Peter Hancock

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Peter Hancock
Bishop of Bath and Wells
Peter Hancock installation 7 June 2014 (cropped).jpg
Hancock after his Installation at Wells
ChurchChurch of England
DioceseDiocese of Bath and Wells
In office2014–2021
PredecessorPeter Price
Other post(s)Bishop of Basingstoke (2010–2014)
Orders
Ordination1980 (deacon)
1981 (priest)
by Ronald Gordon
Consecration21 September 2010
Personal details
Born (1955-07-26) 26 July 1955 (age 66)
Isle of Wight, United Kingdom
NationalityBritish
DenominationAnglican
ResidenceBishop's Palace, Wells
Spouse
(m. 1979)
Childrenfour
Alma materSelwyn College, Cambridge

Peter Hancock (born 26 July 1955) is a British retired Anglican bishop. He served as the Bishop of Bath and Wells in the Church of England, 2014–2021 and as the Bishop of Basingstoke, a suffragan bishop in the Diocese of Winchester, 2010–2014.

Early life and education[]

Hancock was born on 26 July 1955 on the Isle of Wight.[1] His family moved to Fareham, Hampshire, when he was 11. He undertook an undergraduate degree at Selwyn College, Cambridge before training for ordained ministry at Oak Hill Theological College.[2]

Ordained ministry[]

Hancock was ordained in the Church of England: made a deacon at Michaelmas 1980 (28 September)[3] and ordained a priest the Michaelmas following (27 September 1981), both times by Ronald Gordon, Bishop of Portsmouth, at Portsmouth Cathedral.[4] He was a curate at Christchurch, Portsdown between 1980 and 1983, and at Saint Aldhelm, Radipole until 1987. From 1987 to 1999 he was Vicar of St Wilfrid's Cowplain[5] before becoming Archdeacon of The Meon — a post he held until his ordination to the episcopate.[6]

Episcopal ministry[]

Hancock was consecrated as a bishop at St Paul's Cathedral on 21 September 2010,[7] and welcomed as Bishop of Basingstoke at Winchester Cathedral on 2 October 2010.[8]

On 10 December 2013, it was announced that Hancock would become Bishop of Bath and Wells in 2014.[9] Initially it was announced that, unlike his predecessors, he would not live in the Bishop's Palace. However that decision was later reversed.[10] His election as Bishop of Bath and Wells was confirmed on 4 March 2014[11] and he was installed at Wells Cathedral on 7 June 2014.[12][13] From 2016 to 2020, he was additionally lead bishop for safeguarding in the Church of England.[14]

Since August 2020, he has been on leave while undergoing treatment for cancer.[15] It was announced in March 2021 that he would be taking take early retirement on medical grounds; a farewell service was held on 22 May 2021.[14] He retired to Surrey.[2]

Personal life[]

Hancock has been married[16] since 1979[17] and he and his wife have four adult children.[16]

In 2020, he was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukaemia and took leave to undergo treatment.[15]

Views[]

In his first interview after being installed as the Bishop of Bath and Wells, Hancock spoke against same-sex marriage.[18] In an article in the Bath Chronicle, he said "We will therefore need to think, pray and consider very deeply what it might mean to share the gospel across the diocese, what it might mean to foster spiritual and numerical growth in Church and community, and how we can so order our life as a diocese to enable the Church to grow and flourish in new ways."[19]

Styles[]

  • The Reverend Peter Hancock (1980–1997)
  • The Reverend Canon Peter Hancock (1997–1999)
  • The Venerable Peter Hancock (1999–2010)
  • The Right Reverend Peter Hancock (2010–present)

References[]

  1. ^ Ventnor blog
  2. ^ Jump up to: a b "Peter Hancock". Crockford's Clerical Directory (online ed.). Church House Publishing. Retrieved 9 October 2016.
  3. ^ "Ordinations". Church Times (#6138). 3 October 1980. p. 4. ISSN 0009-658X. Retrieved 23 June 2017 – via UK Press Online archives.
  4. ^ "Ordinations". Church Times (#6190). 2 October 1981. p. 4. ISSN 0009-658X. Retrieved 23 June 2017 – via UK Press Online archives.
  5. ^ ”Pompey Chimes” (Diocese of Portsmouth newspaper) July/August 2010
  6. ^ Diocese of Winchester
  7. ^ Winchester Diocese — Three new bishops consecrated...
  8. ^ Diocese of Portsmouth — New Bishop of Basingstoke
  9. ^ Diocese of Bath and Wells – Next Bishop of Bath and Wells announced[permanent dead link] (Accessed 10 December 2013)
  10. ^ "Determination of objection to regulation transaction: House of Residence of Bishop of Bath and Wells" (PDF). Archbishops' Council. 1 May 2014.
  11. ^ Diocese of Bath and Wells – Bishop's Synod address (24 March 2014) Archived 27 March 2014 at the Wayback Machine & Welcome to Christ Church Winchester, 9 March 2014 Archived 27 March 2014 at the Wayback Machine (both accessed 4 April 2014)
  12. ^ Diocese of Bath and Wells – Bishops (Accessed 7 March 2014)
  13. ^ "New Bishop of Bath and Wells Peter Hancock installed". BBC News. 7 June 2014.
  14. ^ Jump up to: a b "Bishop Peter announces retirement as he continues recovery from leukaemia". Diocese of Bath and Wells. 12 March 2021. Retrieved 13 March 2021.
  15. ^ Jump up to: a b "Bishop Peter to undergo treatment for leukaemia". Diocese of Bath and Wells. 3 August 2020. Retrieved 22 December 2020.
  16. ^ Jump up to: a b Number 10 — Official Announcement
  17. ^ "Hancock, Peter". Who's Who. ukwhoswho.com. 2017 (November 2016 online ed.). A & C Black, an imprint of Bloomsbury Publishing plc. Retrieved 23 June 2017. (subscription or UK public library membership required)
  18. ^ "Bishop Attacks Gay Marriage". Bristol Post. 9 June 2014. Archived from the original on 2 April 2015.
  19. ^ "Bath Chronicle". 9 June 2014. Archived from the original on 22 December 2015. Retrieved 9 June 2014.
Church of England titles
Preceded by
Inaugural appointment
Archdeacon of The Meon
1999–2010
Succeeded by
Gavin Collins
Preceded by
Trevor Willmott
Bishop of Basingstoke
2010–2014
Succeeded by
David Williams
Preceded by
Peter Price
Bishop of Bath and Wells
2014–2021
TBA
Retrieved from ""