Church Church of England Predecessor Martyn Snow Diocese Diocese of Gloucester | Nationality British Consecration 30 November 2016 | |
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In office 30 November 2016 – present Other posts Archdeacon of Cheltenham (April 2010 – 2016) Ordination 1989 (deacon)
1990 (priest) Birth name Robert Wilfrid Springett Born 15 September 1962 (age 54) ( 1962-09-15 ) Alma maters Lincoln Theological College, University of Nottingham, King's College London | ||
Robert Wilfrid Springett (born 15 September 1962) is a British Anglican bishop. He has served as the Bishop of Tewkesbury (a suffragan bishop in the Diocese of Gloucester) since his consecration as a bishop on 30 November 2016. He previously served as the Archdeacon of Cheltenham in the same diocese from 2010.
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Early life and education
Springett was born on 15 September 1962. He was educated at Brentwood School, an independent school in Brentwood, Essex, and at Chelmsford College, a further education college in Chelmsford, Essex. In 1986, he entered Lincoln Theological College, an Anglican theological college, to train for ordination. During this time, he also studied theology at the University of Nottingham and graduated with a Bachelor of Theology (BTh) degree in 1989. Following ordination, he undertook postgraduate studies at King's College London, and graduated with a Master of Arts (MA) degree from the University of London in 1992.
Ordained ministry
Springett was ordained in the Church of England as a deacon in 1989 and as a priest in 1990. From 1989 to 1992, he served his curacy at St James the Great, Colchester, an Anglo-Catholic parish in the Diocese of Chelmsford. He was then a curate at St Martin of Tours, Basildon, between 1992 and 1994. In 1994, he became priest-in-charge of All Saints, Belhus Park and St Nicholas, South Ockendon. From 1998 to 2001, he was also Rural Dean of Thurrock. In 2001, he was appointed Rector of the Parish of Wanstead. During his time as incumbent of the parish, he "led the church into significant growth". From 2008 to 2010, he was also Area Dean of Redbridge. In 2008, he was made an Honorary Canon of Chelmsford Cathedral.
In April 2010, Springett moved to the Diocese of Gloucester where he had been appointed the Archdeacon of Cheltenham. As an archdeacon, he was one of the most senior priests in the diocese and was responsible for four deaneries (Cheltenham, Tewkesbury and Winchcombe, Cirencester, and the Cotswolds). He is chair of the Diocesan Board of Education, and therefore leads the oversight of the diocese's 116 church schools. He was a member of the Crown Nominations Commission that chose Rachel Treweek as Bishop of Gloucester in 2015 (she became the first woman diocesan bishop in the Church of England).
Episcopal ministry
On 25 July 2016, it was announced Springett was to become the next Bishop of Tewkesbury, a suffragan bishop in the Diocese of Gloucester. He was consecrated a bishop on 30 November 2016 during a service at Canterbury Cathedral. He will be welcomed as the Bishop of Tewkesbury during a service at Gloucester Cathedral on 11 December 2016.
Personal life
In 1991, Springett married Helen Bates. Together, they have two daughters; Charlotte and Alice.