Martin Gorick

{{short description|British Anglican bishop (born 1962)}} {{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}} {{Infobox Christian leader | type = | honorific_prefix = The Right Reverend | name = Martin Gorick | honorific_suffix = | title = Bishop of Dudley | image = Civic party (52349721896) (Martin Gorick cropped).jpg | image_size = | alt = | caption = Gorick in 2022 | church = Church of England | province = | diocese = Diocese of Worcester | see = | elected =  | term = 2020 to present | quashed =  | predecessor = Graham Usher | successor = | opposed = | other_post = | previous_post = Archdeacon of Oxford (2013–2019)  | ordination = 1987 | ordained_by = David Jenkins | consecration = 28 January 2020 | consecrated_by = Justin Welby | laicized =  | birth_name = Martin Charles William Gorick | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|df=y|23 June 1962}} | birth_place =  | death_date =  | death_place =  | buried =  | resting_place_coordinates = | nationality = British | religion = Anglicanism | residence = | parents = | spouse =  | children = | occupation = | profession = | education = | alma_mater = Selwyn College, Cambridge <br /> Ripon College Cuddesdon }} '''Martin Charles William Gorick'''<ref name="companieshouse">{{cite web|url=https://beta.companieshouse.gov.uk/officers/a5_pDGcvMvcD3iP0Y18_51kKXDk/appointments|title=Martin Charles William GORICK - Personal Appointments (free information from Companies House)|website=beta.companieshouse.gov.uk|accessdate=24 September 2017}}</ref> (born 23 June 1962) is a British Anglican bishop, who has served since 2020 as Bishop of Dudley, the sole suffragan bishop in the Church of England Diocese of Worcester. He was previously Archdeacon of Oxford in the Diocese of Oxford from 2013.<ref>{{Crockford | forenames = Martin Charles William | surname = Gorick | id = 26098 | accessed = 24 September 2017}}</ref>

==Early life and education== Gorick was born on 23 June 1962 in Liverpool, England.<ref>'GORICK, Ven. Martin Charles William', Who's Who 2017, A & C Black, an imprint of Bloomsbury Publishing plc, 2017; online edn, Oxford University Press, 2016; online edn, Nov 2016 [http://www.ukwhoswho.com/view/article/oupww/whoswho/U258164, accessed 24 Sept 2017]</ref> From 1973 to 1980, he was educated at West Bridgford School, a comprehensive school in West Bridgford, Nottinghamshire. Gorick studied at Selwyn College, Cambridge, from 1981 to 1984, and trained for ordination at Ripon College Cuddesdon 1985 to 1987.

==Ordained ministry== Gorick was ordained by David Jenkins, Bishop of Durham in 1987 in Durham Cathedral. He was Curate of Birtley, Tyne and Wear until 1991 when he was appointed Domestic Chaplain to Richard Harries, Bishop of Oxford. He was Vicar of Smethwick from 1994, and Area Dean of Warley;<ref>{{cite news | title=Church news | newspaper=The Times | location=London, England | date=30 December 1993 | page=16 | issue=64839}}</ref> Vicar of the Church of the Holy Trinity, Stratford-upon-Avon<ref>{{cite news | title=Shakespeare's family church needs alms to beat oblivion | newspaper=The Times | location=London, England | date=3 January 2007 | page=21 | issue=68899}}</ref> from 2001 until his appointment as Archdeacon of Oxford and Canon Residentiary of Christ Church, Oxford in 2013.<ref name="youtube">{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZRbvg-oJCGk|title=Meet the new Archdeacon of Oxford|website=YouTube|accessdate=24 September 2017}}</ref> Gorick was also Diocesan Inter-Faith Adviser, leads on Church Planting and Fresh Expressions and oversees Chaplaincy in the Diocese of Oxford.{{fact|date=May 2026}}

===Episcopal ministry=== On 4 November 2019, it was announced that Gorick would be the next Bishop of Dudley, the suffragan bishop in the Diocese of Worcester.<ref name="GOV">{{cite web |title=Suffragan Bishop of Dudley: 4 November 2019 |url=https://www.gov.uk/government/news/suffragen-bishop-of-dudley-4-november-2019 |website=GOV.UK |publisher=Prime Minister's Office, 10 Downing Street |accessdate=4 November 2019 |language=en |date=4 November 2019}}</ref> On 28 January 2020, he was consecrated as a bishop by Justin Welby, Archbishop of Canterbury, during a service at Southwark Cathedral.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Poole |first1=Danielle |title=New Bishop of Dudley ordained by Archbishop of Canterbury |url=https://www.worcesternews.co.uk/news/regional/18200064.new-bishop-dudley-ordained-archbishop-canterbury/ |accessdate=4 February 2020 |work=Worcester News |date=30 January 2020 |language=en}}</ref> Gorick was welcomed into the diocese as the Bishop of Dudley on 22 February 2020.<ref name="next">{{cite web |title=Martin Gorick to be next Bishop of Dudley |url=https://www.cofe-worcester.org.uk/news/2019/11/03/martin-gorick-be-next-bishop-dudley/ |website=Diocese of Worcester |accessdate=4 November 2019 |language=en |date=4 November 2019}}</ref>

Following John Inge's retirement the same day, Gorick became Acting Bishop of Worcester on 9 October 2024.<ref>{{cite web |date=9 March 2023 |title=Bishop Martin becomes Acting Bishop of Worcester |url=https://www.cofe-worcester.org.uk/news/bishop-martin-becomes-acting-bishop-of-worcester.php |access-date=13 October 2024 |website=The Diocese of Worcester |archive-url= |archive-date= }}</ref>

===Views=== In November 2022, Bishop Martin published a letter alongside his diocesan bishop, John Inge, that stated "the time has come for the Church to celebrate and honour same sex relations" and supported the introduction of same-sex marriage in the Church of England.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Inge |first1=John |last2=Gorick |first2=Martin |title=Living in Love and Faith - A letter from our bishops |url=https://www.cofe-worcester.org.uk/living-in-love-and-faith--a-letter-from-our-bishops.php |website=Diocese of Worcester |access-date=4 November 2022 |date=4 November 2022}}</ref>

In November 2023, he was one of 44 Church of England bishops who signed an open letter supporting the use of the ''Prayers of Love and Faith'' (i.e. blessings for same-sex couples) and called for "Guidance being issued without delay that includes the removal of all restrictions on clergy entering same-sex civil marriages, and on bishops ordaining and licensing such clergy".<ref>{{cite news |last1=Martin |first1=Francis |title=Don’t delay guidance allowing priests to be in same-sex marriages, say 44 bishops |url=https://www.churchtimes.co.uk/articles/2023/3-november/news/uk/don-t-delay-guidance-allowing-priests-to-be-in-same-sex-marriages-say-44-bishops |access-date=2 November 2023 |work=Church Times |date=1 November 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231102131648/https://www.churchtimes.co.uk/articles/2023/3-november/news/uk/don-t-delay-guidance-allowing-priests-to-be-in-same-sex-marriages-say-44-bishops |archive-date=2 November 2023}}</ref>

Martin Gorick is co-chair of the Diocese of Worcester's Racial Justice Forum. In 2024, he appeared in the Fifth Biannual report of the Archbishop's Commission on Racial Justice.<ref>{{Cite web| title=Fifth Biannual Report of the Archbishops’ Commission for Racial Justice | date=Summer 2024 | url=https://www.churchofengland.org/sites/default/files/2024-08/rjr5-final-digital.pdf | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240811044744/https://www.churchofengland.org/sites/default/files/2024-08/rjr5-final-digital.pdf | archive-date=2024-08-11}}</ref>

He also has a commitment to gender equality, recording a film for the Diocese of Worcester's celebration of the 30th anniversary of the ordination of women priests reflecting on the experience of his Mother and Godmother.<ref>{{Cite web | title=Bishop Martin on the 30th anniversary of women priests | url=https://vimeo.com/962124292 | access-date=2026-03-29 | website=vimeo.com}}</ref>

Martin is a member of the Diocese of Worcester's Climate Crisis Group and has been a vocal supporter on the campaign for sustainable flowers.<ref>{{Cite web | title=Bishop calls for sustainable church flowers - Diocese of Worcester | url=https://www.cofe-worcester.org.uk/news/bishop-calls-for-sustainable-church-flowers | access-date=2026-03-29 | website=www.cofe-worcester.org.uk}}</ref> He championed a motion approved by Diocesan Synod in November 2024 which will be taken to the General Synod.

In November 2024 Martin called for properly funded end of life care as part of the debate around ensuring a dignified death and ahead of the Assisted Dying Bill being debated in Parliament. He highlighted a lack of funding for hospices as a key reason why individuals are not able to have a ‘good’ death and are seeking alternative options.<ref>{{Cite web | title=Calling for better hospice funding - Diocese of Worcester | url=https://www.cofe-worcester.org.uk/news/calling-for-better-hospice-funding.php | access-date=2026-03-29 | website=www.cofe-worcester.org.uk}}</ref>

At the February 2025 meeting of the General Synod of the Church of England, Bishop Martin spoke on the importance of the Cure of Souls remaining central to all that priests do.<ref>{{Cite web | title=Rebecca Chapman: Hope in the midst of a painful General Synod | url=https://www.churchtimes.co.uk/articles/2025/21-february/comment/columnists/rebecca-chapman-hope-in-the-midst-of-a-painful-general-synod | access-date=2026-03-29 | website=www.churchtimes.co.uk}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web | title=Governance Measure amended to specify provision for cure of souls in poorer parishes | url=https://www.churchtimes.co.uk/articles/2025/21-february/news/uk/governance-measure-amended-to-specify-provision-for-cure-of-souls-in-poorer-parishes | access-date=2026-03-29 | website=www.churchtimes.co.uk}}</ref>

==References== {{Portal|Christianity}} {{reflist}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Gorick, Martin Charles William}} Category:1962 births Category:People educated at West Bridgford School Category:Alumni of Selwyn College, Cambridge Category:Archdeacons of Oxford Category:Bishops of Dudley Category:Living people Category:Clergy from Liverpool Category:Alumni of Ripon College Cuddesdon