John Bromilow Thomson (born 1 July 1959) is a Church of England bishop. Since 2014, he has been the Bishop of Selby, a suffragan bishop of the Diocese of York.
John Thomson | |
|---|---|
_(bishop_John_Thomson_cropped).jpg) Thomson in 2021 | |
| Church | Church of England |
| Diocese | Bishop of Selby |
| In office | July 2014 to present |
| Predecessor | Martin Wallace |
| Orders | |
| Ordination | 1985 (deacon) 1986 (priest) by David Lunn |
| Consecration | 3 July 2014 by John Sentamu |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 1 July 1959 Edinburgh, Scotland |
| Nationality | British |
| Denomination | Anglicanism |
He began his ordained ministry as a curate and youth chaplain in the Diocese of Sheffield, before moving to South Africa and the Anglican Church of Southern Africa as a tutor at a theological college. He returned to Sheffield where he was a vicar from 1993 to 2001 and the director of ministry for the Diocese of Sheffield from 2001 to 2014.
Early life and education
Thomson was born on 1 July 1959 in Edinburgh, Scotland.[1] He also spent twelve years living in Uganda.[2][3] He was educated at Edinburgh Academy, then an all-boys independent school in Edinburgh, and at Haberdashers' Aske's Boys' School, an independent school in Elstree, Hertfordshire, England.[4] He studied history at the University of York,[5] graduating with a Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree in 1981.[6]
Thomson then trained for ordination at Wycliffe Hall, Oxford, an evangelical Anglican theological college.[5] He also studied theology and graduated from the University of Oxford with a Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree in 1984:[5][6] as per tradition, his BA was promoted to a Master of Arts (MA Oxon) degree in 1991.[6] He later continued his studies part-time, and graduated from the University of Nottingham with a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degree in theology in 2001.[5] His doctoral thesis was titled "The ecclesiology of Stanley Hauerwas as a distinctively Christian theology of liberation (1970-2000)".[7]
Ordained ministry
Thomson was made a deacon at Michaelmas 1985 (29 September)[8] and ordained a priest the Petertide following (29 June 1986), both times by David Lunn, Bishop of Sheffield, at Sheffield Cathedral.[9] From 1985 to 1989, he served his curacy at All Saints Church, Ecclesall in the Diocese of Sheffield.[6] He was also the church's youth chaplain.[5]
In 1989, Thomson moved to South Africa. He was a tutor at St Paul's College, Grahamstown, a theological college of the Anglican Church of Southern Africa , between 1989 and 1992.[5] He was additionally an assistant priest at St Bartholomew's Church, Grahamstown from 1990 to 1992 and an assistant lecturer at Rhodes University from 1991 to 1992.[6]
In 1993, he returned to England and was appointed vicar of St Mary's Church, Wheatley, Doncaster in the Diocese of Sheffield.[4] After eight years as vicar, he was appointed director of ministry for the Diocese of Sheffield in 2001.[5] He was additionally a honorary canon of Sheffield Cathedral from 2001.[6]
On 2 May 2014, it was announced that Thomson would be the next Bishop of Selby, a suffragan bishop of the Diocese of York.[2] He was consecrated a bishop at York Minster on 3 July 2014 by John Sentamu, Archbishop of York.[3] In July 2023, it was announced that he would be retiring in July 2024.[10]
Personal life
In 1986, Thomson married Susan.[5][2] Together they have two daughters.[5]