The Diocese of Chichester

The Bishop of Chichester: Rt Revd John Hind

John Hind was born in Watford in 1945. He grew up in a Christian family and he and his brother were taken to church as children. He describes the village church where he learnt the faith as “mainstream Church of England, where I learnt to know and love the rhythm of the Church’s life.”

He attended Watford Grammar School and went to Leeds University where he studied theology before teaching in a secondary school and a college of education.

During this time he explored his vocation to the priesthood and applied to train for full-time ministry at Cuddesdon College when Lord Runcie, later to be Archbishop of Canterbury, was Principal although by the time John arrived he had left the College to be Bishop of St Albans.

After ordination in Southwark Cathedral in 1972 John worked in parishes in the Diocese of Southwark, and in 1982 was appointed Principal of Chichester Theological College. He wanted to maintain Chichester as a mainstream college preparing students thoroughly for the realities of full-time ministry. He oversaw the planning and opening of a new building for the college and the development of a new curriculum, as well as the college’s 150th anniversary celebrations in 1989. A more unusual demand during his time as Principal was to play the rôle of Jesus Christ in one of the college’s annual Holy Week Passion Plays, performed in the streets of Chichester.

After almost nine years as a College Principal (while he was a Residentiary Canon of Chichester) John Hind was appointed Area Bishop of Horsham in the Chichester Diocese and served under Bishop Eric Kemp, who has been a great influence in Bishop John’s ministry.

On St Andrew’s Day (30 November) 1993, John became the second Bishop of the Diocese in Europe (and 14th Bishop of Gibraltar), with responsibility for the Anglican congregations in more than 30 countries. He was enthroned in the Cathedral Church of the Holy Trinity, Gibraltar, on the Feast of the Epiphany (6 January) 1994.

The Diocese in Europe came into existence in 1980 by the union of the Diocese of Gibraltar, which included Southern Europe and the Mediterranean Coast, with the Bishop of London’s jurisdiction in Northern and Central Europe, exercised through the Bishop of Fulham. The Diocese covers the whole of Europe (except Britain and Ireland) together with Morocco, Turkey, and the Asian part of the former Soviet Union. Its chaplaincies stretch from Madeira to Ankara and from Casablanca to Helsinki. Around 120 licensed priests and deacons serve some 220 congregations.

Bishop John’s interest in languages served as a bonus in that post, which saw him travelling regularly around the Diocese to visit congregations and clergy. Among his other wider interests are the question of communications and relationships. He has extensive interests in relationships between faith and culture.

Bishop John has been Chairman of the Faith and Order Advisory Group, a Church of England committee responsible for ecumenical and theological matters, since 1991. He is a member of the Faith and Order Commission of the World Council of Churches and a member of the Inter Anglican Standing Commission on Ecumenical Relations.

His appointment as the new Bishop of Chichester was announced in the autumn of 2000. He replaced Bishop Eric Kemp, who was the diocesan bishop for over 26 years and who retired in January 2001.

When his appointment was announced, Bishop John commented: “I am both excited and somewhat daunted by the prospect. It is a humbling experience to be asked to succeed Bishop Eric Kemp in the See of S Wilfrid, S Richard, Lancelot Andrewes, George Bell, and other great bishops.”

Bishop John, who has lived in Sussex since the early 1980s, added: “We have lived in Sussex longer than anywhere else, but most of my ministry has been outside the county. I am particularly pleased to be called to be responsible for leading the mission of the Anglican Church in Sussex. It already feels like home and since I do not know the details or the inside story that well, I look forward to learning and meeting more people.”

Bishop John is married to Janet, and they have three adult sons: Dominic, Jonathan, and Philip; and two granddaughters: Sophie and Katy. His enthronement as Bishop took place in Chichester Cathedral on 26 May 2001.