| Spouse: | Toni née Millsted |
| Children: | 2 sons; 1 dau. |
| Previous Post: | --> |
| Education: | The King's School, Chester |
Jonathan Robert Gibbs (born 6 May 1961), is an Anglican prelate.
Bishop of Rochester since 2022, he serves as the diocesan bishop for the see of Rochester in Kent. Bishop Gibbs was previously the first Bishop of Huddersfield from 2014 to 2022.[1]
Born in 1961, Gibbs was educated at King's School Chester, a private school in Cheshire. He then read Philosophy and Politics at Jesus College, Oxford, graduating as Bachelor of Arts (BA) before proceeding, as is customary, MA (Oxon).[2]
In 1984, Gibbs entered Ridley Hall, Cambridge, an Anglican theological college, to train for ordained ministry. He also pursued postgraduate research at Jesus College, Cambridge, taking a doctorate of Philosophy (PhD) in 1990. His doctoral thesis was titled "The challenge of transformation: towards a theology of work in the light of the thought of the Revd Dr Richard Niebuhr".[3]
Gibbs was ordained in the Church of England as a deacon in 1989 then as a priest in 1990. He served his curacy at Holy Trinity and Christ Church, Stalybridge in the diocese of Chester. He was the Intercontinental Church Society Chaplain at Basel (Switzerland) and Freiburg-im-Breisgau (Germany) from 1992 until 1998. He was then the incumbent at Heswall on the Wirral from 1998 until his elevation to the episcopate in 2014.
In August 2014, it was announced that Gibbs would be the first Bishop of Huddersfield, an area bishop in the newly created diocese of Leeds. On 17 October 2014, he was consecrated a bishop by Dr John Sentamu, Archbishop of York, during a service at York Minster.[4] On 31 March 2022, it was announced that Gibbs would succeed James Langstaff as diocesan bishop for the see of Rochester.[5] He took up the See on 24 May 2022 (at St Mary-le-Bow) upon the confirmation of his election[6] and was afterwards installed as Bishop of Rochester during a service at Rochester Cathedral on 24 September 2022.[7]
In 2023, following the news that the House of Bishops of the Church of England was to introduce proposals for blessing same-sex relationships, he signed an open letter, stating:[8]
Bishop Gibbs voted against introducing "standalone services for same-sex couples" on a trial basis during a meeting of the General Synod in November 2023; the motion passed.[9] [10]
Gibbs married Toni Millsted in 1986. Together, they have three children: Harriet, Edward and Thomas.[11]