Sean Semple
{{Short description|Anglican bishop in Cyprus and the Middle East}}
{{Infobox Christian leader
| type = bishop
| honorific-prefix = The Right Reverend
| name = Sean Semple
| image =
| honorific-suffix =
| title = Bishop in Cyprus and the Gulf
| church = Episcopal Church in Jerusalem and the Middle East
| diocese = Diocese of Cyprus and the Gulf
| enthroned = 24 May 2024
| predecessor = Michael Lewis
| other_post =
| ordination = 2009 (deacon)
2011 (priest)
| consecration = 24 May 2024
| consecrated_by = Hosam Naoum
| birth_date =
| religion =
| parents =
| spouse = Jenny
| children = 5
| occupation =
| profession =
| alma_mater = {{unbulleted list|University of Natal|University of South Africa|University of KwaZulu-Natal|University of Nicosia}}
}}
Sean Alexander John Semple is a South Africa-born Anglican bishop. Since 2024, he has been the sixth bishop of Cyprus and the Gulf in the Episcopal Church in Jerusalem and the Middle East, a diocese encompassing Cyprus and the Persian Gulf and Arabian Peninsula states of Bahrain, Iraq, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar and Yemen. Earlier in his clerical career, he served in three different provinces of the Anglican Communion.{{cite news |last1=Gooding |first1=Tammy |title=Ross-on-Wye vicar becomes bishop of 10 countries |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p0hb07v8 |access-date=28 May 2024 |agency=BBC Hereford and Worcester |date=9 February 2024}}
Early life and education
Semple was born in South Africa.{{cite web |title=Bishop Sean Consecrated |url=https://www.jmeca.org.uk/latest/news/bishop-sean-consecrated |publisher=Jerusalem and the Middle East Church Association |access-date=28 May 2024}} His undergraduate studies in psychology and theology were at the University of Natal and the University of South Africa, followed by postgraduate studies in spirituality at the University of KwaZulu-Natal and in clinical psychology at the University of Nicosia.{{cite web |last1=Perry |first1=Helen |title=Announcing Bishop-elect the Revd Sean Semple |url=https://www.cypgulf.org/announcing-bishop-elect-the-revd-sean-semple/ |publisher=Diocese of Cyprus and the Gulf |access-date=28 May 2024 |date=7 February 2024}}
Ordained ministry
Semple began his ministry in the Uniting Presbyterian Church in Southern Africa, where spent a decade before being ordained a priest in the Anglican Church of Southern Africa in 2011.{{cite news |title=Revd Sean Semple elected as Sixth Bishop of the Diocese of Cyprus and the Gulf |url=https://www.rossgazette.com/news/revd-sean-semple-elected-as-sixth-bishop-of-the-diocese-of-cyprus-and-the-gulf-665800 |access-date=28 May 2024 |work=Ross Gazette |date=15 February 2024}} He served as clergy in the Diocese of Natal and in the Diocese of Cyprus and the Gulf, where he was associate priest in Larnaca.{{cite news |title=UK news in brief |url=https://www.churchtimes.co.uk/articles/2024/9-february/news/uk/uk-news-in-brief |access-date=28 May 2024 |work=Church Times |date=9 February 2024}} In 2015, Semple moved to England to serve in the Diocese of Hereford, first as vicar of Weobley with Sarnesfield and Norton Canon and later as rector of Ross with Walford and Brampton Abbotts. He was also rural dean of Ross and Archenfield.
In February 2024, Semple was elected bishop of Cyprus and the Gulf following the retirement of Michael Lewis. He was consecrated to the episcopate by Archbishop Hosam Naoum and enthroned at St. Christopher's Church in Bahrain on 24 May 2024.{{cite news |title=Secretary General attends the first consecration of an Anglican bishop in Bahrain |url=https://anglicannews.org/news/2024/05/secretary-general-attends-the-consecration-of-the-first-anglican-bishop-in-bahrain.aspx |access-date=28 May 2024 |agency=Anglican Communion News Service |date=23 May 2024}}{{cite news |last1=Cassano |first1=Julia |title=First Anglican bishop is consecrated at cathedral |url=https://www.gdnonline.com/Details/1313316 |access-date=28 May 2024 |work=GDN Online |date=25 May 2024}} He is scheduled to be enthroned at St. Paul's Cathedral in Nicosia in June 2024.
Personal life
References
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{{s-bef|before=Michael Lewis}}
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{{Bishops in Cyprus and the Gulf}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Semple, Sean}}
Category:Anglican bishops in Cyprus and the Gulf
Category:21st-century Anglican bishops in the Middle East
Category:University of Nicosia alumni
Category:University of South Africa alumni
Category:University of Natal alumni