Nationality British Alma mater Keble College, Oxford Predecessor David Wilcox Denomination Anglican Name Ian Brackley Ordination 1971 | Spouse Penny Role Bishop of Dorking Consecration 1996 Children 2 children Education Keble College, Oxford Diocese Diocese of Guildford | |
In office 1996–30 September 2015 (retired) Born 13 December 1947 (age 76) ( 1947-12-13 ) | ||
Ian James Brackley (born 13 December 1947) was the Anglican Bishop of Dorking since 1996. He was educated at Westcliff High School for Boys and Keble College, Oxford, before embarking on a clerical career. Ordained in 1972 he began his ministry with a curacy at St Mary Magdalene, Lockleaze. From 1977 until 1980 he was Chaplain at Bryanston School then Vicar of East Preston, St Wilfrid's Church, Haywards Heath (1988-1996) and finally Rural Dean of Cuckfield before his elevation to the Episcopate. A keen golfer, Brackley is married with two children. He retired from the See of Dorking on 30 September 2015.
During the 2009–2010 episcopal vacancy in the Diocese of Portsmouth, Brackley served as the commissary bishop (essentially "acting diocesan bishop"), since that diocese has no suffragan bishop to perform that role as would be more usual.
On 11 February 2017, fourteen retired bishops signed an open letter to the then-serving bishops of the Church of England. In an unprecedented move, they expressed their opposition to the House of Bishops' report to General Synod on sexuality, which recommended no change to the Church's canons or practises around sexuality. By 13 February, a serving bishop (Alan Wilson, Bishop of Buckingham) and nine further retired bishops — including Brackley — had added their signatures; on 15 February, the report was rejected by synod. Brackley now lives in the Petersfield area.