Wallace Benn

Wallace Parke Benn (born 6 August 1947) is a retired English Anglican bishop. He was the area Bishop of Lewes in the Diocese of Chichester in the Church of England from 1997 until his retirement in October 2012.^[3]

Biography

Benn was educated at St Andrew's College and University College, Dublin.^[4] After studying at Trinity College, Bristol he was ordained in 1973.^[5] His ordained ministry began with curacies at St Mark's New Ferry, Wirral and St Mary's Cheadle, after which he was Vicar of St James the Great, Audley, Staffordshire and finally (before his consecration to the episcopate) St Peter's Harold Wood. In 2002, Benn appeared on the popular BBC television motoring series Top Gear, placing third in the first "Fastest Faith" competition.^[6] He is married with two children and a grandchild.

Benn has written two books and numerous pamphlets, including The Last Word: Jesus' Teaching in The Upper Room ^[7] and Jesus Our Joy: Learning about True Spirituality.^[8]

Benn had indicated his intention to retire as Bishop of Lewes in August 2012, but did not do so. On 18 October 2012, however, it was announced by Martin Warner, the then Bishop-designate of Chichester, that Benn would retire on 31 October 2012, which he has done.

Churchmanship

Benn is a council member of Reform, a conservative evangelical grouping in the Church of England opposed to women priests and to the consecration of women as bishops.^[9] He attended GAFCON meeting, held in Jerusalem, in 2008. He has been described as a complementarian evangelical.^[10]

Styles

• Wallace Benn Esq (to 1973)
• The Revd Wallace Benn (1973–1997)
• The Rt Revd Wallace Benn (1997—present)

References

1. ↑ Diocese of Chichester — Other Staff
2. ↑ Essex Man Moves South in New Directions, March 1997 (Online; accessed 7 May 2014)
3. ↑ Anglican Communion
4. ↑ Who's Who2008: London, A & C Black ISBN 978-0-7136-8555-8
5. ↑ Crockford's Clerical Directory2008/2009 Lambeth, Church House Publishing ISBN 978-0-7151-1030-0
6. ↑ Top Gear, Series 1, Episode 7 (first broadcast 1 December 2002).
7. ↑ http://www.christianfocus.com/item/show/513/
8. ↑ http://www.parable.com/i.Jesus-Our-Joy-Learning-about-True-Spirituality-Benn-Wallace.9781857924435
9. ↑ "Reform council members". Reform. Retrieved 2013-03-10. 
10. ↑ Gatiss, Lee (5 May 2015). "Topical Tuesday: Bishop Rod Thomas". Church Society. Retrieved 10 July 2015.