The next Bishop of Sheffield has been announced by 10 Downing Street as Very Reverend Peter Jonathan Wilcox, currently Dean of Liverpool, in the diocese of Liverpool

Announcement on 10 Downing Street Website:
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/bishop-of-sheffield-peter-wilcox

Diocese of Sheffield announcement:
http://www.sheffield.anglican.org/news/bishop-of-sheffield-announced

Comment

The Diocese of Sheffield and the wider church will be pleased that the CofE has acted quickly and a prolonged interregnum has been avoided. In view of the short time involved, it was not been necessary to refer the matter back to the CNC, as described in the Very Revd Pete Wilcox’s Announcement Speech. There is, however, the unfinished business relating to the Rt Rev Philip North, and the report from the Independent Reviewer is awaited with interest.

Footnote

The Very Reverend Peter Jonathan Wilcox is married to the novelist Catherine Fox, who lectures in creative writing at the Manchester Writing School at Manchester Metropolitan University. Her blog post today has taken its theme from the song The Leaving of Liverpool. There is probably scope in the future for an equivalent post from “the city built on seven hills” (i.e.  Sheffield, not Rome), although The Sheffield Grinder is probably not a promising place to start.