{{short description|British Anglican bishop (born 1972)}} {{Use dmy dates|date=February 2020}} {{EngvarB|date=February 2020}} {{Infobox Christian leader | honorific-prefix = The Right Reverend | name = Rob Wickham | honorific-suffix = | title = area Bishop of Edmonton | church = Church of England | diocese = Diocese of London | see = | term = 23 September 2015{{snd}}9 July 2023 | predecessor = Peter Wheatley | successor = | other_post = CEO, Church Urban Fund {{nowrap|(2023{{snd}}present)}} | previous_post = Acting Bishop of Portsmouth {{nowrap|(28 April 2021{{snd}}18 January 2022)}} <br /> Area Dean of Hackney {{nowrap|(2014–2015)}} <!---------- Orders ----------> | ordination = 1998 (deacon) <br /> 1999 (priest) | ordained_by = | consecration = 23 September 2015 | consecrated_by = Justin Welby <!---------- Personal details ----------> | birth_name = Robert James Wickham | birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=y|1972|5|3}} | birth_place = <!-- City, administrative region, sovereign state (per Template:Infobox person) --> | death_date = <!-- {{Death date and age|df=y|YYYY|MM|DD|YYYY|MM|DD}} (death date then birth date) --> | death_place = <!-- as birth_place --> | buried = | nationality = | religion = Anglicanism | residence = | parents = | spouse = <!-- or | partner = --> | children = | occupation = | profession = | education = Hampton School | alma_mater = Grey College, Durham<br />King's College London | motto = }} '''Robert James "Rob" Wickham''' (born 3 May 1972) is a British Anglican bishop. He has been CEO of the Church Urban Fund since June 2023,<ref>{{Cite web |last=Communications |date=2023-02-21 |title=Bishop Rob appointed next CEO of Church Urban Fund |url=https://www.london.anglican.org/articles/bishop-rob-appointed-next-ceo-of-church-urban-fund/ |access-date=2023-02-21 |website=Diocese of London |language=en-US}}</ref> having previously served as Bishop of Edmonton (an area bishop in the Diocese of London) 2015–2023. He also served part-time as Acting Bishop of Portsmouth.<ref name="apomp" />
==Early life and education== Wickham was born on 3 May 1972.<ref>{{Who's Who | title=Wickham, Robert James | id = U284817 | volume = 2016 | edition = November 2015 online | access-date = 24 July 2016 }}</ref><ref name="Crockford entry">{{Crockford| surname = Wickham | forenames = Robert James | id = 16184 | accessed = 23 June 2018}}</ref> He was educated at Hampton School, an all-boys private school in Hampton, London. After a gap year, he studied geography at Grey College, Durham.<ref name="Consecration Order of Service">{{cite web|title=Order of Service: Ordination and Consecration of the new Bishops of Maidstone, Kensington and Edmonton|url=http://www.canterbury-cathedral.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/150923-Consecration-Maidstone-Kensington-Edmonton-new.pdf|website=Canterbury Cathedral|accessdate=23 September 2015|date=23 September 2015|archive-date=25 September 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150925125446/http://www.canterbury-cathedral.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/150923-Consecration-Maidstone-Kensington-Edmonton-new.pdf|url-status=dead}}</ref> He graduated from the University of Durham with a Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree in 1994.<ref name="Crockford entry" /> He then spent a year working at St Luke's Church, Wallsend, an Anglo-Catholic church in a deprived area of North Tyneside.<ref name="Consecration Order of Service" /> In 1995, he entered Ridley Hall, Cambridge, a Church of England theological college, where he spent three years studying for ordination to the priesthood.<ref name="Crockford entry" />
During his ordained ministry, he undertook post-graduate study. In 2012, he completed a Master of Arts (MA) degree in theology, politics and faith-based organisations at King's College London.<ref name="Crockford entry" /><ref name="Consecration Order of Service" />
==Ordained ministry== Wickham was ordained in the Church of England as a deacon in 1998 and as a priest in 1999.<ref name="Crockford entry" /> From 1998 to 2001, he continued his training for ministry as a curate at St Mary's Church, Willesden in the Diocese of London; the church contains the Anglican Shrine of Our Lady of Willesden.<ref name="Crockford entry" /><ref name="Consecration Order of Service" /> In 2001, he moved to St Mary's Church, Somers Town where he served as a curate for the next two years.<ref name="Gov - Suffragan Bishop of Edmonton" /><ref name="Who's Who 2016">{{cite web|title=EDMONTON, Area Bishop of|url=http://www.ukwhoswho.com/view/article/oupww/whoswho/U284817|website=Who's Who 2016|publisher=Oxford University Press|accessdate=1 November 2016|date=November 2015}}</ref> In 2003, he became the Team Vicar in the newly created Parish of Old St Pancras which includes St Pancras Old Church.<ref name="Crockford entry" /><ref name="Consecration Order of Service" /> In 2007, he moved parishes and became Rector of the Church of St John-at-Hackney;<ref name="Crockford entry" /> this made him the 45th Rector of Hackney.<ref name="bio - St John at Hackney Church">{{cite web|title=Who's Who|url=http://www.stjohnathackney.org.uk/welcome/whos-who/|website=St John at Hackney Church|accessdate=23 September 2015}}</ref> In 2014, he was additionally appointed the Area Dean of Hackney.<ref name="Crockford entry" />
===Episcopal ministry=== In July 2015, Wickham was announced as the next Bishop of Edmonton, an area bishop in the Diocese of London.<ref name="Gov - Suffragan Bishop of Edmonton">{{cite web|title=Suffragan Bishop of Edmonton: Robert Wickham|url=https://www.gov.uk/government/news/suffragan-bishop-of-edmonton-robert-wickham|publisher=Government of the United Kingdom|accessdate=18 July 2015}}</ref><ref name="London - Two new bishops">{{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=10 July 2015|date=9 July 2015}}</ref> On 23 September 2015, he was consecrated a bishop in Canterbury Cathedral by Justin Welby, the Archbishop of Canterbury.<ref name="Canterbury Cathedral - Consecration">{{cite web|title=Ordination and Consecration of the new Bishops of Maidstone, Kensington and Edmonton|url=http://www.canterbury-cathedral.org/2015/09/23/28711/|website=Canterbury Cathedral|accessdate=23 September 2015|date=23 September 2015|archive-date=29 March 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160329095510/http://www.canterbury-cathedral.org/2015/09/23/28711/|url-status=dead}}</ref> It was announced on 26 February 2021 that he was to additionally serve part-time as Acting Bishop of Portsmouth (archbishop's commissary) during the vacancy of that See, starting 28 April 2021.<ref name="apomp">{{Cite web|url=https://www.portsmouth.anglican.org/news/2021/02/26/new-commissary-bishop-will-help-lead-diocese/|title = Diocese of Portsmouth - News - New 'commissary bishop' will help to lead diocese}}</ref> On 18 January 2022, the new Bishop of Portsmouth, Jonathan Frost, took up the See.<ref>{{cite web |title=Acting Dean of York announced|website=York Minster |date=11 January 2022 |url=https://yorkminster.org/latest/acting-dean-of-york-announced/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220111114451/https://yorkminster.org/latest/acting-dean-of-york-announced/ |archive-date=11 January 2022 |access-date=18 January 2022}} & {{cite web |title=Services beginning Sunday 16 January 2022 (image)|website=St Mary le Bow Church, London |url=https://www.stmarylebow.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/03-16-01-22.png |access-date=18 January 2022}}</ref>
On 21 February 2023, it was announced that Wickham was to become CEO of Church Urban Fund.<ref>{{cite web |website=Diocese of London |title=Bishop Rob appointed next CEO of Church Urban Fund |date=21 February 2023 |url=https://www.london.anglican.org/articles/bishop-rob-appointed-next-ceo-of-church-urban-fund/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230221162039/https://www.london.anglican.org/articles/bishop-rob-appointed-next-ceo-of-church-urban-fund/ |archive-date=21 February 2023 |access-date=21 February 2023 }}</ref> He resigned his See effective 9 July 2023.<ref>{{Church Times | title = Classified advertisements | archive = 2023_06_23_035 | issue = 8362 | date = 23 June 2023 | page = 35 | accessed = 6 July 2023 }}</ref> He has also been an honorary assistant bishop in the Diocese of London since November 2023.<ref>{{Cite tweet |author=Bishop of Southwark |user=BishopSouthwark |number=1720113337457930730 |title=A joy to commission Rob Wickham as an Honorary Assistant Bishop @SouthwarkCofE @StPetersVxhall a wonderful inner urban church and nearest to @churchurbanfund at The Foundry - praying for God's blessing on +Rob and the work for urban mission and renewal}}</ref>
==Personal life== Wickham is married to Helen, a primary school teacher.<ref name="Gov - Suffragan Bishop of Edmonton" /> Together, they have three children.<ref name="bio - St John at Hackney Church" /> He is a supporter of Plymouth Argyle football club.<ref name="Gov - Suffragan Bishop of Edmonton" />
==References== {{reflist}}
{{Bishops of Edmonton (London)}} {{Diocese of London}} {{authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Wickham, Robert James}} Category:1972 births Category:Living people Category:People educated at Hampton School Category:Alumni of Grey College, Durham Category:Alumni of King's College London Category:Bishops of Edmonton (London) Category:21st-century Church of England bishops Category:Anglo-Catholic bishops Category:English Anglo-Catholics