James Langstaff (bishop)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This is an old revision of this page, as edited by DBD (talk | contribs) at 20:33, 17 December 2015 (-persondata (deprecated)). The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.


James Langstaff
Bishop of Rochester
DioceseDiocese of Rochester
Installed11 December 2010[1]
PredecessorMichael Nazir-Ali
Other post(s)Bishop of Lynn (2004–2010)
Orders
Ordination1981 (deacon)
1982 (priest)
Consecration21 June 2004[2]
by Rowan Williams, Archbishop of Canterbury
Personal details
Born (1956-06-27) 27 June 1956 (age 67)
NationalityBritish
DenominationAnglican
ParentsHenry Langstaff & Jillian (née Brooks, now Harper)
SpouseBridget (m. 1977–present)[3]
Children2
Alma materSt Catherine's College, Oxford
University of Nottingham

James Henry Langstaff (born 27 June 1956) is a British Anglican bishop. Since December 2010, he has been Bishop of Rochester.[4][5] From 2004 to 2010, he was Bishop of Lynn, a suffragan bishop in the Diocese of Norwich.

Early life

Langstaff was born on 27 June 1956.[6] He was educated at Cheltenham College, a public school in Cheltenham, Gloucestershire.[6] He studied Philosophy, Politics and Economics at St Catherine's College, Oxford, and graduated from the University of Oxford with a Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree in 1977; as per tradition, his BA was promoted a Master of Arts (MA (Oxon)) degree in 1981.[7]

In 1978, he entered St John's College, Nottingham, an Anglican theological college in the open evangelical tradition.[8] He studied theology at the University of Nottingham and graduated with a BA degree in 1980. He then remained for a further year at St John's College to study for ordained ministry and completed a Diploma in Pastoral Studies.[7]

Ordained ministry

Langstaff was ordained in the Church of England as a deacon in 1981 and as a priest in 1982.[8] He began his ordained ministry with a curacy at St Peter's Farnborough, Hampshire,[9] after which he was Vicar of St Matthew's Church, Duddeston and Nechells and St Clement's Church, Nechells. He was the then chaplain to Mark Santer, Bishop of Birmingham, and Area Dean of Sutton Coldfield before his appointment as Bishop of Lynn in 2004. Langstaff was installed as the Suffragan Bishop of Lynn on 26 June 2004.[2]

On 22 June 2010, Langstaff's translation to the See of Rochester was announced,[10] where he succeeded Michael Nazir-Ali. He was consecrated at Rochester Cathedral on 11 December 2010.[1]

In April 2013 Langstaff became one of the patrons of West Kent YMCA,[11][12] a charity supporting young people in parts of the Rochester diocese, drawing on his interest in social housing and development.[13][14]

In 2013 Langstaff also became the Bishop to Prisons and in February 2014 became one of the bishops in the House of Lords.[14]

Langstaff is also Chair of the Board for Housing Justice, a national Christian charity which seeks to give voice to the church on issues of housing and homelessness.

Personal life

Langstaff is married with two children, Alasdair and Helen.[15]

Styles

External links

References

  1. ^ a b Diocese of Rochester -- News Release (PDF)
  2. ^ a b News — New church leader for West Norfolk
  3. ^ Diocese of Norwich — Bishop of Lynn
  4. ^ a b Official notification of appointment
  5. ^ Anglican Communion website.
  6. ^ a b Who's Who 2008: London, A & C Black ISBN 978-0-7136-8555-8
  7. ^ a b "ROCHESTER, Bishop of". Who's Who 2015. Oxford University Press. November 2014. Retrieved 27 June 2015.
  8. ^ a b "J H Langstaff". Crockford's Clerical Directory (online ed.). Church House Publishing. Retrieved 27 June 2015.
  9. ^ St Peter's Farnborough website
  10. ^ Official notification of appointment
  11. ^ http://www.westkentymca.org.uk/mi5
  12. ^ http://www.westkentymca.org.uk/vip
  13. ^ Press release http://www.westkentymca.org.uk/documents/pr-26042013
  14. ^ a b http://www.parliament.uk/biographies/lords/bishop-of-rochester/4318
  15. ^ "Biography - Bishop James Langstaff" Anglican
Church of England titles
Preceded by Bishop of Lynn
2004–2010
Succeeded by
Preceded by Bishop of Rochester
2010–present
Incumbent