The Prime Minister’s Office has announced that the next Suffragan Bishop of Crediton will be the Venerable Moira Astin, Archdeacon of Reigate; details are in the press release copied below. There is more on the Exeter diocesan website here, and on the Southwark diocesan website here.
Appointment of Suffragan Bishop of Crediton: 3 June 2025
The King has approved the nomination of The Venerable Moira Anne Elizabeth Astin, Archdeacon of Reigate, in the Diocese of Southwark, to the Suffragan See of Crediton in the Diocese of Exeter.
From: Prime Minister’s Office, 10 Downing Street
Published 3 June 2025The King has approved the nomination of The Venerable Moira Anne Elizabeth Astin, Archdeacon of Reigate, in the Diocese of Southwark, to the Suffragan See of Crediton in the Diocese of Exeter.
Background
Moira was educated at Clare College Cambridge and trained for ministry at Wycliffe Hall Oxford. She served her title at St Nicolas, Newbury, in the Diocese of Oxford, and in 1996, she was ordained Priest. From 1999 Moira served as Team Vicar of Thatcham Team Ministry and Lead Minister of Dunston Park Ecumenical Partnership and in 2005 she was appointed Team Vicar, later Vicar, of St James Woodley.
From 2011, Moira served as Priest-in-Charge, then Vicar, of Frodingham and New Brumby, Scunthorpe, in the Diocese of Lincoln, additionally serving as Ecumenical Officer for the Diocese and Area Dean North Lincolnshire.
I accept that the training institution may not reflect someone’s current stance on various issues (not just churchmanship) but does anyone keep a statistical list from, say, the point at which women became bishops, of which colleges / courses bishops attended?
I think Andrew Goddard does – see a recent post on the Psephizo blog
Thanks. This is Andrew’s list:
https://airtable.com/apppkbcD0QKDyquXa/shrJ5rbL9OxXQAPvQ?PmvFq=allRecords
From it, the numbers of bishops (5+) per college / institution reads as follows:
Westcott 5
SEITE 5
St John’s 6
St Stephen’s 7
Ripon 7
Trinity 8
Cranmer 10
Ridley 15
Wycliffe 19
I was on the staff of Westcott House in the 1980s. Personally I found it a very good experience – certainly due in part to our then Principal Rupert Hoare a deeply caring priest and later bishop who himself exemplified Westcott at its ‘very best’. In 1981 – the year before I joined the staff – there had been the delicious publication of the spoof ‘Not the Church Times’. The one titbit I remember from that was the the joke ad for bishops in which candidates were asked, ‘Applicants are invited to apply, stating their public school, Oxbridge college, year… Read more »
The Church of England seems to be shape- shifting in a way which to many of us is both alienating and deeply saddening. I have been a priest for over half a century and have no regrets that that has been my life. However, were I to be a young person today, I would find it difficult to discern such a vocation to the priesthood in the Church of England. The polarity in the Church of England has taken on an especially unpleasant toxic, nature. As a curate in an Anglo Catholic parish, our immediate neighbouring pair of parishes were… Read more »
But isn’t it the mix that keeps it fresh and vibrant? Here in my East Sussex village we have a ministry team of three priests and three Readers. We span the diversity of the tradition: two are evangelical (one of them formed at St Helen’s Bishops Gate); two are sacramental catholics; two are reflective contemplatives. We work together harmoniously and creatively, and we all recognise that the diversity of the ministry team leads here us to places we could never have gone if we were all of the same tradition. And frankly I don’t think any of us are particularly… Read more »
I think that you are confirming my point that we need to accept one another.
The point of my comment is that difference is fine but aggressive polarity not.
My main point was:
‘The polarity in the Church of England has taken on an an especially unpleasant toxic nature’.
I love this post! One of the joys I find in being both a member of TSSF and a Reader in rural ministry is having opportunities to worship in different contexts and experience different styles and ways of expressing our faith. I suppose I am naturally rather middle-of-the-road-to-high, liberal and inclusive (though I assure you I do love the Bible!) but if we are open, honest and mutually respectful there is always so much to learn from each other. I have friends who are Catholics, Methodists, Baptists, and from all wings of the C of E. We are called to… Read more »
Rupert Hoare was an excellent Bishop of Dudley and Training Incumbent. I am very grateful to him and to Philip Goodrich, a godly Bishop of Worcester.
Ah! Not the Church Times! I was involved with that in my curate days!
Well of course other colleges might also embody that vision- Cranmer did when I was on the staff there. Colleges do change over time. They go through bad patches and often bounce back.
I still have my well-thumbed volume of Grichael Meen’s ‘I believe in Goblins’ by my bedside, which is just as well, given I Chair the Coventry Diocesan Deliverance Team.
Its good that we have someone who loves Puffins in the house of bishops. Things are looking encouraging!!
Another archdeacon from Southwark Diocese made a bishop – that’s another interesting stat of recent years.
I think Moira may be the first bishop ever to have served in Thatcham parish (well before my time). Congratulations to her – Moira will be in our prayers, and in the memories of some.
Moira Astin also sits on the clergy disciplinary board and was on the working party for Professional Code of Conduct for Clergy but happily lived by not practising what she preached (leaving my abuser in post) until she set her sights on Tudor who would inevitably send her up the greasy pole!
It is very hard for abuse survivors to see clergy who have ignored them and not acted in accordance with the roles they have been selected for being given promotions. It is extremely triggering and the church needs to address this as part of its safeguarding.
Ashley I’m not in any way a survivor but my heart went out to you as I read your post. I fear that the CofE will only ever hand you scorpions and not justice or healing. If you can afford a good lawyer get them to deal with the CofE for you whilst you find love and support elsewhere.
I have been in a similar position. The person involved was appoint. a Bishop. My emotions were similar to yours.