Jonathan Dunnett Clark (born 1961) is a retired
Anglican
Anglicanism is a Western Christian tradition that has developed from the practices, liturgy, and identity of the Church of England following the English Reformation, in the context of the Protestant Reformation in Europe. It is one of th ...
bishop serving as the
Bishop for the Falkland Islands The Bishop of the Falkland Islands was historically a bishopric in the Church of England; as the ordinary of the Diocese of the Falkland Islands, the bishop had responsibility for chaplaincies across South America, before national metropolitical pr ...
. He was previously
area Bishop of Croydon in the
Church of England Diocese of Southwark, 2012–2022. An
Anglo-Catholic, he was rector general of the
Society of Catholic Priests from 2005 to 2008 and chair of
Affirming Catholicism
Affirming Catholicism, sometimes referred to as AffCath, is a movement operating in several provinces of the Anglican Communion, including the United Kingdom, Ireland, Canada and the United States. In the US, the movement is known as Affirming An ...
from
2008
File:2008 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: Lehman Brothers went bankrupt following the Subprime mortgage crisis; Cyclone Nargis killed more than 138,000 in Myanmar; A scene from the opening ceremony of the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing; ...
to 2012
Early life
Clark was born in 1961. He was educated at
Alleyn's School, then a
direct grant grammar school
A direct grant grammar school was a type of selective secondary school in the United Kingdom that existed between 1945 and 1976. One quarter of the places in these schools were directly funded by central government, while the remainder attracted ...
in
Dulwich, London, from 1972 to 1979. He studied
English literature
English literature is literature written in the English language from United Kingdom, its crown dependencies, the Republic of Ireland, the United States, and the countries of the former British Empire. ''The Encyclopaedia Britannica'' defines E ...
at
Exeter University, graduating with a
Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree in 1983. From 1984 to 1988, he studied
theology at
Trinity College, Bristol, an
Evangelical Anglican theological college, during which he completed a
Diploma of Higher Education
A Diploma of Higher Education (DipHE) is a higher education qualification in the United Kingdom. It is awarded after two years of full-time study at a university or other higher education institution. Rated as a Level 5 qualification on both the ...
(DipHE).
He continued his university studies after ordination. He completed a
Master of Letters (MLitt) degree in theology in 1990. His
thesis was titled "Narrational technique in the gospel according to Matthew". He completed a
Master of Arts (MA) degree in adult education through the
Open University and the
University of Southampton.
Ordained ministry
Clark was
ordained in the
Church of England as a
deacon in 1988 and as a
priest in 1989.
After a
curacy at
Stanwix
Stanwix is a district of Carlisle, Cumbria in North West England. The ward population (called Stanwix Urban) had a population taken at the 2011 census of 5,934. It is located on the north side of River Eden, across from Carlisle city centre ...
he was a
chaplain
A chaplain is, traditionally, a cleric (such as a Minister (Christianity), minister, priest, pastor, rabbi, purohit, or imam), or a laity, lay representative of a religious tradition, attached to a secularity, secular institution (such as a hosp ...
at
Bristol University
, mottoeng = earningpromotes one's innate power (from Horace, ''Ode 4.4'')
, established = 1595 – Merchant Venturers School1876 – University College, Bristol1909 – received royal charter
, type ...
then Director of Studies of the Southern Theological Education and Training Scheme. From 1997 to 2002 he was a chaplain at the
University of North London and then the
rector
Rector (Latin for the member of a vessel's crew who steers) may refer to:
Style or title
*Rector (ecclesiastical), a cleric who functions as an administrative leader in some Christian denominations
*Rector (academia), a senior official in an edu ...
of
Stoke Newington
Stoke Newington is an area occupying the north-west part of the London Borough of Hackney in north-east London, England. It is northeast of Charing Cross. The Manor of Stoke Newington gave its name to Stoke Newington the ancient parish.
The ...
until his episcopal appointment.
He served as rector general of the
Society of Catholic Priests from 2005 to 2008.
He served as
chair
A chair is a type of seat, typically designed for one person and consisting of one or more legs, a flat or slightly angled seat and a back-rest. They may be made of wood, metal, or synthetic materials, and may be padded or upholstered in vario ...
of
Affirming Catholicism
Affirming Catholicism, sometimes referred to as AffCath, is a movement operating in several provinces of the Anglican Communion, including the United Kingdom, Ireland, Canada and the United States. In the US, the movement is known as Affirming An ...
from 2008 to 2012.
Episcopal ministry
On 21 March 2012, Clark was
consecrated
Consecration is the solemn dedication to a special purpose or service. The word ''consecration'' literally means "association with the sacred". Persons, places, or things can be consecrated, and the term is used in various ways by different grou ...
a bishop at
Southwark Cathedral by
Rowan Williams.
He began his duties as
Bishop of Croydon on 17 May 2012.
On 8 September 2021, Clark announced that he would retire as Bishop of Croydon on 21 March 2022.
On 20 September 2021, he was commissioned as
Bishop for the Falkland Islands. He has additionally been an
honorary assistant bishop in the
Diocese of Lichfield since 2022, and holds
permission to officiate in that diocese.
Personal life
Clark is married to Alison and they have two children.
Ellen Clark-King
Ellen Jane Clark-King ( Clark; born 1962) is a British-Canadian Anglican priest and academic. Since 2020, she has served as Dean of King's College London.
Early life and education
Ellen Jane Clark was born in 1962. From 1982 to 1985, she studied ...
, Dean of
King's College London
King's College London (informally King's or KCL) is a public research university located in London, England. King's was established by royal charter in 1829 under the patronage of King George IV and the Duke of Wellington. In 1836, King's ...
, is his sister.
In retirement Clark and his wife live on
Orkney
Orkney (; sco, Orkney; on, Orkneyjar; nrn, Orknøjar), also known as the Orkney Islands, is an archipelago in the Northern Isles of Scotland, situated off the north coast of the island of Great Britain. Orkney is 10 miles (16 km) north ...
.
Styles
*''
The Reverend'' Jonathan Clark (1989–2012)
*''
The Right Reverend'' Jonathan Clark (personal: 2012–present)
*''The Right Reverend'' The Bishop of Croydon (official: 2012–2022)
References
External links
{{DEFAULTSORT:Clark, Jonathan
1961 births
Alumni of the University of Exeter
Bishops of Croydon
21st-century Church of England bishops
Living people
People associated with London Metropolitan University
Anglo-Catholic bishops
People educated at Alleyn's School
Alumni of Trinity College, Bristol
Alumni of the Open University
Alumni of the University of Southampton
English Anglo-Catholics
Anglican bishops of the Falkland Islands