Pete Spiers Explained

Type:	priest
Honorific Prefix:	The Venerable
Pete Spiers
Archdeacon of Knowsley and Sefton
Church:	Church of England
Diocese:	Diocese of Liverpool
Term:	2015 to present
Ordination:	1986 (deacon) 1987 (priest)
Birth Name:	Peter Hendry Spiers
Birth Date:	13 August 1961 df=y
Tomb:	-->
Religion:	Anglicanism
Partner:	-->
Previous Post:	-->
Alma Mater:	St John's College, Durham Ridley Hall, Cambridge

Peter Hendry Spiers^[1] (born 13 August 1961) is a British Anglican priest. Since 2015, he has been Archdeacon of Knowsley and Sefton in the Diocese of Liverpool.

Early life and education

Spiers was born on 13 August 1961 in Liverpool, England.^[2] He was educated at Liverpool College, then an independent school. He studied at Durham University, graduating with a Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree in 1982. While studying at Durham, he was elected Senior Man of St John's College in 1982.^[3] From 1983 to 1986, he trained for ordination at Ridley Hall, Cambridge, an evangelical theological college. During this time, he completed a Certificate of Theology (CertTh).

Ordained ministry

Spiers was ordained in the Church of England as a deacon in 1986 and as a priest in 1987. Following a curacy at St Luke, West Derby, he was Team Vicar of Everton from 1990 to 1995, and Vicar of St Georges Everton from 1995 to 2005.^[4] He was at St Luke, Crosby from 2005 to 2015; and Area Dean of Sefton, 2008 to 2015.^[5] In 2006, he was made an honorary canon of Liverpool Cathedral. In 2015, he was appointed Archdeacon of Knowsley and Sefton; a newly created post in the Diocese of Liverpool.^[6] He was collated as archdeacon in November 2015 during a service at Liverpool Cathedral.

Spiers is an evangelical Anglican. He welcomes the Church of England's introduction of blessings for same-sex partnerships.^[7]

Since 2000, he has been an elected member of the General Synod of the Church of England.^{[8] [9]} He also served on the Crown Nominations Commission between 2007 and 2012.

Personal life

Spiers was born with phocomelia as a consequence of the drug thalidomide, although he does not think of himself as disabled.^[10]

He is married to Annie and they have four children.

Notes and References

1. https://beta.companieshouse.gov.uk/officers/GunNiFoWoRNqfp4WUqTK7Qa1MuE/appointments Companies House
2. Web site: Spiers, Ven. Peter Hendry, (born 13 Aug. 1961), Archdeacon of Knowsley and Sefton, since 2015 . . Oxford University Press . 6 March 2023 . en . 1 December 2022.
3. Election Results . Palatinate . 11 March 1982 . 354 . 2 . 6 September 2019.
4. 'SPIERS, Ven. Peter Hendry', Who's Who 2017, A & C Black, an imprint of Bloomsbury Publishing plc, 2017; online edn, Oxford University Press, 2016 ; online edn, Nov 2016 accessed 22 Oct 2017
5. http://www.liverpool.anglican.org/index.php?p=1551 Liverpool Anglican
6. Web site: Bishop Paul collates new Archdeacons at Liverpool Cathedral . The Diocese Of Liverpool . 6 March 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20151127004416/https://liverpool.anglican.org/Bishop-Paul-collates-new-Archdeacons-at-Liverpool-Cathedral . 27 November 2015 . 27 November 2015.
7. News: Letters to the Editor: Evangelical opinion on the Bishops' LLF proposals . 6 March 2023 . Church Times . 3 March 2023 . As Evangelical members of the Synod, we would like to make it clear that this simply isn't true. Many Evangelical Christians wish to welcome and celebrate committed same-sex relationships [...] we welcome the House of Bishops' proposals as an important step on this journey, and thank the College and House for their discernment. We look forward to being able to express God's love and blessing to more people in our communities.
8. Web site: The Ven Peter Hendry SPIERS . The Church of England Year Book . Church House Publishing . 6 March 2023.
9. Web site: Ven Pete Spiers Archdeacon Knowsley and Sefton, acting Archdeacon Ormskirk . 6 March 2023.
10. Web site: Harden . Rachel . Interview: Pete Spiers, member of the General Synod's House of Clergy . Church Times . 6 September 2019 . 6 February 2008.