# Stephen Hance

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**Stephen John Hance** (born 16 April 1966) is a British [Anglican](/source/Anglican) priest. Since 2024, he has been [Dean of Toronto](/source/Dean_of_Toronto) and Rector of [St. James Cathedral](/source/Cathedral_Church_of_St._James_(Toronto)). He has previously served as National Lead for Evangelism and Witness for the [Church of England](/source/Church_of_England), [Dean of Derby](/source/Dean_of_Derby), and [Canon Missioner](/source/Canon_residentiary) of [Southwark Cathedral](/source/Southwark_Cathedral) and Director of [Mission](/source/Christian_mission) and [Evangelism](/source/Evangelism) for the [Diocese of Southwark](/source/Anglican_Diocese_of_Southwark).

## Early life and education

Hance was born on 16 April 1966 in [Kisumu](/source/Kisumu), Kenya.[1] He studied [sociology](/source/Sociology) at [Portsmouth Polytechnic](/source/Portsmouth_Polytechnic), graduating with a [Bachelor of Science](/source/Bachelor_of_Science) (BSc) degree in 1989.[1][2] In 1990, he entered [St John's College, Nottingham](/source/St_John's_College,_Nottingham), an [Open Evangelical](/source/Open_Evangelical) [Anglican](/source/Anglican) [theological college](/source/Theological_college), to train for [ordained ministry](/source/Holy_Orders).[2] During this time he also studied [theology](/source/Theology), and he graduated from the [University of Nottingham](/source/University_of_Nottingham) with a [Bachelor of Theology](/source/Bachelor_of_Theology) (BTh) degree in 1992.[2][1] He undertook [postgraduate studies](/source/Postgraduate_studies) in [mission](/source/Christian_mission) and [ministry](/source/Christian_ministry), and graduated from Nottingham with a [Master of Arts](/source/Master_of_Arts) (MA) degree in 1993.[2][1] He then left theological college to be ordained in the [Church of England](/source/Church_of_England).[2] After a number of years of part-time study at [Asbury Theological Seminary](/source/Asbury_Theological_Seminary) in [Kentucky](/source/Kentucky), United States, he completed a [Doctor of Ministry](/source/Doctor_of_Ministry) (DMin) degree in missional church leadership in 2009.[1]

## Ordained ministry

Hance was [ordained](/source/Ordained) in the [Church of England](/source/Church_of_England) as a [deacon](/source/Deacon#Anglicanism) on 26 September 1993,[3] and as a [priest](/source/Priest#Anglican_or_Episcopalian) on 2 October 1994 — both times by [Timothy Bavin](/source/Timothy_Bavin), [Bishop of Portsmouth](/source/Anglican_Bishop_of_Portsmouth), at [Portsmouth Cathedral](/source/Portsmouth_Cathedral).[4] From 1993 to 1996, he served his [curacy](/source/Curacy) at St Jude's Church, [Southsea](/source/Southsea) in the [Diocese of Portsmouth](/source/Anglican_Diocese_of_Portsmouth).[1] He then moved to the [Diocese of London](/source/Diocese_of_London) to join the Tollington Team as [Team Vicar](/source/Team_Vicar) of St Mark's Church, [Tollington Park](/source/Tollington_Park).[2][1] From 1997 to 1999, he was also a member of the [Bishop of Stepney's](/source/Bishop_of_Stepney) Council.[1]

In 1999, Hance moved to the [Diocese of Southwark](/source/Anglican_Diocese_of_Southwark) to take up his first [incumbency](/source/Incumbent_(ecclesiastical)).[1][5] From 1999 to 2013, he served as [Vicar](/source/Vicar_(Anglicanism)) of the [Church of the Ascension, Balham Hill](/source/Ascension_Church,_Balham).[2][1] From 1999 to 2004, he was also Director of Post-Ordination Training for the [Kingston Episcopal Area](/source/Kingston_Episcopal_Area).[1] In 2013, he joined [Southwark Cathedral](/source/Southwark_Cathedral) as [Canon Missioner](/source/Canon_(priest)) and was also appointed Director of [Mission](/source/Christian_mission) and [Evangelism](/source/Evangelism) for the Diocese of Southwark.[5][2] In 2015, he was elected a member of the [General Synod of the Church of England](/source/General_Synod_of_the_Church_of_England).[1]

On 5 June 2017, it was announced that he would be the next [Dean of Derby](/source/Dean_of_Derby), the first among equals in the [chapter](/source/Cathedral_chapter) of [Derby Cathedral](/source/Derby_Cathedral) and the most senior priest in the [Diocese of Derby](/source/Diocese_of_Derby).[5][1] He was [installed](/source/Installation_(Christianity)) as [dean](/source/Dean_(Christianity)) during a service on 30 September 2017.[1]

In 2019 he was appointed the Church of England's National Lead for Evangelism and Witness, based at Church House, Westminster;[6] he resigned the Deanery on 30 September 2019 and took up the new role.[7]

In October 2023, Hance was appointed [Dean of Toronto](/source/Dean_of_Toronto) and Rector of [St. James Cathedral](/source/Cathedral_Church_of_St._James_(Toronto)). He was installed in the Cathedral on 14 January 2024.[8]

### Views

Hance is as a liberal [Evangelical Anglican](/source/Evangelical_Anglican).[9] He has spoken out against the perception that the Diocese of Southwark has a [Liberal Catholic](/source/Liberal_Anglo-Catholicism) bias.[9]

## Personal life

Hance is married to Jacqui and they have three children.[5]

## References

1. ["A New Dean for Derby Cathedral"](http://www.derbycathedral.org/299-a-new-dean-for-derby-cathedral.html). *Derby Cathedral*. Retrieved 7 June 2017.

1. ["A New Dean for Derby Cathedral"](https://web.archive.org/web/20171018002028/http://www.derby.anglican.org/en/news/latest-news/news-archive/a-new-dean-for-derby-cathedral.html). *Diocese of Derby*. Archived from [the original](http://www.derby.anglican.org/en/news/latest-news/news-archive/a-new-dean-for-derby-cathedral.html) on 18 October 2017. Retrieved 7 June 2017.

1. ["Stephen Hance named as new National Lead for Evangelism and Witness for the Church of England"](https://www.churchofengland.org/more/media-centre/news/stephen-hance-named-new-national-lead-evangelism-and-witness-church-england). Retrieved 5 February 2020.

1. ["The Very Revd Dr Stephen Hance appointed National Lead for Evangelism and Witness for the Church of England"](http://www.derbycathedral.org/about-us/news/486-the-very-revd-dr-stephen-hance-appointed-national-lead-for-evangelism-and-witness-for-the-church-of-england.html)

1. ["Diocese to welcome new Dean"](https://www.toronto.anglican.ca/news/diocese-to-welcome-new-dean/). *Diocese of Toronto*. 30 October 2023. Retrieved 30 October 2023.

1. Cutting, Alastair; Gates, Simon; Hance, Stephen (20 March 2015). ["The diocese of Southwark, and how Evangelicals see it"](https://www.churchtimes.co.uk/articles/2015/20-march/comment/letters-to-the-editor/the-diocese-of-southwark-and-how-evangelicals-see-it). *Church Times*. Retrieved 7 June 2017.

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Stephen Hance](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stephen_Hance) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stephen_Hance?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.