# Ric Thorpe > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Ric_Thorpe > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Ric_Thorpe.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ric_Thorpe > Source revision: 1356675361 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) {{Short description|British bishop and expert in church planting}} {{Use dmy dates|date=February 2020}} {{EngvarB|date=February 2020}} {{Infobox Christian leader | type = Bishop | honorific-prefix = [The Most Reverend](/source/The_Most_Reverend) | name = Ric Thorpe | honorific-suffix = | title = [Archbishop of Melbourne](/source/Anglican_Archbishop_of_Melbourne) | church = [Anglican Church of Australia](/source/Anglican_Church_of_Australia) | archdiocese = | province = Victoria | metropolis = | diocese = [Diocese of Melbourne](/source/Anglican_Diocese_of_Melbourne) | see = | elected = | appointed = | term = | term_start = 30 November 2025 | term_end = | predecessor = Philip Freier | successor = | other_post = [Metropolitan of the Province of Victoria](/source/Anglican_Archbishop_of_Melbourne) (2025) | previous_post = [Bishop of Islington](/source/Bishop_of_Islington) (2015-2025)
[Bishop of London](/source/Bishop_of_London)'s Adviser for [Church Planting](/source/Church_Planting) (2012–2015)
[Rector](/source/Rector_(ecclesiastical)) of [St Paul's Church, Shadwell](/source/St_Paul's_Church%2C_Shadwell) (2005–2015) | ordination = 1996 (deacon)
1997 (priest) | ordained_by = | consecration = 29 September 2015 | consecrated_by = [Justin Welby](/source/Justin_Welby) | birth_name = Richard Charles Thorpe | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|df=y|1965|2|3}} | birth_place = | death_date = | death_place = | buried = | nationality = | religion = | residence = | parents = | spouse = Louie Thorpe | children = 3 | occupation = | profession = | education = | alma_mater = [University of Birmingham](/source/University_of_Birmingham)
[Wycliffe Hall, Oxford](/source/Wycliffe_Hall%2C_Oxford) }} '''Richard Charles "Ric" Thorpe''' (born 3 February 1965) is a British [Anglican](/source/Anglican) bishop and [church planter](/source/church_planting). Since November 2025 he has been [Archbishop of Melbourne](/source/Anglican_Archbishop_of_Melbourne), Australia; previously he was the [Bishop of Islington](/source/Bishop_of_Islington) in the [Diocese of London](/source/Diocese_of_London) and the [Church of England](/source/Church_of_England)'s "bishop for church plants". ==Early life== Thorpe was born on 3 February 1965.{{Who's Who | title=Thorpe, Richard Charles | id = U284820 | volume = 2017 | edition = November 2016 online | access-date = 21 December 2016 }}{{Crockford| surname = Thorpe | forenames = Richard Charles | id = 14630 | accessed = 5 December 2015}} He was educated at [Stowe School](/source/Stowe_School), a [private school](/source/Private_schools_in_the_United_Kingdom) in [Stowe, Buckinghamshire](/source/Stowe%2C_Buckinghamshire). He studied [chemical engineering](/source/chemical_engineering) at the [University of Birmingham](/source/University_of_Birmingham) and graduated with a Bachelor of Science (BSc) degree in 1987 and began working as a marketing manager with [Unilever](/source/Unilever). From 1990 to 1992, Thorpe was a lay [worship leader](/source/worship_leader) at [Holy Trinity Brompton](/source/Holy_Trinity_Brompton) (HTB) in the [Diocese of London](/source/Diocese_of_London).{{cite web|title=Ric Thorpe|url=https://uk.linkedin.com/in/ricthorpe|publisher=LinkedIn|accessdate=8 September 2015}} In 1993, he entered [Wycliffe Hall](/source/Wycliffe_Hall), an [Evangelical](/source/Evangelical) [Anglican](/source/Anglicanism) [theological college](/source/seminary), to study theology and train for ordained ministry.{{cite web|title=New Bishop of Islington Appointed|url=http://www.wycliffehall.org.uk/news/bishop-islington-ric-thorpe|website=Wycliffe Hall, Oxford|accessdate=6 September 2015|date=9 July 2015|archive-date=1 October 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151001193658/http://www.wycliffehall.org.uk/news/bishop-islington-ric-thorpe|url-status=dead}} He graduated from the [University of Oxford](/source/University_of_Oxford) with a [Bachelor of Theology](/source/Bachelor_of_Theology) (BTh) degree in 1996.{{Crockford| surname = Thorpe | forenames = Richard Charles | id = 14630 | accessed = 8 December 2025}} ==Ordained ministry== Thorpe was [ordained](/source/ordination) in the [Church of England](/source/Church_of_England): [deaconed](/source/Deacon) at [Petertide](/source/Petertide) 1996 (30 June) by [Richard Chartres](/source/Richard_Chartres), [Bishop of London](/source/Bishop_of_London) at [St Paul's Cathedral](/source/St_Paul's_Cathedral){{Church Times | title = Ordinations | archive = 1996_07_05_018 | issue = 6960 | date = 5 July 1996 | page = 18 | accessed = 7 May 2019 }} and [priested](/source/Priest) the Petertide following (29 June 1997) by [Michael Colclough](/source/Michael_Colclough), [Bishop of Kensington](/source/Bishop_of_Kensington) at Holy Trinity Church, [Hounslow](/source/Hounslow).{{Church Times | title = Ordinations | archive = 1997_07_11_006 | issue = 7013 | date = 11 July 1997 | page = 6 | accessed = 7 May 2019 }} He began his ministry as a [curate](/source/curate) at Holy Trinity Brompton (HTB) in the Diocese of London.{{cite web|title=Suffragan Bishop of Islington: Reverend Ric Thorpe|url=https://www.gov.uk/government/news/suffragan-bishop-of-islington-reverend-ric-thorpe|website=Prime Minister's Office, 10 Downing Street|publisher=Government of the United Kingdom|accessdate=6 September 2015|date=9 July 2015}} After almost 10 years of ordained ministry, he was chosen to lead a [church plant](/source/church_plant) from HTB to [St Paul's Church, Shadwell](/source/St_Paul's_Church%2C_Shadwell). This involved moving 100 parishioners and a number of clergy from HTB to St Paul's to revitalise the church. He was appointed [priest in charge](/source/priest_in_charge) of St Paul's with St James, Ratcliffe in 2005 and [rector](/source/Rector_(ecclesiastical)) in 2010. From 2010 to 2014 he was also priest in charge of [All Hallows, Bow](/source/All_Hallows%2C_Bow). Thorpe was involved with a further four church plants. From 2012 to 2015, he was the [Bishop of London](/source/Bishop_of_London)'s Adviser for Church Planting. He was a tutor in church planting at [St Mellitus College](/source/St_Mellitus_College), an Anglican theological college, and leader of its church planting course.{{cite web|title=Associate Tutors|url=http://www.stmellitus.org/associate-tutors|publisher=St Mellitus College|accessdate=8 September 2015|archive-date=31 August 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150831201550/http://www.stmellitus.org/associate-tutors|url-status=dead}}{{cite web|title=Church Planting Course|url=http://www.stmellitus.org/church-planting-course|publisher=St Mellitus College|accessdate=8 September 2015}}{{Dead link|date=November 2025 |bot=InternetArchiveBot }} From 2015 until 2025, he led the [Gregory Centre for Church Multiplication](/source/Gregory_Centre_for_Church_Multiplication).{{Cite web|title=New website for Church Planting centre as six new worshipping communities set to open|url=https://www.london.anglican.org/articles/new-church-planting-growth-website-six-new-worshipping-communities-open/|date=2017-01-26|website=Diocese of London|language=en-US|access-date=2020-05-24}}{{Cite news|title=The faithful borrow ideas from business to create start-up churches|url=https://www.ft.com/content/db766d82-41ef-11ea-bdb5-169ba7be433d|last=|first=|date=9 February 2020|newspaper=Financial Times|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=2020-05-24}}{{Cite web|title=Centre for Church Multiplication|url=https://www.ccx.org.uk/|website=CCX|language=en-US|access-date=2020-05-24}} ===Episcopal ministry=== In May 2015, it was announced that the [See of Islington](/source/Bishop_of_Islington) would be brought out of [abeyance](/source/abeyance) to create a "bishop for church plants". The bishop would be a [suffragan bishop](/source/suffragan_bishop) in the Diocese of London but would be free from territorial responsibilities and work with the whole Church of England.{{cite web|title=The revival of the See of Islington|url=http://www.london.anglican.org/articles/the-revival-of-the-see-of-islington/|website=Diocese of London|accessdate=8 September 2015|date=1 May 2015}}{{cite news|last1=Gledhill|first1=Ruth|title=New church plant bishop will be Rev Ric Thorpe|url=http://www.christiantoday.com/article/new.church.plant.bishop.will.be.rev.ric.thorpe/58520.htm|accessdate=6 September 2015|work=Christian Today|date=9 July 2015}} Thorpe was appointed to this role on 9 July 2015 and on 29 September was [consecrated](/source/ordination) by [Justin Welby](/source/Justin_Welby), [Archbishop of Canterbury](/source/Archbishop_of_Canterbury), at [St Paul's Cathedral](/source/St_Paul's_Cathedral).{{cite web|title=Two new bishops and new archdeacon for London announced|url=http://www.london.anglican.org/articles/bishops-edmonton-islington-archdeacon-hampstead-wickham-thorpe-hawkins/|website=Diocese of London|accessdate=6 September 2015|date=9 July 2015}}{{cite web|title=New women bishops ordained at St Paul's Cathedral|url=https://www.stpauls.co.uk/news-press/latest-news/new-women-bishops-ordained-at-st-pauls-cathedral|website=St Paul's Cathedral|accessdate=30 September 2015|date=29 September 2015}} On 24 May 2025, it was announced that Thorpe had been elected as the next [Archbishop of Melbourne](/source/Anglican_Archbishop_of_Melbourne), Australia.{{cite web |last1=Taylor |first1=Jenan |title=New Anglican Archbishop of Melbourne elected |url=https://tma.melbourneanglican.org.au/2025/05/new-anglican-archbishop-of-melbourne-elected/ |website=The Melbourne Anglican |access-date=24 May 2025 |language=en-AU |date=24 May 2025}} His [election](/source/canonical_election) was [confirmed](/source/confirmation_of_bishops){{Cite web |date=30 November 2025 |title=The Installation and Recognition of The Right Reverend Dr Ric Thorpe BSc, BTh, DMin as Archbishop of Melbourne and Metropolitan of Victoria at Choral Evening Prayer on Advent Sunday |url=https://cathedral.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/The-Installation-of-Bishop-Ric-Thorpe-as-Archbishop-Service-of-the-Word-CORRECTED-FINAL-PRINT.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20251130050726/https://cathedral.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/The-Installation-of-Bishop-Ric-Thorpe-as-Archbishop-Service-of-the-Word-CORRECTED-FINAL-PRINT.pdf |archive-date=30 November 2025 |access-date=22 February 2026 |website=[St Paul's Cathedral (Melbourne)](/source/St_Paul's_Cathedral_(Melbourne))}} and he was installed on 30 November 2025 at [St Paul's Cathedral, Melbourne](/source/St%26nbsp%3BPaul's_Cathedral%2C_Melbourne).{{cite web |title=‘I will proclaim the good news,’ says the new Archbishop of Melbourne, Ric Thorpe |url=https://anglicannews.org/news/2025/12/%E2%80%98i-will-proclaim-the-good-news,%E2%80%99-says-the-new-archbishop-of-melbourne,-ric-thorpe.aspx |website=anglicannews.org |publisher=Anglican Communion Office |access-date=8 December 2025 |language=en-gb |date=2 December 2025}} ===Views=== In 2023, following the news that the [House of Bishops](/source/House_of_Bishops_(Church_of_England)) of the Church of England was to introduce proposals for blessing same-sex relationships, he signed an open letter which stated:{{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}} {{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.}} During the Church of England's February 2023 [General Synod](/source/General_Synod_of_the_Church_of_England) meeting, Thorpe was one of four bishops to vote against the successful proposal to introduce blessings and prayers for same-sex relationships.{{cite web |title=General Synod 9 TH February 2023 – Item 11 |date=30 January 2023 |url=https://www.churchofengland.org/sites/default/files/2023-02/Item%2011%20by%20House.pdf |publisher=Church of England |access-date=10 May 2023}} He also voted against introducing "standalone services for same-sex couples" on a trial basis during a General Synod meeting in November 2023; the motion passed.{{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.}}{{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}} ==References== {{reflist}} {{S-start}} {{S-rel|en}} {{s-break}} {{S-vac|abeyance|last=[Charles Turner](/source/Charles_Turner_(bishop))}} {{S-ttl|title= [Bishop of Islington](/source/Bishop_of_Islington)| years= 2015–present}} {{S-inc}} {{S-end}} {{Bishops of Islington}} {{authority control}} {{DEFAULTSORT:Thorpe, Ric}} Category:1965 births Category:Living people Category:People educated at Stowe School Category:Alumni of the University of Birmingham Category:Alumni of Wycliffe Hall, Oxford Category:Staff of St Mellitus College Category:Holy Trinity Brompton people Category:British evangelicals Category:20th-century evangelicals Category:21st-century British Anglican priests Category:21st-century evangelicals Category:21st-century Church of England bishops Category:Bishops of Islington Category:Anglican archbishops of Melbourne Category:Evangelical Anglican bishops --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Ric Thorpe](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ric_Thorpe) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ric_Thorpe?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.