Rachel Treweek

Born Rachel Montgomery on 4 February 1963,{{Who's Who| title=Treweek, Rachel| id = U59370| volume = 2014| edition = November 2014 online| access-date = 19 May 2015}} she was educated at Broxbourne School, a state school in Broxbourne, Hertfordshire. She studied at the University of Reading, graduating in 1984 with a Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree in linguistics and language pathology.{{Crockford| surname =Treweek | forename = Rachel | id =581 | accessed = 30 November 2015}}{{Cite web| title = New Bishop of Gloucester Rachel Treweek to be first woman in the Church of England to be consecrated as a diocesan bishop| date= 20 July 2015| work = Wilts and Gloucestershire Standard| access-date = 21 July 2015| url = http://www.wiltsglosstandard.co.uk/news/13465862.New_Bishop_of_Gloucester_Rachel_Treweek_to_be_first_woman_in_the_Church_of_England_to_be_consecrated_as_a_diocesan_bishop/?ref=rss}}

Treweek's first career was as a speech and language therapist. After six years as a paediatric speech therapist in the National Health Service, she left her job to train for ordination in the Church of England.{{cite news|last1=Gledhill|first1=Ruth|title=Church of England appoints first female diocesan bishop|url=http://www.christiantoday.com/article/church.of.england.appoints.first.female.diocesan.bishop/50791.htm|access-date=29 March 2015|work=Christian Today|date=26 March 2015}}{{cite web|title=The Archdeacon of Hackney, the Venerable Rachel Treweek, announced as the next Bishop of Gloucester|url=http://www.london.anglican.org/articles/the-archdeacon-of-hackney-the-venerable-rachel-treweek-announced-as-the-next-bishop-of-gloucester/|website=Communications|publisher=Diocese of London|access-date=26 March 2015|date=26 March 2015}}

Treweek studied for ordained ministry at Wycliffe Hall, Oxford, an Anglican theological college, and graduated with a Bachelor of Theology (BTh) degree in 1994. She was made a deacon at Petertide 1994 (3 July), by David Hope, Bishop of London, at St Paul's Cathedral,{{Church Times | title = Ordinations | archive = 1994_07_15_005 | issue = 6857 | date = 15 July 1994 | page = 5 | accessed = 10 June 2017 }} and ordained a priest the following Petertide (27 June 1995), by Martin Wharton, Bishop of Kingston, at her title church.{{Church Times | title = Ordinations continued | archive = 1995_07_07_008 | issue = 6908 | date = 7 July 1995 | page = 8 | accessed = 10 June 2017 }} From 1994 to 1997, she served a curacy at St George and All Saints’ Church, Tufnell Park, London. She remained at St George and All Saints’ Church as the associate vicar from 1997 to 1999.{{cite web|title=Diocese of Gloucester: Venerable Rachel Treweek|url=https://www.gov.uk/government/news/diocese-of-gloucester-venerable-rachel-treweek|website=Press release|publisher=Prime Minister's Office, 10 Downing Street|access-date=26 March 2015|date=26 March 2015}} In 1999, she was appointed Vicar of St James-the-Less, Bethnal Green, London.[http://www.london.anglican.org/Archdeacons "Archdeacons"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120205054248/http://www.london.anglican.org/Archdeacons |date=2012-02-05 }}, Diocese of London website. In addition to the incumbency, she was appointed the continuing ministerial education officer for the Diocese of London.

In 2006, Treweek left parish ministry on her appointment as the archdeacon of Northolt, one of six archdeacons in the Diocese of London.{{cite news|last1=Gregory|first1=Julia|title=New Archdeacon of Hackney is appointed|url=http://www.hackneygazette.co.uk/news/new_archdeacon_of_hackney_is_appointed_1_896898|access-date=27 March 2015|work=Hackney Gazette|date=18 May 2011}} She held the position for five years before becoming the archdeacon of Hackney on 14 May 2011. She relinquished this appointment on confirmation of her appointment as Bishop of Gloucester on 15 June 2015.

In September 2013, Treweek was elected as one of eight "participant observers" of the House of Bishops representing the South East of England.{{cite web|title=First Female Representatives to House of Bishops Elected|url=https://www.churchofengland.org/media-centre/news/2013/09/first-female-representatives-to-house-of-bishops-elected.aspx|website=Media Centre|publisher=The Church of England|access-date=26 March 2015|date=26 September 2013}} Such observers were senior female priests who attended and participated in meetings of the House of Bishops until six women were sitting in the House by right as bishops.{{cite news|last1=Davies|first1=Madeleine|title=Women dignitaries to be elected as Bishops' 'participant observers'|url=https://www.churchtimes.co.uk/articles/2013/8-february/news/uk/women-dignitaries-to-be-elected-as-bishops-participant-observers|access-date=19 December 2014|work=Church Times|date=7 February 2013}} She attended her first meeting of the House of Bishops of the General Synod of the Church of England on 9 December 2013.{{cite news|title=(Photo) Female observers join House of Bishops meeting|url=http://www.christiantoday.com/article/photo.observers.join.women.bishops.meeting/34990.htm|access-date=26 March 2015|work=Christian Today|date=9 December 2013}}

On 26 March 2015, it was announced that Treweek was to become the next bishop of Gloucester, the diocesan bishop of the Diocese of Gloucester.{{cite web|title=The Bishop of Gloucester Designate|url=http://www.gloucester.anglican.org/about/the-bishop-of-gloucester-designate/|website=About the Diocese|publisher=Diocese of Gloucester|access-date=26 March 2015|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150402114754/http://www.gloucester.anglican.org/about/the-bishop-of-gloucester-designate/|archive-date=2 April 2015}} Though there had been two women appointed bishops previously in the Church of England, she was the first woman to be appointed a diocesan rather than suffragan bishop.{{cite news|last1=Ward|first1=Victoria|title=Church of England names first female bishop to sit in the House of Lords|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/religion/11496047/Church-of-England-names-first-female-bishop-to-sit-in-the-House-of-Lords.html|access-date=26 March 2015|work=The Daily Telegraph|date=26 March 2015}} She was the first woman to become a bishop in the Province of Canterbury, jointly with Sarah Mullally, Bishop of Crediton.{{cite news|title=Rachel Treweek to become the new bishop of Gloucester|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-gloucestershire-32064611|access-date=26 March 2015|work=BBC News|date=26 March 2015}} On 15 June 2015, her election was confirmed during a sitting of the Arches Court of Canterbury at St Mary-le-Bow, City of London.{{cite news|last1=Bingham|first1=John|title=Belle bells in Bow as Church of England celebrates first female diocesan bishop|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/religion/11678269/Belle-bells-in-Bow-as-Church-of-England-celebrates-first-female-diocesan-bishop.html|access-date=16 June 2015|work=The Daily Telegraph|date=16 June 2015}}[http://www.archbishopofcanterbury.org/diary.php/5159/bishop-of-gloucester-confirmation-of-election Archbishop of Canterbury — Diary: Bishop of Gloucester — Confirmation of Election] (Accessed 27 May 2015) At this point, she legally became the bishop of Gloucester.[https://books.google.com/books?id=G5dDqXqWrbUC&pg=PA81 Working with the Spirit: Choosing Diocesan Bishops: a Review of the Operation of the Crown Appointments Commission and Related Matters page 81, section 5.24] (Accessed 27 May 2015) On 22 July 2015, she was consecrated by Justin Welby, Archbishop of Canterbury, during a ceremony at Canterbury Cathedral,{{cite web|title=Consecrations - Bishops of Gloucester and Crediton|url=http://www.archbishopofcanterbury.org/diary.php/5162/consecrations-bishops-of-gloucester-and-crediton|website=Archbishop's diary|publisher=Archbishop of Canterbury|access-date=21 July 2015}} being the first woman to be consecrated as diocesan bishop in the Church of England.[http://www.anglicannews.org/news/2015/07/first-female-diocesan-bishop-in-c-of-e-consecrated.aspx First female diocesan bishop in C of E consecrated]. Anglicannews.org. Retrieved on 23 July 2015. On 19 September 2015, she was installed at Gloucester Cathedral as the 41st Bishop of Gloucester.{{cite web|title=First female bishop to represent church in the House of Lords|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-gloucestershire-34518156|website=BBC News|access-date=14 October 2015|date=13 October 2015}}{{cite news|title=New Bishop of Gloucester Rachel Treweek visits All Saints' Academy in Cheltenham|url=http://www.gloucestershireecho.co.uk/New-Bishop-Gloucester-Rachel-Treweek-visits/story-26238429-detail/story.html|access-date=14 October 2015|work=Gloucestershire Echo|date=26 March 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150811135310/http://www.gloucestershireecho.co.uk/New-Bishop-Gloucester-Rachel-Treweek-visits/story-26238429-detail/story.html|archive-date=11 August 2015|url-status=dead|df=dmy-all}}

Following the Lords Spiritual (Women) Act 2015, Treweek was the first woman bishop eligible to be admitted to the House of Lords as a Lord Spiritual when parliament reconvened in September 2015 after its summer recess, in place of Tim Stevens who had retired as Bishop of Leicester and Convenor of the Bishops in the Lords.{{cite hansard |jurisdiction=United Kingdom |title=Freedom of Religion and Belief |url=https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/ld201516/ldhansrd/text/150716-0003.htm#15071639000933 |house=House of Lords |date=16 July 2015 |column_start=779 |column_end=780 |speaker=The Lord Bishop of Leicester (Valedictory Speech) }}{{cite web|title=House of Lords Recess dates|url=http://www.parliament.uk/about/faqs/house-of-lords-faqs/lords-recess-dates/|website=House of Lords FAQs|publisher=Parliament.co.uk|access-date=22 July 2015}} She sent back the first version of her writ of summons because it referred to her as a "Right Reverend Father in God"{{cite web|title='God is neither male nor female', says first female bishop to sit in the House of Lords|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/oct/24/bishop-rachel-treweek-gods-not-a-he-or-a-she|website=The Guardian|date=24 October 2015|access-date=5 November 2015}}—bishops' writs have simply omitted "Father in God" ever since, even for male bishops.e.g. [https://parliamentlive.tv/event/index/f00c828a-08d0-49f0-8c2d-9291ef5f1701?in=11:04:28 Chris Lincoln] & [https://parliamentlive.tv/event/index/ccbc3621-f877-4a9e-bab9-b8beb97df00b?in=14:37:23 Martin Chichester] Then, on 26 October 2015, she was introduced to the House by Justin Welby, Archbishop of Canterbury, and Richard Chartres, Bishop of London.{{cite web|title=Future business: Monday 26 October at 2.30pm|url=https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/ld201516/minutes/150917/ldordpap.htm|website=House of Lords Business|publisher=Parliament.uk|access-date=23 September 2015}}{{cite web|title=Gloucester bishop Rachel Treweek to take seat in Lords|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-34634819|website=BBC News|access-date=26 October 2015|date=26 October 2015}} In 2020, she became (additionally) Bishop to HM Prisons.{{Cite web|url=https://www.glosnews.com/articles/bishop-of-gloucester-takes-on-new-national-role-for-prisons|title = Bishop of Gloucester takes on new national role for prisons}}

File:The Archbishop of Canterbury (51111275839).jpg, observing Justin Welby, Archbishop of Canterbury speaking, 2021]]

Treweek believes that God should be considered to be neither male nor female and tries to avoid using gender-specific pronouns when referring to God. Explaining this view to The Observer, she said she "personally prefers to say neither 'he' nor 'she', but 'God'. 'Sometimes I lapse, but I try not to.'"{{Cite web|url=https://www.christiantoday.com/article/god.is.not.to.be.seen.as.male.says.top.woman.bishop/68735.htm|title='God is not to be seen as male' says top woman bishop {{!}} Christian News on Christian Today|website=www.christiantoday.com|language=en|access-date=2017-05-22}} On 15 January 2016 Treweek presided at an LGBTI Eucharist with Inclusive Church.{{Cite news|url=https://www.christiantoday.com/article/senior.anglican.bishop.to.preside.at.lgbt.eucharist/102037.htm|title=Senior Anglican Bishop To Preside At LGBT Eucharist|first=Harry|last=Farley|publisher=Christian Today|language=en|date=25 November 2015}}

In January 2023, she stated that she supported the celebration and blessing of "faithful monogamous same-sex relationships", but did not support changing the Church of England's doctrine of marriage as the life-long union of one man and one woman.{{cite web |last1=Treweek |first1=Rachel |last2=Springett |first2=Robert |title=A message from Bishop Rachel and Bishop Robert |url=https://www.gloucester.anglican.org/2023/a-message-from-bishop-rachel-and-bishop-robert-2/ |website=Diocese of Gloucester |access-date=20 January 2023 |date=18 January 2023 |quote=Both of us have longed for the Church of England to celebrate and bless faithful monogamous same-sex relationships, and we are thankful for the goodness and gifts such relationships continue to bring to the Church and wider society. Therefore, we are fully supportive of where we have reached at the end of this Living in Love and Faith process. Neither of us is pushing for a change in the doctrine of marriage, yet both of us are committed to continuing to listen, taking part in conversations and prayerfully reflecting over the coming months and years.}}

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}}

Following Justin Welby's decision in November 2024 to stand down as Archbishop of Canterbury due to his failing to act after becoming aware of child abuse by John Smyth, who was associated with the Church of England, Treweek said that resignation was the right thing to do, commented that the position was "very, very difficult ... stepping into the structures that do need to change", and said that the affair had shown the "very clunky governance we have within the Church of England ... We do not have quick decision making, there are too many different levels, groups, involved. We need to be able to move much more swiftly".{{cite news| last=Elgee | first=Emma | last2=Martin | first2=Caroline | title=Archbishop candidates need 'heads reading' | website=BBC News | date=17 November 2024 | url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cwy582kl2n4o}}

In 2006, she married Guy Treweek; he is a Church of England priest and was priest-in-charge of two ancient City of London parishes at the time of her appointment to the episcopate.{{cite news|last1=Caroline|first1=Davies|title=Church of England appoints most senior female bishop|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/mar/26/church-england-senior-female-bishop-rachel-treweek-gloucester-lord-spiritual|access-date=26 March 2015|work=The Guardian}}

Treweek is a Patron of Prisoners Abroad, a charity supporting the welfare of Britons imprisoned overseas and their families.

On 8 July 2016, Treweek received an honorary doctorate (Hon DLitt) from her alma mater, the University of Reading.{{cite web|title=Pioneering leadership: Rt Revd Rachel Treweek awarded honorary degree|url=https://www.reading.ac.uk/news-and-events/releases/PR682106.aspx|website=University of Reading|access-date=25 July 2016|date=8 July 2016}}

• The Reverend Rachel Montgomery (1994{{snd}}March 2006)
• The Reverend Rachel Treweek (March{{snd}}May 2006)[http://www.stmartinswestacton.org/pdf/2006_02.pdf St Martin's (West Acton) Magazine — February 2006] (Accessed 8 November 2015)
• The Venerable Rachel Treweek (May 2006{{snd}}2015)
• The Right Reverend Rachel Treweek (since 2015)

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Category:1963 births

Category:Living people

Category:Alumni of the University of Reading

Category:Alumni of Wycliffe Hall, Oxford

Category:Archdeacons of Northolt

Category:Archdeacons of Hackney

Category:Bishops of Gloucester

Category:21st-century Church of England bishops

Category:Women Anglican bishops

Category:Speech and language pathologists

Category:Bishops to HM Prisons

Category:20th-century Anglican theologians

Category:21st-century Anglican theologians

Category:Women Lords Spiritual

Category:Lords Spiritual