Libby Lane
{{Short description|British Anglican bishop and Lord Spiritual (born 1966)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2014}}
{{Use British English|date=January 2015}}
{{Infobox Christian leader
| type = bishop
| honorific-prefix = The Right Reverend
| name = Libby Lane
| title = Bishop of Derby
| image = Official portrait of The Lord Bishop of Derby crop 2, 2019.jpg
| image_size =
| alt =
| caption = Lane in 2019
| church = Church of England
| diocese = Derby
| term = 11 February 2019{{snd}}present
| predecessor = Alastair Redfern
| successor =
| other_post = {{plainlist|
- Bishop of Stockport {{nowrap|(2015–2019)}}
- Lord Spiritual {{nowrap|(2019–present)}}
}}
| ordination = {{unbulleted list|1993 (deacon)|1994 (priest)}}
| ordained_by =
| consecration = 26 January 2015
| consecrated_by = John Sentamu
| birth_name = Elizabeth Jane Holden
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1966|12|8|df=y}}
| birth_place = Wycombe Rural District, Buckinghamshire, UK
| death_date =
| death_place =
| buried =
| nationality = British
| religion = Anglican
| residence =
| parents =
| spouse = {{marriage|George Lane|1990}}
| children = 2
| occupation =
| profession =
| previous_post =
| education =
| alma_mater = {{unbulleted list|St Peter's College, Oxford |St John's College, Durham}}
| module = {{Infobox officeholder |embed=yes
| office = Member of the House of Lords
(Lord Spiritual)
| term_start = 2 July 2019
}}
}}
Elizabeth Jane Holden Lane (born 8 December 1966) is a British Anglican bishop and Lord Spiritual. Since February 2019, she has served as Bishop of Derby in the Church of England, the diocesan bishop of the Diocese of Derby. From January 2015 to 2019, she was the Bishop of Stockport, a suffragan bishop in the Diocese of Chester. She was the first woman to be appointed as a bishop by the Church of England, after its general synod voted in July 2014 to allow women to become bishops. Her consecration took place on 26 January 2015 at York Minster.
Early life
Lane was born Elizabeth Jane Holden on 8 December 1966 in Wycombe Rural District, Buckinghamshire, England.{{Who's Who | title=Lane, Elizabeth Jane Holden | id = U281786 | volume = 2016 | edition = November 2015 online | access-date = 24 July 2016 }}{{cite web |url=https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QVW7-C4QV |title=Elizabeth Jane Holden |website=FamilySearch |accessdate=26 January 2015}} She was raised in Glossop, Derbyshire.{{cite news |last=Bingham |first=John |date=26 January 2015 |title=Rev Libby Lane: from 11-year-old stranger to first female bishop |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/religion/11368763/Rev-Libby-Lane-from-11-year-old-stranger-to-first-female-bishop.html |newspaper=The Telegraph |access-date=29 January 2015}} She was educated at Manchester High School for Girls, a private girls' school.{{Crockford| surname =Lane | forenames =Elizabeth Jane Holden (Libby) | id =1004 | access-date = 23 June 2018}} In 1986, she matriculated into St Peter's College, Oxford, where she studied theology. She graduated with a Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree in 1989;{{cite web|title=The Reverend Libby Lane Consecrated|url=http://www.spc.ox.ac.uk/content/reverend-libby-lane-consecrated|website=News and Events|publisher=St Peter's College, Oxford|accessdate=1 February 2015|date=26 January 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150408122029/http://www.spc.ox.ac.uk/content/reverend-libby-lane-consecrated|archive-date=8 April 2015|url-status=dead}} this was later promoted to a Master of Arts (MA Oxon) degree under the statutes and customs of the university.{{cite news|last1=Brown|first1=Andrew|title=Church of England's first female bishop named as Libby Lane|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/dec/17/first-female-bishop-named-libby-lane-church-of-england-women|accessdate=17 December 2014|work=The Guardian|date=17 December 2014}} From 1991 to 1993, she studied for ordination at Cranmer Hall, Durham University.{{cite news|title=First female bishop named as the Reverend Libby Lane|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-30510137|accessdate=17 December 2014|work=BBC News|date=17 December 2014}}
Ordained ministry
Lane was ordained in the Church of England as a deacon in 1993 and as a priest in 1994, the first year in which women were ordained as priest in the Church of England. She served her curacy at St James's Church, Blackburn, from 1993 to 1996.{{cite web|title=Suffragan See of Stockport: Elizabeth Jane Holden Lane nomination approved|url=https://www.gov.uk/government/news/suffragan-see-of-stockport-elizabeth-jane-holden-lane-nomination-approved|website=Announcements|publisher=GOV.UK|accessdate=17 December 2014|date=17 December 2014}} She served in the Diocese of Chester from 2000 to 2014 and was the vicar of the combined benefice of St Peter's Hale and St Elizabeth's Ashley from 2007. She was also the Dean of Women in Ministry in the diocese from 2010.{{cite news|last1=Moody|first1=Oliver|title=Church appoints Cheshire vicar Libby Lane first woman bishop|url=https://www.thetimes.com/comment/register/article/church-appoints-cheshire-vicar-libby-lane-first-woman-bishop-q6c7qdqxqdd|access-date=17 December 2014|work=The Times|date=17 December 2014}}
In 2013, Lane was elected one of eight participant observers of the House of Bishops as the observer representing the North West of England.{{cite news|last1=Barrett|first1=Claer|title=Church of England appoints first woman bishop|url=http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/d1a4d78a-85d4-11e4-b11b-00144feabdc0.html#axzz3MMgNz3EF|accessdate=19 December 2014|work=The Financial Times|date=17 December 2014}}{{cite web|title=Bishops Welcome Participant Observers to First Meeting|url=http://www.rochester.anglican.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=660|website=News|publisher=The Diocese of Rochester|accessdate=19 December 2014}} The observers were senior female priests who would attend and participate in meetings of the House of Bishops until six women had full membership of the house.{{cite news|last1=Davies|first1=Madeleine|title=Women dignitaries to be elected as Bishops' 'participant observers'|url=http://www.churchtimes.co.uk/articles/2013/8-february/news/uk/women-dignitaries-to-be-elected-as-bishops%E2%80%99-%E2%80%98participant-observers%E2%80%99|accessdate=19 December 2014|work=Church Times|date=7 February 2013}} She attended her first meeting in December 2013.{{cite web|title=Bishops Welcome Participant Observers to First Meeting|url=https://www.churchofengland.org/media-centre/news/2013/12/bishops-welcome-participant-observers-to-first-meeting.aspx|website=Media Centre|publisher=Church of England|accessdate=17 December 2014|date=9 December 2013}} Lane ceased to be an observer when she was elected, by and from among the suffragan bishops of the Province of York, to the House of Bishops in 2015.[https://www.churchofengland.org/about-us/structure/general-synod/synod-elections-2015/results.aspx Church of England — General Synod results] (Accessed 12 October 2015) As an elected suffragan and later a diocesan bishop, she has been a full member of the house since 2015.[https://web.archive.org/web/20110213102755/http://www.churchofengland.org/about-us/structure/general-synod/about-general-synod/house-of-bishops.aspx Church of England — House of Bishops] (Accessed 13 December 2015)
=Episcopate=
On 17 December 2014, it was announced that Lane was to become the Bishop of Stockport, a suffragan bishop in the Diocese of Chester.{{cite web |url=https://churchofengland.org/media-centre/news/2014/12/the-revd-libby-lane-announced-as-bishop-of-stockport.aspx|title=The Revd Libby Lane Announced as Bishop of Stockport|date=17 December 2014|accessdate=23 December 2014|publisher=Church of England}}"Church names its first woman bishop", The Times, 18 December 2014, p. 19.{{cite news|title=Church of England Appoints its First Female Bishop|url=http://www.newsweek.com/church-england-appoints-its-first-woman-bishop-292741|accessdate=17 December 2014|work=Newsweek|date=17 December 2014}} The British prime minister, David Cameron, called her appointment "historic" and "an important step forward for the Church towards greater equality in its senior positions".{{cite news |last=Saul |first=Heather |title=First female bishop announced as Rev Libby Lane by Church of England |date=17 December 2014 |work=The Independent |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/rev-libby-lane-church-of-englands-first-female-bishop-revealed-9930304.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220614/https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/rev-libby-lane-church-of-englands-first-female-bishop-revealed-9930304.html |archive-date=14 June 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |accessdate=17 December 2014}} She was consecrated at York Minster on 26 January 2015 by John Sentamu, the then Archbishop of York. When the archbishop asked the congregation if Lane should be consecrated as a bishop the service was briefly interrupted by an Anglo-Catholic priest, Paul Williamson, who exclaimed "It's not in the Bible" and called Lane's being a woman an "absolute impediment". There was no opposition when Sentamu, having carefully explained the legality of the act, asked a second time.{{cite web | title= Libby Lane: First female Church of England bishop consecrated |url= https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-30974547| author=| date= 26 January 2015 | website= www.bbc.co.uk | accessdate=26 January 2015}}
One of the first duties that Lane undertook as a bishop was her involvement in the consecration service for Philip North as the Bishop of Burnley on 2 February 2015. North is a traditionalist Anglo-Catholic who does not accept the ordination of women. Therefore, Lane and all but three other bishops did not take part in the laying on of hands. (This situation was widely commented upon as exemplifying a "theology of taint".[https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/religion/11363659/Sentamu-rejects-taint-claim-in-women-bishops-row.html The Telegraph — Sentamu rejects 'taint' claim in women bishops row] (Accessed 14 December 2015)) Instead, they gathered in prayer around North, with only the three bishops "who share his theological conviction regarding the ordination of women" laying their hands on him.{{cite news|title=Bishop of Burnley: Rt Rev Philip North consecrated|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-lancashire-31085569|accessdate=4 February 2015|work=BBC News|date=2 February 2015}} She was installed at Chester Cathedral on 8 March 2015, International Women's Day, signalling the official start of her ministry as Bishop of Stockport.{{cite news|title=Libby Lane: First female Church of England bishop installed|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-31770744|accessdate=8 March 2015|work=BBC News|date=8 March 2015}}
On 18 December 2018, it was announced that Lane was to become the eighth Bishop of Derby, succeeding Alastair Redfern;{{Cite web|url=https://derby.anglican.org/en/news/appointments.html|title=Appointments|website=derby.anglican.org|accessdate=5 February 2020}} she grew up in the diocese, in Glossop.{{Cite web|url=https://derby.anglican.org/en/news/stories/bishop-libby-lane-next-bishop-of-derby.html|title=Bishop Libby Lane named as next Bishop of Derby|first=Dave|last=King|website=derby.anglican.org|accessdate=5 February 2020}} The confirmation of her canonical election took place on 11 February 2019, at which point she legally became the Bishop of Derby.{{cite web |title=Bishop Libby legally made Bishop of Derby |url=https://www.chester.anglican.org/news/bishop-libby-legally-made-bishop-of-derby.php |website=Diocese of Chester |accessdate=14 February 2019 |date=12 February 2019}} The Diocese of Derby was then the first Church of England diocese to have a woman diocesan bishop and a woman suffragan bishop (Jan McFarlane was then the Bishop of Repton). She was installed at Derby Cathedral on 25 May 2019.{{cite web |last1=King |first1=Dave |title=Bishop Libby's Installation |url=https://derby.anglican.org/en/news/stories/bishop-libby-starts-ministry-as-bishop-of-derby.html |website=Diocese of Derby |accessdate=31 May 2019 |language=en-gb}} She was introduced as a Lord Spiritual at the House of Lords by the Archbishop of Canterbury (Justin Welby) and the former Archbishop of York (John Sentamu) on 2 July 2019.{{cite web |url=https://lordsbusiness.parliament.uk/ItemOfBusiness?itemOfBusinessId=65613§ionId=40&businessPaperDate=2019-07-02 |date=2 July 2019 |title=Introduction |website=House of Lords Business |accessdate=11 May 2020 }}
=Views=
In November 2023, she was one of 44 Church of England bishops who signed an open letter supporting the use of the Prayers of Love and Faith (i.e. blessings for same-sex couples) and called for "Guidance being issued without delay that includes the removal of all restrictions on clergy entering same-sex civil marriages, and on bishops ordaining and licensing such clergy".{{cite news |last1=Martin |first1=Francis |title=Don't delay guidance allowing priests to be in same-sex marriages, say 44 bishops |url=https://www.churchtimes.co.uk/articles/2023/3-november/news/uk/don-t-delay-guidance-allowing-priests-to-be-in-same-sex-marriages-say-44-bishops |access-date=2 November 2023 |work=Church Times |date=1 November 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231102131648/https://www.churchtimes.co.uk/articles/2023/3-november/news/uk/don-t-delay-guidance-allowing-priests-to-be-in-same-sex-marriages-say-44-bishops |archive-date=2 November 2023}}
Personal life
Lane married her husband, George Lane, in 1990. They had met while both students at St Peter's College, Oxford, in the late 1980s. He is an Anglican priest and currently the co-ordinating chaplain at Manchester Airport. They were among the first married couples to be ordained at the same time in the Church of England.{{cite news|last1=Siddique|first1=Haroon|title=Libby Lane: profile of the Church of England's first female bishop|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/dec/17/libby-lane-profile-church-england-first-female-bishop|accessdate=17 December 2014|work=The Guardian|date=17 December 2014}} They have two children, Connie and Benedict.
Honours
Lane was made an honorary fellow of St Peter's College, Oxford (her alma mater) in June 2015.{{cite web|last1=Damazer|first1=Mark|author-link1=Mark Damazer|title=Honorary Fellowship for Bishop Libby Lane|url=http://www.spc.ox.ac.uk/blog/honorary-fellowship-bishop-libby-lane|website=St Peter's College, Oxford|accessdate=13 October 2015|date=9 June 2015}} In July 2015, she was awarded an honorary Doctor of Divinity (DD) degree by the University of Wales Trinity Saint David.{{cite web|title=The Church of England's First Female Bishop Receives Honorary Doctorate|url=http://www.uwtsd.ac.uk/news/press-releases/press-releases-2014/the-church-of-englands-first-female-bishop-receives-honorary-doctorate--.html|website=University of Wales Trinity Saint David|accessdate=28 January 2016|date=13 July 2015}} In July 2017, she was awarded an honorary Doctor of Laws (LLD) by the University of Bath.{{cite web |title=The Rt Revd Libby Lane: oration |url=http://www.bath.ac.uk/corporate-information/the-rt-revd-libby-lane-oration/ |website=University of Bath |accessdate=14 June 2018 |language=en |date=July 2017}}
References
{{Reflist|30em}}
External links
- [https://churchofengland.org/media-centre/news/2014/12/the-revd-libby-lane-announced-as-bishop-of-stockport.aspx Episcopal appointment announcement on the Church of England website.]
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20161124130836/http://www.stpetershale.org.uk/about-st-peters/our-clergy/the-revd-libby-lane/ Profile on St Peter's Hale website.]
- [http://www.cheshirelife.co.uk/people/the_women_of_the_church_in_cheshire_1_3747696 Article on the Cheshire Life website.]
- [https://www.theguardian.com/theguardian/2015/mar/21/first-woman-bishop-libby-lane-interview Libby Lane: ‘Whatever the Church’s failings, I really think this is where God has put me’]
{{S-start}}
{{S-rel|en}}
{{S-bef|before=Robert Atwell}}
{{S-ttl|title=Bishop of Stockport|years=2015–2019}}
{{S-non|reason=Sam Corley}}
{{s-bef|before=Alastair Redfern}}
{{S-ttl|title=Bishop of Derby|years=2019–present}}
{{S-inc}}
{{S-end}}
{{Current Lords Spiritual}}
{{Bishops of Stockport}}
{{Diocese of Derby}}
{{Bishops of Derby}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Lane, Libby}}
Category:Women Anglican bishops
Category:21st-century Church of England bishops
Category:People educated at Manchester High School for Girls
Category:Alumni of St Peter's College, Oxford
Category:People from Wycombe District
Category:Honorary Fellows of St Peter's College, Oxford
Category:Alumni of Cranmer Hall, Durham