Parishes 624 Church 847 | Churches 847 Phone +44 1865 208200 | |
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Archdeacons Martin Gorick, Archdeacon of OxfordOlivia Graham, Archdeacon of BerkshireJudy French, Archdeacon of DorchesterGuy Elsmore, Archdeacon of Buckingham Suffragans Colin Fletcher, Alan Wilson, Andrew Proud Similar Diocese of Oxford, St Aloysius Catholic Church, Christ Church Cathedral, Oxford University Catholic, St Aldates Church Profiles | ||
The Diocese of Oxford is a Church of England diocese that forms part of the Province of Canterbury.
Contents
History
The Diocese of Oxford was created by letters patent from Henry VIII on 1 September 1542, out of part of the Diocese of Lincoln. Osney Abbey was designated the original cathedral, but in 1545 this was changed to St. Frideswide's which became Christ Church Cathedral.
In 1836 the Archdeaconry of Berkshire was transferred from the Diocese of Salisbury to Oxford. This comprises the county of Berkshire and parts of Wiltshire.
In 1837 the County of Buckingham was similarly transferred from the then Diocese of Lincoln, to become the Archdeaconry of Buckingham, although this annexation did not take effect until 1845.
In 2013 and 2014, the Diocese of Oxford discussed and resolved to undertake some pastoral alterations; the new archdeaconry of Dorchester was created on 1 March 2014. On 3 March 2014, it was announced that Judy French would become the first Archdeacon of Dorchester from June 2014.
Bishops
The diocesan Bishop of Oxford is assisted by the area bishops of Dorchester, Buckingham, and Reading. The suffragan See of Buckingham was created in 1914, and was the suffragan bishop for the whole diocese until 1939 when the See of Dorchester was created; the See of Reading was re-created in 1942, after having been 'in abeyance' since 1909.
The provincial episcopal visitor (for parishes in the diocese – among twelve other dioceses in the western part of the Province of Canterbury – which do not accept the ordination of women as priests) is Jonathan Goodall, Bishop suffragan of Ebbsfleet, who is licensed as an honorary assistant bishop of the diocese in order to facilitate his ministry in the diocese.
There are also eleven retired bishops resident in (or near) the diocese who are licensed to serve as honorary assistant bishops:
George Carey (retired Archbishop of Canterbury) also lives in the diocese; and Humphrey Southern, former Bishop suffragan of Repton, is the Principal of Ripon College Cuddesdon.
Counties
The diocese now covers the counties of
and has
Episcopal areas
Since the creation of an area scheme in 1984, the diocese has been divided into three episcopal areas corresponding to its archdeaconries. The Bishop of Oxford has authority throughout the diocese, but also has primary responsibility for the city and suburbs of Oxford, which are part of the Archdeaconry of Oxford.