{{Short description|British bishop and Lord Spiritual (born 1968)}} {{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}} {{Infobox Christian leader | honorific_prefix = The Right Reverend | name = Paul Williams | honorific_suffix = | title = Bishop of Southwell and Nottingham | image = Official portrait of The Lord Bishop of Southwell and Nottingham crop 2.jpg | caption = Official portrait, 2024 | church = Church of England | diocese = Diocese of Southwell and Nottingham | term = 2015{{ndash}}present | predecessor = Paul Butler | other_post = Bishop of Kensington {{nowrap|(2009–2015)}} <!---------- Orders ----------> | ordination = 1992 (deacon); 1993 (priest) | ordained_by = David Hope (deacon) | consecration = 25 March 2009 | consecrated_by = Rowan Williams <!---------- Personal details ----------> | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1968|1|16|df=y}} | birth_place = Weston-super-Mare, Somerset, {{nowrap|United Kingdom}} | nationality = British | religion = Anglican | residence = Bishop's Manor, Southwell<ref name="crockford" /> | spouse = {{marriage||1997}} | children = 3 | alma_mater = Grey College, Durham | module = {{Infobox officeholder | embed = yes | office = Member of the House of Lords | status = Lord Spiritual | term_label = Bishop of Southwell and Nottingham | term_start = 13 June 2022 | term_end = }} }} '''Paul Gavin Williams''' (born 16 January 1968) is a Church of England bishop.<ref name="crockford">{{Crockford | forenames = Paul Gavin | surname = Williams | id = 15373 | accessed = 30 June 2017 }}</ref><ref name="ww">{{Who's Who | title=Williams, Paul Gavin | id = U250117 | volume = 2017 | edition = November 2016 online | access-date = 30 June 2017 }}</ref> Since May 2015, he has been the Bishop of Southwell and Nottingham; from 2009 to 2015, he was the Bishop of Kensington, an area bishop in the Diocese of London.<ref>{{Crockford | forenames = Paul Gavin | surname = Williams | id = 26068 | accessed = 14 February 2018 }} </ref>
==Early life== Paul Williams was born to Bryan and Heather Williams on 16 January 1968 in Weston-super-Mare, Somerset, England. He was educated in Somerset at Court Fields School, a comprehensive school in Wellington, and at Richard Huish College, a sixth-form college in Taunton. He studied theology at Grey College, Durham, graduating with a Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree in 1989. He trained for ordination at Wycliffe Hall, Oxford, an evangelical Anglican theological college.<ref name="ww" /> Paul Williams's mother, Heather, was one of the first women to be ordained priest at Wells Cathedral in 1994. His father was an electrical engineer.
==Ordained ministry== Paul Williams was ordained a deacon at Petertide on 28 June 1992 by David Hope, Bishop of London, at St Paul's Cathedral<ref>{{Church Times | title = Ordinations at Petertide | archive = 1992_07_03_004 | issue = 6751 | date = 3 July 1992 | page = 4 | accessed = 3 July 2017 }}</ref> and ordained a priest in 1993. He was a curate at St James with St Matthew's Muswell Hill (1992–1995) and then Associate Vicar at Christ Church, Clifton in Bristol (1995–1999) before becoming the rector of St James's Gerrards Cross with Fulmer (1999–2009).<ref name="ww" /> During this time the church saw considerable growth, with six Sunday services spanning contemporary to traditional choral; also a pioneering children's ministry with creative arts. Paul Williams was an honorary canon of Christ Church, Oxford from 2007 to 2009.
===Episcopal ministry=== Paul Williams was consecrated to the episcopate on 25 March 2009 by Rowan Williams, Archbishop of Canterbury, at St Paul's Cathedral, London.<ref name="cons">[https://web.archive.org/web/20110918100509/http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/court_and_social/article5348225.ece Consecration details]</ref><ref>"Appointments in the clergy", ''Daily Telegraph'', 20 December 2008, p. 26.</ref> From 2009 to 2015, he was the Bishop of Kensington, an area bishop in the Diocese of London.<ref name="no10">[http://www.number10.gov.uk/Page17790 Official notification of appointment] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091207183942/http://www.number10.gov.uk/Page17790 |date=2009-12-07 }}</ref> Alongside his oversight of 130 churches in West London he also had diocesan responsibility for ministry training and leadership development. On 11 May 2015, Paul Williams' canonical election as Bishop of Southwell and Nottingham was confirmed.<ref name="ce">[http://southwell.anglican.org/election-of-new-bishop-of-southwell-nottingham-confirmed/ Diocese of Southwell & Nottingham — "Election of new Bishop of Southwell & Nottingham confirmed"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150525024426/http://southwell.anglican.org/election-of-new-bishop-of-southwell-nottingham-confirmed/ |date=25 May 2015 }}, Diocese of Southwell & Nottingham website, accessed 24 May 2015.</ref> He was installed as diocesan bishop during an inauguration service on 27 June 2015 at Southwell Minster.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Page|first1=Jemma|title=New Bishop of Southwell and Nottingham officially inaugurated|url=http://www.nottinghampost.com/New-Bishop-Southwell-Nottingham-officially/story-26788834-detail/story.html|work=Nottingham Post|date=27 June 2015|access-date=12 December 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150628130104/http://www.nottinghampost.com/New-Bishop-Southwell-Nottingham-officially/story-26788834-detail/story.html|archive-date=28 June 2015|url-status=dead}}</ref> He became a member of the House of Lords upon his introduction (as a Lord Spiritual) on 13 June 2022.<ref>{{cite web |website=Diocese of Southwell & Nottingham |title=Bishop of Southwell and Nottingham becomes a Member of the House of Lords |date=13 June 2022 |url=https://southwell.anglican.org/bishop-of-southwell-and-nottingham-becomes-a-member-of-the-house-of-lords/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221004112346/https://southwell.anglican.org/bishop-of-southwell-and-nottingham-becomes-a-member-of-the-house-of-lords/ |archive-date=4 October 2022 |access-date=4 October 2022 }}</ref>
===Views=== In 2023, following the news that the House of Bishop's of the Church of England was to introduce proposals for blessing same-sex relationships, he signed an open letter which stated:<ref name="Doctrine of Marriage">{{cite web |title=LLF: a paper on the Doctrine of Marriage |url=https://www.thinkinganglicans.org.uk/llf-a-paper-on-the-doctrine-of-marriage |website=Thinking Anglicans |access-date=31 January 2023 |language=en |date=31 January 2023}}</ref> {{blockquote| many Christians in the Church of England and the Anglican Communion, together with Christians from across the churches of world Christianity, continue to believe that marriage is given by God for the union of a man and woman and that it cannot be extended to those who are of the same sex. [...] Without seeking to diminish the value of many committed same-sex relationships, for which there is much to give thanks, we find ourselves constrained by what we sincerely believe the Scriptures teach which cannot be set aside.<ref name="Doctrine of Marriage" />}}
During the Church of England's February 2023 General Synod meeting, Williams was one of four bishops in the house to vote against the successful proposal to introduce blessings and prayers for same-sex relationships.<ref name="gs-2023-llf-vote">{{cite web |title=General Synod 9 TH February 2023 – Item 11 |url=https://www.churchofengland.org/sites/default/files/2023-02/Item%2011%20by%20House.pdf |publisher=Church of England |access-date=10 May 2023}}</ref> He also voted against introducing "standalone services for same-sex couples" on a trial basis during a meeting of the General Synod in November 2023; the motion passed.<ref>{{cite web |title=GENERAL SYNOD NOVEMBER 2023 GROUP OF SESSIONS BUSINESS DONE AT 5 P.M. |url=https://www.churchofengland.org/sites/default/files/2023-11/consolidated-business-done.pdf |website=churchofengland.org |publisher=The Church of England |access-date=23 November 2023 |date=13 November 2023 |quote=7. The motion (as amended) ‘That this Synod, conscious that the Church is not of one mind on the issues raised by Living in Love and Faith, that we are in a period of uncertainty, and that many in the Church on all sides are being deeply hurt at this time, recognise the progress made by the House of Bishops towards implementing the motion on Living in Love and Faith passed by this Synod in February 2023, as reported in GS 2328, encourage the House to continue its work of implementation, and ask the House to consider whether some standalone services for same-sex couples could be made available for use, possibly on a trial basis, on the timescale envisaged by the motion passed by the Synod in February 2023.’ was carried following a counted vote by Houses.}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=General Synod 15th November 2023 – Item 007 |url=https://www.churchofengland.org/sites/default/files/2023-11/item-7.pdf |website=churchofengland.org |publisher=The Church of England |access-date=23 November 2023 |date=15 November 2023}}</ref>
==Personal life== Paul married Sarah (née Cossham) at Christ Church, Clifton in February 1997; they have three sons.<ref name="dio">[http://www.london.anglican.org/BishopOfKensington Diocesan Profile] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120205054253/http://www.london.anglican.org/BishopOfKensington |date=2012-02-05 }}</ref>
==Styles== *''The Reverend'' Paul Williams (1993–2007) *''The Reverend'' Canon Paul Williams (2007–2009) *''The Right Reverend'' Paul Williams (2009–present)
==References== {{Portal|Christianity}} {{reflist}}
{{S-start}} {{S-rel|en}} {{S-bef|before=Michael Colclough}} {{S-ttl|title=Bishop of Kensington|years=2009–2015}} {{S-aft|after=Graham Tomlin}} {{S-bef|before=Paul Butler}} {{S-ttl|title=Bishop of Southwell & Nottingham|years=2015–present}} {{S-inc}} {{S-end}} {{Current Lords Spiritual}} {{Bishops of Kensington}} {{Bishops of Southwell and Nottingham}} {{Diocese of Southwell and Nottingham}} {{authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Williams, Paul}} Category:1968 births Category:Alumni of Grey College, Durham Category:21st-century Church of England bishops Category:Living people Category:Bishops of Kensington Category:Bishops of Southwell Category:Lords Spiritual Category:Alumni of Wycliffe Hall, Oxford