The Bishop to the Archbishops of Canterbury and York is a position within the hierarchy of the Church of England. It is a non-diocesan appointment in which a bishop acts as head of staff or general assistant to the Archbishop of Canterbury and to the Archbishop of York. It was created in 2021 to replace the former role Bishop at Lambeth, who assisted only the Archbishops of Canterbury.
On 19 April 2021, it was announced that Emma Ineson, then Bishop suffragan of Penrith, was to move to Lambeth Palace, to become "Bishop to the Archbishops of Canterbury and York". She took up the appointment on 1 June 2021, and her new role replaces that of Bishop at Lambeth as episcopal assistant to Justin Welby, Archbishop of Canterbury. The new role also includes assisting Stephen Cottrell, Archbishop of York, coordinating between Lambeth and Bishopthorpe, and overseeing the Lambeth Conference 2022 programme. On 15 December 2022, it was announced that Ineson was to become the next Bishop of Kensington (an area bishop in the Diocese of London) in "spring 2023". On 2 February 2023, it was announced that David Urquhart (retired Bishop of Birmingham) would succeed Ineson for a one-year interim period starting during the week beginning 6 February 2023.
Past and present bishops FromUntilIncumbentNotes 1980 1984 Ross HookHook was the first bishop (recently) to serve as Chief of Staff to the Archbishop of Canterbury.Bishops at Lambeth 1984 1992 Ronald GordonPreviously Bishop of Portsmouth (1975–1984). Also became Bishop to the Forces (1985–1990). 1992 1994 John YatesPreviously Bishop of Gloucester (1975–1992). 1994 1999 Frank SargeantPreviously Bishop of Stockport (1984–1994). 1999 2004 Richard LlewellinPreviously Bishop of Dover (1992–1999). Appointed in 1999.Honorary Fellowship Awarded To Bishop of Lambeth. Retrieved on 23 August 2011. Became Chairman of the Anglican Society for the Welfare of Animals (ASWA).ASWA Committee & Officers . Retrieved on 23 August 2011. 2004 2013 vacant October 2013 2017 Nigel Stock Previously Bishop of St Edmundsbury and Ipswich; retired during August 2017.Archbishop of Canterbury — Nigel Stock announces retirement as Bishop at Lambeth (Accessed 17 March 2017) 6 September 2017 30 September 2021 Tim Thornton previously Bishop of Truro;Lambeth Palace — Tim Thornton announced as new Bishop at Lambeth (Accessed 4 April 2017) commissioned 6 September 2017;Lambeth Palace — Tim Thornton commissioned as new Bishop at Lambeth (Accessed 9 September 2017) retired on 30 September 2021.Bishops to the Archbishops of Canterbury and York 1 June 2021 February 2023 Emma Ineson Previously Bishop suffragan of Penrith; translated to Kensington. February 2023 present David Urquhart ad interim and part-time; retired Bishop of Birmingham.
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