John Stephens (bishop)

{{Infobox Christian leader

| type = Bishop

| honorific-prefix = The Most Reverend

| name = John Stephens

| title = Archbishop of New Westminster
Metropolitan of the Ecclesiastical Province of British Columbia and Yukon

| image =

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| church = Anglican Church of Canada

| province = British Columbia and Yukon

| archdiocese =

| diocese = New Westminster

| see =

| term = 2021–present

| predecessor = Melissa M. Skelton

| successor =

| previous_post = Archdeacon of Vancouver, Diocese of New Westminster; Rector, St. John's Shaughnessy

| ordination =

| consecration = January 23, 2021

| consecrated_by = Melissa M. Skelton

| rank =

| birth_date =

| birth_place =

| death_date =

| death_place =

}}

John R. Stephens is a Canadian Anglican archbishop. Since 28 February 2021, he has been the tenth bishop of New Westminster in the Anglican Church of Canada (ACC), and in January 2025 he was elected metropolitan of the Ecclesiastical Province of British Columbia and Yukon.

Biography

Stephens grew up in the Lower Mainland region of British Columbia and was raised in the Anglican Church. He earned an undergraduate degree in science from the University of British Columbia and graduated from the College of Emmanuel and St. Chad in Saskatoon. After ordination, he served a rural three-point parish in the Diocese of Huron.

In 1995, Stephens returned to British Columbia and became rector of St. John the Divine, Squamish. He was appointed rector of St. Philip's Church in Dunbar in 2001 and assumed an additional role as an archdeacon of the diocese.{{cite web |title=The Right Reverend John Stephens |url=https://www.vancouver.anglican.ca/users/the-right-reverend-john-stephens |access-date=5 February 2024 |publisher=Diocese of New Westminster}} In 2016, Stephens became rector of St. John's Shaughnessy, which was rebuilding in the wake of the departure of most of the congregation during the Anglican realignment.{{cite web |title=St. John's, Shaughnessy Announces New Rector |url=https://www.vancouver.anglican.ca/news/st-johns-shaughnessy-announces-new-rector |publisher=Diocese of New Westminster |access-date=10 December 2022 |date=January 18, 2016}}

In October 2020, Stephens was elected coadjutor bishop of the Diocese of New Westminster to succeed Melissa M. Skelton. She consecrated him a bishop at Christ Church Cathedral on January 23, 2021, in a mostly unattended service due to COVID-19 restrictions. Bishop David Lehman of the Diocese of Caledonia and Bishop Lynne McNaughton of the Diocese of the Kootneys were co-consecrators. Stephens was installed as bishop on February 28, 2021.{{cite web |last1=Murray |first1=Randy |title=John R. Stephens ordained Co-Adjutor Bishop of the Diocese of New Westminster |url=https://www.vancouver.anglican.ca/news/the-ordination-of-a-bishop |publisher=Diocese of New Westminster |access-date=5 February 2024 |date=January 25, 2021}} In January 2025, Stephens was elected to succeed Lynne McNaughton as metropolitan of the province, assuming the title of archbishop of New Westminster.{{cite web |last1=Ambrosio |first1=Alicia |title=Bishop John Stephens Elected Metropolitan |url=https://www.vancouver.anglican.ca/news/bishop-john-stephens-elected-metropolitan |publisher=Anglican Diocese of New Westminster |access-date=20 January 2025 |date=18 January 2025}}

He is married to Ruth, and they have two adult children.

References

External links

[https://www.vancouver.anglican.ca/users/the-right-reverend-john-stephens Profile on diocesan website]

{{s-ttl| title=Bishop of New Westminster
Archbishop of New Westminster from 2025| years=2021–present}}

{{s-ttl| title=Metropolitan of British Columbia and Yukon| years=2025–present}}

Category:Living people

Category:21st-century Anglican Church of Canada bishops

Category:Anglican bishops of New Westminster

Category:Year of birth missing (living people)