Gregory Cameron
{{Short description|British bishop}}
{{for|the American horse trainer|Gregory Duncan Cameron}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2014}}
{{Use British English|date=May 2014}}
{{Infobox Christian leader
| type = bishop
| honorific-prefix = The Right Reverend
| name = Gregory Cameron
| honorific-suffix = CStJ
| title = Bishop of St Asaph
| image = Gregory-Cameron.jpg
| image_size =
| caption = Cameron at his consecration in 2009
| church = Church in Wales
| archdiocese =
| province =
| metropolis =
| diocese = St Asaph
| elected = 5 January 2009
| appointed =
| term =
| term_start = 25 April 2009
| quashed =
| term_end =
| predecessor =
| successor =
| other_post =
| ordination = 1983 (deacon)
1984 (priest)
| ordained_by =
| consecration = 4 April 2009
| consecrated_by = Barry Morgan
| birth_name = Gregory Kenneth Cameron
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1959|6|6|df=y}}
| birth_place = Wales
| death_date =
| death_place =
| buried =
| nationality =
| religion =
| residence =
| parents =
| spouse = Clare
| children = Three
| occupation =
| profession =
| previous_post =
| education =
| alma_mater = Lincoln College, Oxford
Downing College, Cambridge
}}
Gregory Kenneth Cameron {{post-nominals|country=GBR|size=100%|CStJ}} (born 6 June 1959) is a Welsh Anglican bishop. He is Bishop of the Diocese of St Asaph in Wales, having been elected on 5 January 2009 and confirmed as bishop on 16 March 2009.[http://www.ukwhoswho.com/view/article/oupww/whoswho/U250174 St Asaph, Bishop of (Rt Rev. Gregory Kenneth Cameron)], Who's Who 2014, A & C Black, 2014; online edn, Oxford University Press, 2014
Life and career
Cameron was born in south-east Wales in 1959 and grew up in Llangybi, Monmouthshire. He was educated at Croesyceiliog School in Cwmbran and Lincoln College, Oxford, where he studied law. He was then accepted for ordination by the Church in Wales and studied theology at Downing College, Cambridge, where his tutors included Rowan Williams, and at St. Michael's College, Llandaff.{{cite web|url=http://www.churchinwales.org.uk/dynamic/press_releases/display_press_release.php?prid=4721&lang=cy_GB&lang=en_GB|title=New Bishop of St Asaph elected|publisher=Church in Wales|date=2009-01-05|access-date=2009-01-05|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090114071713/http://www.churchinwales.org.uk/dynamic/press_releases/display_press_release.php?prid=4721&lang=cy_GB&lang=en_GB|archive-date=14 January 2009|url-status=dead}} He was made deacon at Michaelmas 1983 (24 September){{Church Times | title = Ordinations | archive = 1983_10_14_17 | issue = 6296 | date = 14 October 1983 | page = 17 | accessed = 5 August 2023 }} and ordained priest the following Michaelmas (29 September 1984) — both times by Derrick Childs, Bishop of Monmouth and Archbishop of Wales.{{Church Times | title = Ordinations | archive = 1984_10_19_15 | issue = 6349 | date = 19 October 1984 | page = 15 | accessed = 5 August 2023 }}
He served as a parish priest in Newport and Llanmartin, later becoming Chaplain at Wycliffe College in Gloucestershire.Crockford's Clerical Directory On-line, accessed Saturday 10 January 2009 13:11 GMT In 2000, he was appointed Chaplain to the Archbishop of Wales, Rowan Williams.
Cameron was appointed as Director of Ecumenical Affairs by the Secretary General of the Anglican Communion in 2003, becoming Deputy Secretary General in 2004. He was secretary to the Lambeth Commission that wrote the Windsor Report. In this role, he was described by The Times as "the top canon lawyer who helps run the headquarters of the worldwide Anglican Communion",{{cite web|url=http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/faith/article4257718.ece|work=The Times|last=Gledhill|first=Ruth|author-link=Ruth Gledhill|title=Senior Anglican warns Church over its 'dark-side'|date=2008-07-02|access-date=2009-01-05 | location=London}}{{dead link|date=September 2024|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}} and it was also said of him that "although his name is not widely known outside the church, he is arguably the most influential clergyman behind the scenes within it". His work for reconciliation in the Anglican Communion led to the award of an honorary Doctorate of Divinity by the Episcopal Divinity School, Massachusetts. He is also an Honorary Research Fellow in Canon Law at Cardiff University. He was awarded the Cross of St Augustine by the Archbishop of Canterbury on 27 March 2009.
On 5 January 2009, he was elected as the 76th Bishop of St Asaph in succession to John Davies, who retired in 2008.{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/7808828.stm|title=New Bishop of St Asaph is chosen |publisher=BBC|date=2009-01-05|access-date=2009-01-05}} He was consecrated on 4 April 2009 in Llandaff Cathedral by Barry Morgan, Archbishop of Wales,{{Church Times |title=Picture caption |archive=2009_04_09_006 |issue=7621 |date=9 April 2009 |page=6 |accessed=30 July 2021 }} assisted by the other four Welsh diocesan bishops, together with the Archbishops of Canterbury and Armagh, the Primus of the Scottish Episcopal Church and 24 other co-consecrators. On 25 April 2009 he was enthroned in his cathedral at St Asaph.
In 2015, he succeeded Geoffrey Rowell as Anglican Co-Chair of the Anglican–Oriental Orthodox International Commission. In 2019, he was appointed as an Officer of the Most Venerable Order of St John of Jerusalem (OStJ), and promoted to Commander (CStJ) in January 2022.{{cite web|url=https://www.thegazette.co.uk/notice/3974031|title=Crown Office|website=www.thegazette.co.uk|access-date=24 January 2022}}
In December 2021, Cameron received the Religious Leader award from the Ozanne Foundation for his work to allow same-sex blessings within the Church of Wales.{{Cite news|last=Noyce|first=Eleanor|date=13 December 2021|title=Ozanne Foundation Awards recognise the senior leaders furthering the rights of LGBTQI people of faith|work=Diva|url=https://divamag.co.uk/2021/12/13/ozanne-foundation-awards-recognise-the-senior-leaders-furthering-the-rights-of-lgbtqi-people-of-faith/|access-date=18 December 2021}}
Heraldry, numismatics and publications
Cameron has longstanding interests in heraldry and in coin collecting. In 2016, a design by him was selected by the Royal Mint for the last round one pound coin;{{cite web |url=http://blog.royalmint.com/behind-design-last-round-pound/ |first=Anna |last=Powell |title=Behind the design: the last 'round pound' |work=The Royal Mint blog |publisher=The Royal Mint |date=16 May 2016 |access-date=19 October 2016 |archive-date=20 October 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161020112103/http://blog.royalmint.com/behind-design-last-round-pound/ |url-status=dead }} and in the same year he was commissioned to design the first Christmas twenty pound coin.{{cite web |url=http://www.anglicannews.org/news/2016/10/britains-royal-mint-turns-to-bishop-for-christmas-coin-design.aspx |first=Gavin |last=Drake |title=Britain's Royal Mint turns to bishop for Christmas coin design |publisher=Anglican Communion News Service |date=19 October 2016 |access-date=19 October 2016 }} Both coins are commemorative issues, and not intended for general circulation. In February 2017 his design of the royal arms for the Sapphire Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II appeared on one of the commemorative coins for that event issued by the Royal Mint. Subsequently, he has worked with the London Mint Office in the creation of designs for sovereign gold coins issued by Gibraltar and the Falkland Islands.{{cite web |url=https://londonmintofficeblog.com/blog/coin-designer-bishop-gregory-cameron-visits-the-london-mint-office/ |title=Coin Designer Bishop Gregory Cameron Visits The London Mint Office |work=The London Mint Office blog |publisher=The London Mint Office |date=4 June 2018 |access-date=3 July 2019 }}
In 2021, Canterbury Press in the UK, and Paraclete Press in the US, published his book An Advent Book of Days, and in 2022, An Easter Book of Days. In 2024, Canterbury Press published his third book, A Prayer Book of Days. All three books feature text and illustrations by the author.
Personal life
Cameron is married to Clare and has three sons.
References
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{{s-bef| before=John Davies}}
{{s-ttl| title=Bishop of St Asaph | years=2009–present}}
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{{Bishops of St Asaph since 1908}}
{{Officer holders in the Diocese of St Asaph}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Cameron, Gregory Kenneth}}
Category:Alumni of Lincoln College, Oxford
Category:Alumni of Downing College, Cambridge
Category:People educated at Croesyceiliog Grammar School
Category:21st-century bishops of the Church in Wales
Category:Recipients of the Cross of St Augustine
Category:Commanders of the Order of St John