Joe Kennedy | |
---|---|
Vicar of St Saviour's Church, Oxton | |
Church | Church of England |
Diocese | Diocese of Chester |
In office | 2011 to present |
Other post(s) |
Bishop-designate of Burnley (March 2024–present) Principal of the College of the Resurrection (2008–2011) |
Orders | |
Ordination | 2002 (deacon) 2003 (priest) |
Personal details | |
Born | 1969 (age 54–55) |
Denomination | Anglicanism |
Alma mater |
Joseph Kennedy (born 1969) is a Scottish Anglican priest and academic. Since 2011, he has been vicar of St Saviour's Church, Oxton in the Church of England's Diocese of Chester. Having served in parish ministry and as a chaplain to two Cambridge University colleges, he was Principal of the College of the Resurrection from 2008 to 2011. In March 2024, he was announced as the next Bishop of Burnley, a suffragan bishop in the Diocese of Blackburn. [1]
Kennedy was born in 1969 in Edinburgh, Scotland. [2] [3] He studied mathematics at the University of Edinburgh, graduating with a Bachelor of Science (BSc) degree in 1991. [4] [2] He remained at Edinburgh to study theology, and graduated with a Bachelor of Divinity (BD) degree in 1994. [4] [2] He trained as a teacher and completed his Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) at the Moray House College of Education in 1997. [2]
In 1998, Kennedy entered St Stephen's House, Oxford, an Anglo-Catholic theological college, to train for ordination. [1] [2] During this time, he studied for a Master of Studies (MSt) degree at St Hugh's College, Oxford, which he completed in 2000. [2] He left St Stephen's House in 2002 to be ordained in the Church of England. [2] He continued his studies in the form of a Doctor of Philosophy (DPhil) degree at Keble College, Oxford. [2] He completed his DPhil in 2006 with a doctoral thesis titled "A Critical Analysis of George A. Lindbeck's The Nature of Doctrine". [5]
Kennedy was ordained in the Church of England as a deacon in 2002 and as a priest in 2003. [2] He undertook his curacy in the Diocese of Oxford, first in the Benefice of Stratfield Mortimer (2002–2003), and then at the Benefice of Abingdon-on-Thames (2003–2005). [1] [2] In 2005, he joined Selwyn College, Cambridge, as a fellow and its dean of chapel. [4] He was additionally chaplain to Newnham College, Cambridge. [2] Then, in 2008, he became principal of the College of the Resurrection, a theological college in Mirfield, Yorkshire. [4] He was made an honorary canon of Wakefield Cathedral in 2010. [2]
After three years in charge of a theological college, Kennedy returned to parish ministry and became vicar of St Saviour's Church, Oxton in Diocese of Chester in 2011. [4] He was additionally a lecturer and tutor at St Mellitus College North West, a non-residential theological college, from 2015 until 2020. [1] He has also been the rural dean of Birkenhead since 2021. [2]
On 22 March 2024, it was announced that Kennedy would be the next Bishop of Burnley, a suffragan bishop in the Diocese of Blackburn. [1] [6] He will be consecrated as a bishop during a service at York Minster on 19 July 2024. [4] He will then be welcomed into his new diocese during a service at Blackburn Cathedral on 8 September 2024. [4]
Kennedy is married to Emily; she is a chartered accountant and head of external financial reporting at Oxfam as of 2024. [4] [6] [7] Together, they have two children. [1]