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}}Stephen David Conway SCP (born 22 December 1957) is a British Anglican bishop. Since July 2023, he has served as the Bishop of Lincoln; he was previously Bishop of Ely and Bishop of Ramsbury (an area/suffragan bishop in the Diocese of Salisbury).

Early life and education

Conway was born on 22 December 1957.{{Who's Who | title=Conway, Stephen David | id = U42644 | volume = 2017 | edition = November 2016 online | access-date = 9 June 2017 }} He was educated at Archbishop Tenison's Grammar School, a state grammar school in Lambeth, London. He studied modern history at Keble College, Oxford, graduating with a Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree; as per tradition, his BA was promoted to a Master of Arts (MA Oxon).Conway remained at Keble College to undertake teacher training, and he completed a Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) in 1981. He then became a teacher,WEB, A New Bishop in Wiltshire,weblink BBC Local Wiltshire, BBC, 27 October 2015, 6 May 2006, working as an assistant master at Glenalmond College, a private school in Perth, Scotland, between 1981 and 1983.In 1983, Conway started at Westcott House, Cambridge, an Anglican theological college in the Liberal Catholic tradition, to train for ordained ministry. During this time he also matriculated, studying theology, at Selwyn College, Cambridge, and he graduated with a further Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree in 1985.Diocese of Ely, 10 Downing Street website, 31 August 2010. After a further year of training, he left theological college in 1986 to be ordained in the Church of England.

Ordained ministry

Conway was made a deacon at Petertide 1986 (29 June) by Michael Ball, Bishop of Jarrow,{{Church Times | title = Petertide ordinations | archive = 1986_07_04_015 | issue = 6438 | date = 4 July 1986 | page = 15 | accessed = 9 June 2017 }} and ordained a priest the following Petertide (28 June 1987) by David Jenkins, Bishop of Durham — both times at Durham Cathedral.{{Church Times | title = Ordinations | archive = 1987_07_03_013 | issue = 6490 | date = 3 July 1987 | page = 13 | accessed = 9 June 2017 }} From 1986 to 1989, he served his curacy at St Mary's Church, Heworth in the Diocese of Durham.{{Crockford| surname = Conway | forenames = Stephen David | id = 24318 | accessed = 13 October 2016}} He was an assistant curate at Church of St Michael and All Angels, Bishopwearmouth, Sunderland, between 1989 and 1990, and then an honorary curate of St Margaret's Church, Durham, between 1990 and 1994. From 1989 to 1994, he was also Director of Ordinands for the Diocese of Durham. He then moved to St Mary's Church, Cockerton, Darlington, where he was Priest-in-Charge from 1994 to 1996 and Vicar from 1996 to 1998.From here he became senior chaplain to Michael Turnbull, Bishop of Durham; and subsequently Archdeacon of Durham.

Episcopal ministry

On 2 May 2006, his nomination as Bishop of Ramsbury was announced,Official Nomination of Suffragan See of Ramsbury {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081210133026weblink |date=10 December 2008 }}, 10 Downing Street website, 2 May 2006. and he was consecrated on 22 June 2006.Northern Echo — Standing Tall{{London Gazette|issue=58012|page=8197|date=15 June 2006}} He was the last area bishop under that diocese's 1981–2009 area scheme.Salisbury Diocesan Synod minutes – 99th session, 7 November 2009 p. 3 (Accessed 23 April 2014). Following the retirement of David Stancliffe as Bishop of Salisbury in July 2010, Conway was made responsible for the administration of that diocese. On 31 August 2010, it was announced that he would be the next Bishop of Ely. He was elected by the College of Canons at Ely on 18 October 2010, and the election was confirmed by the provincial court on 6 December 2010, at which point he legally became the Bishop of Ely.Diocese of Ely – March 5th date set for Installation and Children's Event {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110927211319weblink |date=27 September 2011 }} (Accessed 11 April 2014). His installation and enthronement was held in Ely Cathedral on 5 March 2011.In accordance with constitutional practice, upon becoming the twenty-sixth most senior bishop in the Church of England (after the Archbishop of Canterbury, the Archbishop of York, the Bishops of London, Durham and Winchester, and the nineteen other longest serving Bishops), Conway became one of the Lords Spiritual of the House of Lords on 4 June 2014.WEB, Bishop of Ely,weblink UK Parliament, 4 July 2014, He was introduced to the House on Monday, 7 July 2014.WEB, House of Lords Business: Monday 7 July 2014 at 2.30 pm,weblink UK Parliament, 4 July 2014, It was announced that Conway was to serve as both Bishop of Ely and Acting Bishop of Lincoln (each half-time) from 1 January 2022.WEB, Acting Bishop of Lincoln - Public Statements,weblink lincoln.anglican.org, Lincoln Diocesan Trust and Board of Finance, 28 April 2023,weblink 8 August 2022, He stepped down as acting bishop on 20 April 2023, and returned to being the full-time Bishop of Ely.WEB, Diocese of Lincoln, Bishop of Grimsby to be Acting Bishop of Lincoln, 28 April 2023,weblinkweblink 28 April 2023, 21 May 2023, On 24 May 2023, it was announced that Conway was to be translated to Lincoln as substantive bishop diocesan in "autumn" 2023;WEB, Diocese of Lincoln, Announcement — The New Bishop of Lincoln, 24 May 2023,weblinkweblink 24 May 2023, 2 June 2023, his translation was effected by the confirmation of his election on 20 July 2023 at St Mary-le-Bow.WEB, Lincoln Cathedral, The Chapter Letter, 23 July 2023,weblinkweblink 31 August 2023, 1 September 2023, He was enthroned Bishop of Lincoln on Armistice Dayweblinkweblink

Views

Following the conclusion of the Living in Love and Faith process in January 2023, Conway stated that he supports "faithful same-sex couples to have their union affirmed in church and for them to receive God's blessing".WEB, Pastoral Letter to the Diocese,weblink lincoln.anglican.org, Lincoln Diocesan Trust and Board of Finance, 28 April 2023, en, In November 2023, he was one of 44 Church of England bishops who signed an open letter supporting the use of the Prayers of Love and Faith (i.e. blessings for same-sex couples) and called for "Guidance being issued without delay that includes the removal of all restrictions on clergy entering same-sex civil marriages, and on bishops ordaining and licensing such clergy".NEWS, Martin, Francis, Don’t delay guidance allowing priests to be in same-sex marriages, say 44 bishops,weblink 2 November 2023, Church Times, 1 November 2023,weblink 2 November 2023,

Styles

• The Reverend Stephen Conway (1986–2002)
• The Venerable Stephen Conway (2002–2006)
• The Right Reverend Stephen Conway (2006–present)

References

{{Reflist|30em}}

External links

{{Current Lords Spiritual}}{{Archdeacons of Durham}}{{Bishops of Ramsbury}}{{Bishops of Ely}}{{Bishops of Lincoln}}{{Diocese of Lincoln}}{{Authority control}}