Helen-Ann Hartley

The Rt Rev
Helen-Ann Hartley
DPhil
Bishop of Waikato
Church Anglican Church in Aotearoa, New Zealand and Polynesia
Diocese Diocese of Waikato and Taranaki
Elected September 2013
In office February 2014 to present
Predecessor David Moxon
Orders
Ordination 2005
Consecration 22 February 2014
Personal details
Birth name Helen-Ann Macleod Francis
Born 1973 (age 41–42)
Edinburgh, Scotland
Nationality British
Denomination Anglican
Residence New Zealand
Spouse Myles Hartley
Profession Bishop and educationalist

Helen-Ann Macleod Hartley (born 1973) is an Anglican bishop and educationalist. Since 2014, she has served as Bishop of Waikato. She is the first woman to have trained as a priest in the Church of England to join the episcopate,[1] and is the third female bishop of the Anglican Church in Aotearoa, New Zealand and Polynesia.[2]

Early life

Hartley was born Helen-Ann Francis in Edinburgh, Scotland, and spent her childhood in Sunderland, England. Her father was a Presbyterian minister but the family moved to Anglicanism in the 1980s.[2] In 1987, her father became a Church of England priest and served in the Diocese of Durham. He was later made an honorary canon of Durham Cathedral.[3] She was educated in Sunderland at Benedict Biscop Primary School and St Anthony’s Secondary School before attending university.[3]

She has attended a number of universities where she studied theology. She graduated from the University of St Andrews with an undergraduate Master of Theology (MTheol) degree in 1995, graduated from Princeton Theological Seminary with a Master of Theology (MTh) degree in 1996, and from the University of Oxford with a Diploma in Applied Theology, a Master of Philosophy (MPhil) degree in 2000 and a Doctor of Philosophy (DPhil) degree in 2005.[2][4] Her DPhil thesis concerned the portrayal of manual labour in Judaism and Early Christianity.[5]

Religious life

Hartley is a fourth generation cleric.[6] She was an acolyte at Durham Cathedral during her youth.[3] She attended the Oxford Ministry Course at Ripon College Cuddesdon to undergo ministerial formation.[1]

She was ordained in the Church of England as a deacon in 2005 and a priest in 2006.[6] She then began her ministry as a curate in a group of parishes in Wheatley, Oxfordshire.[1] In 2007, she became curate at St Mary and St Nicholas Church, Littlemore.[5] In addition to serving as a curate, she worked as a lecturer in New Testament studies at Ripon College Cuddesdon.[3] After spending five years at the theological college she became Director of Biblical Studies.[6]

In November 2011, she was selected to become Dean of Tikanga Pakeha, i.e. European heritage, students at St John's College, Auckland in New Zealand. The college is co-deputised by three deans who represent the three main peoples of New Zealand: Pakeha, Maori and Polynesians.[5][7] She originally went to St John's College in 2010 to research for a book, Making Sense of the Bible (SPCK 2011), before moving to New Zealand to take up the appointment of Dean in early 2012.[5][8]

In September 2013, she was elected Bishop of Waikato.[6] She was consecrated on 22 February 2014, becoming the seventh Bishop of Waikato.[8] She is the first woman who has trained and served as a priest in the Church of England to become a bishop.[3] At the time of her election, women could not join the episcopate of the Church of England.[2] The Diocese of Waikato and Taranaki is unique within the Anglican Communion as it is led by co-presiding bishops. Hartley and the Bishop of Taranaki, Philip Richardson, have joint oversight of the diocese.[3]

Personal life

Hartley is married to Myles Hartley, a musician and church organist. [3]

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Percy, Martyn. "Rejoicing as the Revd Dr Helen-Ann Macleod Hartley is consecrated as Bishop of Waikato and Taranaki". News. Diocese of Oxford. Retrieved 4 December 2014.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 Gardner, Chris (5 September 2013). "Waikato elects first Anglican woman bishop". Waikato Times. Retrieved 4 December 2014.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 3.6 "North East Clergywoman Makes History". News and Events. Diocese of Durham. 10 September 2013. Retrieved 4 December 2014.
  4. ↑ "Hartley H-A M". Crockford's Clerical Directory (online ed.). Church House Publishing. Retrieved 6 February 2015. (Subscription required)
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 "New dean for St John’s College". Taonga News. Anglican Church in Aotearoa, New Zealand and Polynesia. 9 November 2011. Retrieved 4 December 2014.
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 "English female priest Helen-Ann Hartley elected as New Zealand bishop". Episcopal News Service. 5 September 2013. Retrieved 4 December 2014.
  7. ↑ "The Faculty". The College of St John the Evangelist. Retrieved 5 December 2014.
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 "Meet the Bishops". About Us. Anglican Diocese of Waikato and Taranaki. Retrieved 5 December 2014.

External links