Roger Weseham (also Roger de Weseham; died 1257) was an

English English usually refers to: * English language * English people English may also refer to: Culture, language and peoples * ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England * ''English'', an Amish ter ...

medieval

Bishop of Coventry and Lichfield The Bishop of Lichfield is the Ordinary (officer), ordinary of the Church of England Diocese of Lichfield in the Province of Canterbury. The diocese covers 4,516 km2 (1,744 sq. mi.) of the counties of Powys, Staffordshire, Shropshire, Warwi ...

. Weseham was probably a native of Weasenham, Norfolk,Either Weasenham All Saints or Weasenham St Peter and was educated at

Oxford University The University of Oxford is a collegiate research university in Oxford, England. There is evidence of teaching as early as 1096, making it the oldest university in the English-speaking world and the second-oldest continuously operating u ...

. He graduated with a master's in arts before 1233.Franklin "Wesham, Roger of" ''Oxford Dictionary of National Biography'' He was then a lecturer at Oxford University.Moorman ''Church Life in England'' p. 163 He was

Archdeacon of Oxford The Archdeacon of Oxford is a senior ecclesiastical officer in the Diocese of Oxford, Church of England, England. The office responsibility includes the care of clergy and church buildings within the area of the ''Archdeaconry of Oxford.'' Hist ...

by May 1237 until 1240, when he was appointed

Dean of Lincoln Dean may refer to: People * Dean (given name) * Dean (surname), a surname of Anglo-Saxon English origin * Dean (South Korean singer), a stage name for singer Kwon Hyuk * Dean Delannoit, a Belgian singer most known by the mononym Dean * Dean S ...

Robert Grosseteste Robert Grosseteste ( ; ; 8 or 9 October 1253), also known as Robert Greathead or Robert of Lincoln, was an Kingdom of England, English statesman, scholasticism, scholastic philosopher, theologian, scientist and Bishop of Lincoln. He was born of ...

, who had made Roger a protégé. He was nominated as a bishop and consecrated between 17 May and 4 July 1245.Fryde, et al. ''Handbook of British Chronology'' p. 253 While bishop, Weseham wrote an ''Instituta'' for his clergy, in order to teach them Christian doctrine and help them select sermon topics.Moorman ''Church Life in England'' p. 181 One of the subjects he wanted his clergy to cover the basics tenets of the Christian faith. To do this, he listed all the doctrines in the

Apostles' Creed The Apostles' Creed (Latin: ''Symbolum Apostolorum'' or ''Symbolum Apostolicum''), sometimes titled the Apostolic Creed or the Symbol of the Apostles, is a Christian creed or "symbol of faith". "Its title is first found c.390 (Ep. 42.5 of Ambro ...

, and covered possible sermon themes relating to each doctrine.Swanson ''Religion and Devotion'' p. 67 He also gathered learned men around him, including the

Franciscan The Franciscans are a group of related organizations in the Catholic Church, founded or inspired by the Italian saint Francis of Assisi. They include three independent Religious institute, religious orders for men (the Order of Friars Minor bei ...

Brother Vincent,

John of Basingstoke John of Basingstoke (died 1252), also called John Basing, was an Archdeacon of Leicester in the 13th century. Basingstoke was an advocate of Greek literacy and seems to have been instrumental in introducing the apocryphal '' Testament of the Twelve ...

, a Greek scholar, and

Ralph de Sempringham Ralph de Sempringham (also Sempryngham, Semplyngham, or Sempyngham) was an English medieval churchman, theologist, university chancellor, and dean. Between 1252 and 1255, Ralph de Sempringham was Chancellor of Oxford University. In 1254, he was ...

, who became Chancellor of the University of Oxford. Weseham resigned the see in November or December 1256 and died about 20 May 1257. He resigned due to paralysis.Moorman ''Church Life in England'' p. 183 He was buried in

Lichfield Cathedral Lichfield Cathedral, formally the Cathedral Church of Saint Mary and Saint Chad in Lichfield, is a Church of England cathedral in the city of Lichfield, England. It is the seat of the bishop of Lichfield and the principal church of the diocese ...

Citations

References

* * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Weseham, Roger Year of birth unknown 1257 deaths People from Breckland District Alumni of the University of Oxford Academics of the University of Oxford Deans of Lincoln Bishops of Lichfield 13th-century English Roman Catholic bishops Burials at Lichfield Cathedral