Chris Chivers
{{Use British English|date=October 2011}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2020}}
{{Infobox Christian leader
| type = Priest
| honorific-prefix = The Reverend Canon
| name = Chris Chivers
| honorific-suffix =
| title = Principal of Westcott House, Cambridge
| church = Church of England
| province =
| diocese =
| term = 1 August 2015{{snd}}20 September 2019
| predecessor = Martin Seeley
| successor = Helen Dawes
| other_post = Area Dean of West Barnet (2014–2015)
Vicar of John Keble Church, Mill Hill (2010–2015)
Canon Chancellor of Blackburn Cathedral (2005–2010)
| ordination = 1997 (deacon)
by Richard Chartres
1998 (priest)
by Brian Masters
| consecration =
| consecrated_by =
| birth_name = Christopher Mark Chivers
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1967|7|16|df=y}}
| birth_place =
| death_date =
| death_place =
| buried =
| nationality =
| religion =
| residence =
| parents =
| spouse = Mary Chivers
| children = Three
| occupation =
| profession =
| previous_post =
| education = Bristol Cathedral School
| alma_mater = Magdalen College, Oxford
}}
Christopher Mark "Chris" Chivers (born 16 July 1967) is an Anglican priest, composer, and author.[http://www.spu.ac.ke/public-lecture-by-canon-chris-chivers.html St Paul's University, Kenya] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150316132001/http://www.spu.ac.ke/public-lecture-by-canon-chris-chivers.html |date=16 March 2015 }}[https://www.theguardian.com/profile/chris-chivers The Guardian][http://www.prestoclassical.co.uk/c/Chivers/all/1 Presto] From 2015 until 2019, he was the Principal of Westcott House, Cambridge, an Anglican theological college in the Liberal Catholic tradition.
Early life
Chivers was born on 16 July 1967. He was educated at Bristol Cathedral School, an all-boys private school in Bristol which provides a choir to Bristol Cathedral. He then studied at Magdalen College, Oxford.
Following graduation, Chivers held musical teaching posts at New College School, Oxford, Cheltenham Ladies' College and King's College School, Cambridge.
Career
=Ordained ministry=
After studying at Westcott House, Cambridge, Chivers was ordained a deacon on 28 June 1997 at St Paul's Cathedral by Richard Chartres, Bishop of London{{Church Times | title = Gazette: Ordinations | archive = 1997_07_11_006 | issue = 7013 | date = 11 July 1997 | page = 6 | accessed = 19 January 2016 }} and a priest on 28 June 1998 at St Pancras New Church by Brian Masters, area Bishop of Edmonton.{{Church Times | title = Gazette: Ordinations | archive = 1998_07_10_017 | issue = 7065 | date = 10 July 1998 | page = 17 | accessed = 19 January 2016 }} He served his curacy in the Parish of Friern Barnet.{{cite web|url=http://www.parishoffriernbarnet.co.uk/ |title=parishoffriernbarnet.co.uk |publisher=parishoffriernbarnet.co.uk |accessdate=21 October 2011}} During his time there he was named one of the top ten preachers of the year in The Times 1999 Preacher of the Year competition.{{cite book | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=RUW6gXPgV_oC | title=Fifth Times Book of Best Sermons | isbn=9780304706563 | last1=Gledhill | first1=Ruth | date=January 2000 }}
In 1999 he went to Cape Town as Canon Precentor of St. George's Cathedral, Cape Town.{{cite web|author=Linda Louw |url=http://www.stgeorgescathedral.com/ |title=St George's Cathedral, Cape Town |publisher=Stgeorgescathedral.com |accessdate=21 October 2011}} While there he witnessed the work of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission and spoke to the worshippers at Friday Prayers in a local mosque.
In November 2001 he was appointed Precentor of Westminster Abbey in London and Chaplain of Westminster Abbey Choir School. He participated in the funeral of Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother. In 2005 he became Canon Chancellor of Blackburn Cathedral.{{cite web|url=http://www.blackburncathedral.com/ |title=Welcome to Blackburn Cathedral |publisher=Blackburncathedral.com |date=5 September 2011 |accessdate=21 October 2011}}{{cite web |url=http://www.number10.gov.uk/Page6652 |title=Number10.gov.uk » Canon Chancellor of the Cathedral Church of Blackburn Saint Mary the Virgin |website=www.number10.gov.uk |access-date=14 January 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080909080329/http://www.number10.gov.uk/Page6652 |archive-date=9 September 2008 |url-status=dead}} While there, he was one of the first to teach the Awareness Course.
In 2010 he became Vicar of John Keble Church, Mill Hill,{{cite web|url=http://www.johnkeble.org.uk/ |title=John Keble Front Page |publisher=Johnkeble.org.uk |accessdate=21 October 2011}} in the Diocese of London and in 2012 a priest vicar of Westminster Abbey.
On 1 August 2015 Chivers became Principal of Westcott House, Cambridge.{{cite web|title=New Principal|url=http://www.westcott.cam.ac.uk/chris-chivers-appointed-principal/|website=News|publisher=Westcott House|accessdate=9 August 2015|archive-date=6 July 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150706191356/http://www.westcott.cam.ac.uk/chris-chivers-appointed-principal/|url-status=dead}} On Tuesday 31 January 2017, ordinands at Westcott held a service using excerpts from the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence's Bible in Polari, an event he described as "hugely regrettable".The Daily Telegraph "A queer take on liturgy at Cambridge theological college": p10, issue no 50,296 dated Saturday 4 February 2017
His resignation with immediate effect for undisclosed reasons was announced on 20 September 2019.{{cite web |url=https://www.westcott.cam.ac.uk/a-message-from-the-chair-of-westcott-house-council,-the-right-reverend-paul-ferguson:/ |title=A message from the Chair of Westcott House Council, the Right Reverend Paul Ferguson |website=www.westcott.cam.ac.uk |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190920200719/https://www.westcott.cam.ac.uk/a-message-from-the-chair-of-westcott-house-council,-the-right-reverend-paul-ferguson:/ |archive-date=2019-09-20}}
=As author=
Chivers has written about his experiences in South Africa{{Cite web |url=http://www.thewitness.org/agw/agwchivers.html |title=AGW |access-date=13 April 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304001734/http://www.thewitness.org/agw/agwchivers.html |archive-date=4 March 2016 |url-status=dead |df=dmy-all }} and made contributions to other collections. As a journalist he has written for the Cape Times,{{cite web|author=Independent Newspapers Online |url=http://www.capetimes.co.za/ |title=IOL.co.za |work=Cape Times|accessdate=21 October 2011}} The Times, The Independent,{{cite news|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/obituaries/canon-david-isitt-pioneering-priest-in-the-fields-of-counselling-ecumenism-and-theological-education-1786972.html |title=Canon David Isitt: Pioneering priest in the fields of counselling, ecumenism and theological education – Obituaries, News |work=The Independent |location=UK |accessdate=21 October 2011 |date=14 September 2009}} The Guardian,{{cite web |url=https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2007/sep/15/comment.religion |title=Chris Chivers: Thinking about the meaning of Ramadan has made me a better Christian |first=Chris |last=Chivers |date=2007-09-14 |work=The Guardian |accessdate=2012-04-24}} Church Times,{{Church Times
| author = Chivers, Chris
| title = Mandela's priest
| url = http://www.churchtimes.co.uk/articles/2007/7-september/features/mandela%E2%80%99s-priest
| issue = 7539
| date = 7 September 2007
| page = 17
| accessed = 7 June 2014
}} Church of England Newspaper and The Tablet.{{cite web |url=http://www.thetablet.co.uk/goprev.php?issue=1000109 |title=International Catholic weekly newspaper |publisher=The Tablet |date=19 July 2008 |accessdate=21 October 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140714134030/http://www.thetablet.co.uk/goprev.php?issue=1000109 |archive-date=14 July 2014 |url-status=dead }}
=Musical work=
His choral works have been sung at (amongst others) King's College, Cambridge, Westminster Abbey and Gloucester Cathedral; and include: Our Blessed Lady's Lullaby (1988), Ecce Puer (1994), Mayenziwe Magnificat (2000) and Diptych (2006).
=Broadcasting=
Chivers has presented The Daily Service for BBC Radio 4,{{cite web |url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/programmes/dailyservice/ |title=Religion and Ethics – Daily Service |publisher=BBC |date=28 August 2007 |accessdate=21 October 2011 |archive-date=2 August 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110802005432/http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/programmes/dailyservice/ |url-status=dead }} interviewed Desmond Tutu and was part of the team broadcasting the Inauguration of President Barack Obama in Washington DC.{{cite web |url=http://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/news/3987577.Cathedral_canon_s_Obama_mission/ |title=Blackburn Cathedral canon's Barack Obama mission |first=Emma |last=Cruces |date=2008-12-18 |work=Lancashire Telegraph |accessdate=2012-04-24}}
=Other=
- In 2008 his work in reaching out to the Muslim faith was recognized when he was the named the North West's Man of the Year.{{cite web |url=http://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/news/2299250.heroes_honoured_at_fusion_awards/ |title='Heroes' honoured at Fusion Awards |date=2008-05-26 |work=Lancashire Telegraph |accessdate=2012-04-24}}{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/theguardian/2008/may/29/ |title=Top stories | From |work=The Guardian |location=UK |date=29 May 2008 |accessdate=21 October 2011}}
- In 2009 he became a Companion of the Melanesian Brotherhood, the largest Anglican religious order in the world.{{cite web|url=http://orders.anglican.org/mbh/ |title=The Melanesian Brotherhood |publisher=Orders.anglican.org |accessdate=21 October 2011}}
- He was Chair of the Trustees of Us. (formerly the USPG) until 2018;[http://www.christiantoday.com/article/service.marks.new.start.for.uspg/31109.htm Christianity today] and Faith Advisor to the Charity Commission.
Personal life
In 1998, Chivers married Mary Rumble (née Philpott).{{cite web|title=CHIVERS, Rev. Canon Christopher Mark|url=http://www.ukwhoswho.com/view/article/oupww/whoswho/U275301|website=Who's Who 2017|publisher=Oxford University Press|accessdate=3 December 2016|date=November 2016}} Together they have three sons: Dominic, Gregory and Jonathan.{{cite journal|title=New Vicar for JK|journal=Clarion Recall|date=June 2010|issue=29|pages=4–7|url=http://clarionrecall.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/CR29.pdf|accessdate=3 December 2016}}
Styles
- The Reverend Chris Chivers (1997–1999)
- The Reverend Canon Chris Chivers (1999–present)
References
{{reflist|30em}}
{{Authority control}}
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Category:21st-century English Anglican priests
Category:Alumni of Westcott House, Cambridge
Category:Alumni of Magdalen College, Oxford