Edward Holland (bishop)

The Rt Revd Edward Holland (born 28 June 1936) is a retired Anglican Suffragan Bishop, firstly of Europe and then area bishop of Colchester, now serving as an honorary assistant bishop in the dioceses of London and in Europe.

Early life

Holland was born on 28 June 1936^[1] and educated at Dauntsey's School and King's College London. He is an AKC.

Priest

He became deacon in 1965 and was ordained priest in 1966. The Reverend Holland's first appointment after ordination was as Curate at Holy Trinity, Dartford. He then served at John Keble, Mill Hill.^[2] before opting for a period of service abroad, in the Mediterranean.

He was Precentor at Gibraltar Cathedral and then vicar of Christ Church,^[3][4]Naples.

He returned to London to be vicar of St Mark's, Bromley before his elevation to the episcopate.

Bishop

He was consecrated Bishop in 1986. Holland's first episcopal appointment made immediate use of his special experience, as the Suffragan Bishop of the Anglican Diocese in Europe,^[5] a diocese often described simply as 'in Europe'. The suffragan bishop in Europe answers to the Diocesan Bishop. Edward Holland served in this post for nine years.

Prior to 1980, most Anglicans in Europe were administered by the Bishop of Fulham, a Suffragan who answers to the Bishop of London. In 1980, the European ministries were separated, to allow the Bishop of Fulham to concentrate on matters in an increasingly up-market and influential district of London (and, latterly, on an entirely different form of 'Flying Bishop' duties), whilst the new 44th Diocese of the Church of England, the only one not actually in Britain, ministers to all of the increasing population of British expatriates and migrant workers on the Continent.

The diocesan title appears to be tautologous, but actually reflects the ecclesiastical subtleties and diplomatic sensitivities of the post. A bishop should have a See, with a cathedral so the first element is a reference to the British Dependent Territory of Gibraltar with its Anglican Cathedral, whilst the second element clarifies that the ministry extends beyond the territory. The bishop is Bishop in Europe, and not 'and of Europe' , because the United Kingdom, despite some work in that direction across the centuries, holds no actual jurisdiction over Europe.

Edward Holland returned to the United Kingdom in 1995, to the Diocese of Chelmsford, as Bishop of Colchester. The episcopacy is also that of a suffragan bishop, but this diocese is one of those in which the See is divided into discrete areas of administration (since 1983),^[6] so the bishop is more correctly referred to as the area bishop of Colchester.

He retired in 2001, but was translated to honorary assistant bishop.

Later life

In retirement, Bishop Holland continues to serve the Church, as an honorary assistant bishop^[7] in the dioceses of London^[8] and in Europe.

References