Emma Gwynneth Ineson (born 1969) is a British Anglican bishop and academic, specialising in practical theology. Since 2023, she has served as Bishop of Kensington, the area bishop for West London. From 2014 to 2019, she was Principal of Trinity College, Bristol, an evangelical Anglican theological college; from 2019 to 2021, she was Bishop of Penrith, the suffragan bishop of the Diocese of Carlisle; and from 2021 to 2023, she served as "Bishop to the Archbishops of Canterbury and York", i.e. assistant bishop on the staffs of both archbishops.


Emma Ineson
Area Bishop of Kensington
DioceseDiocese of London
In office2023 to present
PredecessorGraham Tomlin
Other post(s)Principal of Trinity College, Bristol (2014–2019)
Bishop of Penrith (2019–2021)
Bishop to the Archbishops of Canterbury and York (2021–2023)
Orders
Ordination2 July 2000 (deacon)
4 July 2001 (priest)
by Jack Nicholls
Consecration27 February 2019
by John Sentamu
Personal details
Born1969 (age 54–55)
Birmingham, England
NationalityBritish
DenominationAnglicanism
SpouseMat
ChildrenTwo
Alma mater

Early life and education edit

Ineson was born in 1969 in Birmingham, England.[1][2] She was brought up in Kenya and South Wales.[2] She studied English language and linguistics at the University of Birmingham,[3] graduating with a Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree in 1992 and a Master of Philosophy (MPhil) degree in 1993.[1] She undertook postgraduate research in the "power and authority in the language of worship" at Birmingham,[4] and completed her Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degree in 1998.[1]

At the age of 24, Ineson felt the call to ordination.[5] While studying for her doctorate, she entered Trinity College, Bristol, an evangelical Anglican theological college to train for ordained ministry.[1] She also studied theology and graduated with a further BA degree in 1999.[1]

Ordained ministry edit

Ineson was ordained in the Church of England: made deacon at Petertide 2000 (2 July) at Sheffield Cathedral (with her husband among others)[6] and ordained a priest the following Petertide (4 July 2001; with her husband alone) at their title church — both times they were ordained by Jack Nicholls, Bishop of Sheffield.[7] From 2000 to 2003, she undertook her curacy at Christ Church, Dore in the Diocese of Sheffield:[1] unusually, this was a job-share with her husband.[3] She then moved to Devon where she was a chaplain to the Lee Abbey, an ecumenical Christian community, between 2003 and 2006.[1][4]

In 2006, Ineson returned to Bristol having been appointed a non-stipendiary minister in the Parish of St Matthew and St Nathanael, Bristol.[1] In 2007, she was additionally made a tutor in practical and pastoral theology at her alma mater Trinity College, Bristol.[1][4] From 2013 to 2014, she served as chaplain to the Bishop of Bristol (then Mike Hill).[8] In April 2014, she once more returned to Trinity College, Bristol having been appointed its principal in succession to George Iype Kovoor.[3][9]

Episcopal ministry edit

On 9 May 2018, it was announced that Ineson would be the next Bishop of Penrith, the suffragan bishop of the Diocese of Carlisle, in succession to Robert Freeman.[8][10] On 27 February 2019, she was consecrated as a bishop by John Sentamu, Archbishop of York, during a service at York Minster.[2][11][12] Since July 2019, she has also served as Central Chaplain of the Mothers' Union.[13][14]

On 19 April 2021, it was announced that Ineson is to move to Lambeth Palace, to become "Bishop to the Archbishops of Canterbury and York". She took up the appointment on 1 June 2021, replacing the Bishop at Lambeth as episcopal assistant to Justin Welby, Archbishop of Canterbury; and adding to this assisting Stephen Cottrell, Archbishop of York, coordinating between Lambeth and Bishopthorpe, and overseeing the Lambeth Conference 2022 programme.[15] Since 2022, she has also been an honorary assistant bishop in the Diocese of Southwark.[16]

On 15 December 2022, it was announced that she would be the next Bishop of Kensington, an area bishop in the Diocese of London.[17] [18] She was translated to the See of Kensington upon swearing the oaths at a service on 19 February 2023; and became area bishop for West London in the same service.[19][20]

Personal life edit

Ineson is married to Mat Ineson,[3] who is also an Anglican priest.[21] They had met while studying at the University of Birmingham, and went together to Trinity College, Bristol to train for ordained ministry.[2] They have two children.[11]

Honours edit

In February 2016, Ineson was appointed an Honorary Chaplain to the Queen (QHC).[22][23] She was one of 33 honorary chaplains who are part of the Ecclesiastical Household and occasionally preach at the Chapel Royal.[23] She relinquished the appointment upon becoming a bishop in 2019.[14]

References edit

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i "Emma Gwynneth Ineson". Crockford's Clerical Directory (online ed.). Church House Publishing. Retrieved 1 May 2017.
  2. ^ a b c d "New bishop for Cumbria announced". News and Star. 9 May 2018. Retrieved 12 May 2018.
  3. ^ a b c d "Revd Dr Emma Ineson, BA, MPhil, PhD". Trinity College Bristol. Archived from the original on 24 February 2015. Retrieved 1 May 2017.
  4. ^ a b c "Rev Dr Emma Ineson". New Wine. Archived from the original on 12 May 2018. Retrieved 12 May 2018.
  5. ^ Ineson, Emma (29 November 2017). "Saying 'yes' to God". Diocese of Bristol. Retrieved 12 May 2018.
  6. ^ "Petertide Ordinations". Church Times. No. 7168. 7 July 2000. p. 18. ISSN 0009-658X. Retrieved 15 July 2019 – via UK Press Online archives.
  7. ^ "Ordinations". Church Times. No. 7221. 13 July 2001. p. 6. ISSN 0009-658X. Retrieved 15 July 2019 – via UK Press Online archives.
  8. ^ a b "The Rev'd Dr Emma Ineson named as new Bishop of Penrith". The Diocese of Carlisle. 4 May 2016. Archived from the original on 10 May 2018. Retrieved 9 May 2018.
  9. ^ "Trinity college chaplain appointed". Church Times. 17 January 2014. Retrieved 12 May 2018.
  10. ^ "Queen approves appointment of Suffragan Bishop of Penrith". GOV.UK. Prime Minister's Office, 10 Downing Street. Retrieved 12 May 2018.
  11. ^ a b "Cumbria gains first female bishop". BBC News. 9 May 2018. Retrieved 12 May 2018.
  12. ^ "A Cumbrian first as the new Bishop of Penrith is consecrated". The Diocese of Carlisle. 27 February 2019. Archived from the original on 28 February 2019. Retrieved 28 February 2019.
  13. ^ "Mothers' Union welcomes new Central Chaplain, Bishop of Penrith, Rt Revd Dr Emma Ineson". Mothers' Union. 17 July 2019. Retrieved 13 February 2022.
  14. ^ a b "Emma Gwynneth Ineson". Crockford's Clerical Directory (online ed.). Church House Publishing. Retrieved 13 February 2022.
  15. ^ "Bishop Emma Ineson to be Bishop to the Archbishops of Canterbury and York".
  16. ^ "Emma Gwynneth Ineson". Crockford's Clerical Directory (online ed.). Church House Publishing. Retrieved 15 December 2022.
  17. ^ "Appointment of Suffragan Bishop of Kensington: 15 December 2022". GOV.UK. Prime Minister's Office, 10 Downing Street. 15 December 2022. Retrieved 15 December 2022.
  18. ^ "New Bishop for West London". Diocese of London. 15 December 2022. Archived from the original on 15 December 2022. Retrieved 15 December 2022.
  19. ^ Sarah Mullally [@bishopSarahM] (19 February 2023). "Welcome @e_ineson Bishop of Kensington..." (Tweet). Archived from the original on 25 February 2023. Retrieved 25 February 2023 – via Twitter.
  20. ^ Kensington Area Welcome Service for the Right Reverend Dr Emma Ineson - St Barnabas Kensington (livestream). 19 February 2023. Event occurs at 55:00. Retrieved 25 February 2023.
  21. ^ "Mathew David Ineson". Crockford's Clerical Directory (online ed.). Church House Publishing. Retrieved 13 February 2022.
  22. ^ "Emma Ineson named Queen's Chaplain". Trinity College Bristol. 23 February 2016. Retrieved 12 May 2018.
  23. ^ a b "Trinity College principal appointed Chaplain to Queen". Diocese of Bristol. 23 February 2016. Retrieved 12 May 2018.
Church of England titles
Preceded by Bishop of Kensington
2023–present
Incumbent