Archbishop Jonathan Blake

Blake co-founded the Open Episcopal Church alongside Bishop Richard Palmer and Bishop Michael Wilson on 10 November 2001.{{Cite web |date=2022-09-04 |title=Christian Open Episcopal Church comes to Cumbria for first time |url=https://www.newsandstar.co.uk/news/20894781.new-christian-church-set-st-bees-first-time/ |access-date=2024-09-13 |website=News and Star |language=en}} He had severed his denominational ties to the Church of England via effecting a Deed of relinquishment.{{Cite web |title=The Most Reverend Jonathan Clive Blake |url=https://www.bishopjonathanblake.com/about-jonathan-blake.htm |access-date=2024-08-23 |website=www.bishopjonathanblake.com}}{{Cite web |date=31 July 2003 |title=Case No: 02/TLQJ/1760 |url=https://www.5rb.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/Blake-v-ANL.pdf}}

Archbishop Jonathan Blake was born in 1956 and survived an air flight emergency during his childhood. He taught for one year before gaining his degree at Durham university in 1978. During his undergraduate days he established a shop selling goods from the poorer countries which became a successful aid project that traded for over 25 years and embedded a commitment to Fair Trade into the continuing life of the College.{{Cite web |last=O'Hara |first=Robert James (1959-) |title=St. John's College at the University of Durham |url=https://collegiateway.org/colleges/durham/st-johns/ |access-date=2024-09-13 |website=collegiateway.org |language=en}}{{Cite web |title=The Most Reverend Jonathan Clive Blake |url=https://www.bishopjonathanblake.com/about-jonathan-blake.htm |access-date=2024-08-18 |website=www.bishopjonathanblake.com}}

Blake embarked on a hitchhiking journey to Calcutta, that saw him tear-gassed in Teheran and seized by machine gun-toting guards in Kabul.{{Cite web |title=The Most Reverend Jonathan Clive Blake |url=https://www.bishopjonathanblake.com/about-jonathan-blake.htm |access-date=2024-08-23 |website=www.bishopjonathanblake.com}} He escaped an attempt on his life while in India.{{Cite web |title=The Most Reverend Jonathan Clive Blake |url=https://www.bishopjonathanblake.com/about-jonathan-blake.htm |access-date=2024-08-23 |website=www.bishopjonathanblake.com}} Upon his return, he completed his training in Nottingham. In 1991, he was convicted of Criminal Damage for a Gulf War Protest losing his appeal,{{Cite web |title=Blake v DPP, a summary of criminal case law |url=https://www.ukessays.com/essays/law/blake-v-dpp.php |access-date=2024-09-13 |website=www.ukessays.com |language=en-gb}} and meeting with the Pope about inter-faith work and peace.{{Cite web |title=Facebook |url=https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10158042648917535&set=pb.585867534.-2207520000&type=3 |access-date=2025-05-21 |website=www.facebook.com}} In 1997, he wrote "For God's Sake Don't Go To Church",{{Cite web |date=2000-01-01 |title=Vicar: 'jesus Was Racist' |url=https://www.newsshopper.co.uk/news/324427.vicar-jesus-was-racist/ |access-date=2024-09-13 |website=News Shopper |language=en}} which highlights the dangers of getting involved in dogmatic religion. In the same year, he nailed 95 theses to the door of Canterbury Cathedral, calling for reform of the Church, akin to Martin Luther, for which he was arrested but not charged.{{cite web | url=https://www.newsshopper.co.uk/news/6481773.priest-will-campaign/ | title=Priest will campaign | date=27 March 1999 }}{{Cite web |title=Facebook |url=https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10158042648592535&set=pb.585867534.-2207520000&type=3 |access-date=2025-05-21 |website=www.facebook.com}}{{cite web | url=https://www.collectiveinkbooks.com/christian-alternative-books/authors/archbishop-jonathan-blake | title=Archbishop Jonathan Blake }}{{Cite web |title=The Most Reverend Jonathan Clive Blake |url=https://www.bishopjonathanblake.com/about-jonathan-blake.htm |access-date=2024-08-23 |website=www.bishopjonathanblake.com}} He is married to Annette and they have three children.{{cite web | url=https://www.bishopjonathanblake.com/about-jonathan-blake.htm | title=The Most Reverend Jonathan Clive Blake }} In 2009, he accused the police of assault.{{cite web | url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/7886331.stm | title=Roof photo bishop 'hit' by police | date=12 February 2009 }} In 2014 he wrote "That Old Devil Called God Again".{{cite web | url=https://www.collectiveinkbooks.com/christian-alternative-books/our-books/that-old-devil-called-god-again | title=That Old Devil Called God Again from Christian Alternative Books }} In 2021 he wrote a collection of children's stories, illustrated by Catherine Daw "The Tales of Henry the Lovable Hedgehog"{{cite web | url=https://www.amazon.co.uk/TALES-HENRY-LOVABLE-HEDGEHOG-TWENTY-FOUR/dp/B09K1XKKXH | title=The Tales of Henry the Lovable Hedgehog: The Complete First Volume, Twenty-Four Delightful Stories: Amazon.co.uk: Blake, Archbishop Jonathan, Daw, Catherine: 9798480472561: Books | website=Amazon UK }} and since has published an inclusive version of the New Testament,{{cite web | url=https://www.amazon.co.uk/NEW-TESTAMENT-LOVING-INCLUSIVE-VERSION/dp/B09JJ7K257 | title=Amazon.co.uk | website=Amazon UK }} Psalms {{cite web | url=https://www.amazon.co.uk/PSALMS-Praise-Love-first-Bible/dp/B0915M63S6 | title=Amazon.co.uk | website=Amazon UK }} Book of Common Prayer,{{cite web | url=https://www.amazon.co.uk/BOOK-COMMON-PRAYER-INCLUSIVE-LOVING/dp/B09MYSRW7D | title=Amazon.co.uk | website=Amazon UK }} and an Inclusive Book of Meditation and Readings.{{cite web | url=https://www.amazon.co.uk/INCLUSIVE-LOVING-MEDITATION-EVERYONE-SPIRITUALITY/dp/B0D4JVWNJM?source=ps-sl-shoppingads-lpcontext&ref_=fplfs&psc=1&smid=A3P5ROKL5A1OLE | title=Amazon.co.uk | website=Amazon UK }} and his latest, "Replacing God, Religion and Christianity with Love".{{Cite web |last=Blake |first=Jonathan |date=24 March 2025 |title=Replacing-Christianity-Religion-First-Spirituality |url=https://www.amazon.co.uk/REPLACING-CHRISTIANITY-RELIGION-FIRST-SPIRITUALITY/dp/B0DWMSZDJ7/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0%20) |access-date=24 March 2025 |website=amazon}}

Blake volunteered as a Samaritan, smuggled Bibles and goods to Christians behind the 'Iron Curtain' with the Christian Mission to the Communist World.{{Cite web |title=The Most Reverend Jonathan Clive Blake |url=https://www.bishopjonathanblake.com/about-jonathan-blake.htm |access-date=2024-08-23 |website=www.bishopjonathanblake.com}} He worked with Mother Teresa's Missionaries of Charity in Calcutta, India, in the Home for the Dying and in the slums.{{cite web | url=https://www.wob.com/en-gb/books/author/archbishop-jonathan-blake | title=Archbishop Jonathan Blake Books | Page 1 | World of Books }} At 21, he raised over £20,000, using a quarter for direct relief work and investing the remaining £15,500 through the Church of North India in a trust to fund a [https://www.howrahtb.com/indoor.html T.B. hospital for women in Howrah].{{Cite web |title=The Most Reverend Jonathan Clive Blake |url=https://www.bishopjonathanblake.com/about-jonathan-blake.htm |access-date=2024-08-23 |website=www.bishopjonathanblake.com}} In 1985, he highlighted the plight of the homeless by sleeping on the streets during 'One World Week'. He was elected onto the Executive Committee of the World Conference on Religion and Peace, as the International Youth Co-ordinator, at their fourth World Assembly in Nairobi {{Cite news |title=NAIROBI DECLARATION OF THE FOURTH WORLD ASSEMBLY |url=https://meet.google.com/muv-qbsf-yoj}} and travelled to Pakistan, and across Europe to promote inter-faith initiatives for peace and justice.{{Cite web |title=The Most Reverend Jonathan Clive Blake |url=https://www.bishopjonathanblake.com/about-jonathan-blake.htm |access-date=2024-08-23 |website=www.bishopjonathanblake.com}} In 1987, he organized and led an international group of fifty young people from twelve different faiths on a journey of reconciliation from London to Auschwitz and then to Moscow.{{cite web | url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3eIed77Ig_4 | title=The Peace Bus 1987 | website=YouTube | date=16 March 2015 }}{{Cite web |title=The Most Reverend Jonathan Clive Blake |url=https://www.bishopjonathanblake.com/about-jonathan-blake.htm |access-date=2024-08-23 |website=www.bishopjonathanblake.com}} He volunteered as a Relate, Marriage Guidance Counsellor and an [https://www.london.gov.uk/programmes-strategies/mayors-office-policing-and-crime-mopac/my-area/independent-custody-visitors Independent Custody Visitor]. He worked with the homeless, accommodating them from the streets, even in his own home.{{cite web | url=https://www.bishopjonathanblake.com/about-jonathan-blake.htm | title=The Most Reverend Jonathan Clive Blake }} He has been putting up Christmas lights since 2002, at first for Save the Children, but since 2019, to install water in four Gambian villages (5 by mid 2025), as well as to provide school supplies, sports equipment and shoes,{{cite web | url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GaSz7q_5aQ0 | title=One Minute of Love's Magic and Miracles | website=YouTube | date=4 May 2022 }} and raising so far £90,000.{{Cite web |title=Archbishop Jonathan Blake |url=https://bishopjonathanblake.blogspot.com/ |access-date=2025-05-21 |language=en}}{{cite web | url=https://www.newsshopper.co.uk/news/19752239.welling-christmas-light-display-raises-thousands-charity/ | title=Incredible Welling house Christmas display raises thousands for charity | date=December 2021 }}{{cite web | url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OEmU3WP11Cc | title=Our Christmas Lights for Water for Africa 2021 | website=YouTube | date=11 December 2021 }}{{cite web | url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CpiT_TnGtj0 | title=The BBC Cover Our Christmas Lights | website=YouTube | date=13 December 2023 }}

Blake was ordained a priest for the Church of England in 1982. He served within the Church of England for over eleven years.{{Cite web |title=The Most Reverend Jonathan Clive Blake |url=https://www.bishopjonathanblake.com/about-jonathan-blake.htm |access-date=2024-08-23 |website=www.bishopjonathanblake.com}} He worked as a Curate in Bradford, where he wrote the lyrics for and produced a musical on the life of Saint Francis of Assisi, which was performed at the University theatre, as well as performing as the voice of Jesus (broadcast over the speakers) to accompany the one acting, silently, as Jesus, in the city's Open Air Easter Passion,{{Cite web |title=The Most Reverend Jonathan Clive Blake |url=https://www.bishopjonathanblake.com/about-jonathan-blake.htm |access-date=2024-08-23 |website=www.bishopjonathanblake.com}} and Rochester, where, as Chaplain, he began the first inter-faith chapel at St Bartholomew's Hospital. He was the Vicar of Barnehurst for 5 years, overseeing a major building development.{{cite web | url=https://www.achurchnearyou.com/church/9832/page/34265/view/ | title=History of St. Martin's - St. Martin's, Barnehurst - A Church Near You }} He served as Director of the [https://weekofprayerforworldpeace.co.uk/ Week of Prayer for World Peace]. Blake was consecrated a bishop in 2000 and elected Archbishop in 2006.{{cite web | url=https://www.churchtimes.co.uk/articles/2009/29-may/features/features/out-of-the-question-open-episcopalians | title=Out of the question: Open Episcopalians }}

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Category:1956 births

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