Stephen Sykes
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{{EngvarB|date=February 2020}}
{{Infobox Christian leader
| honorific-prefix = The Right Reverend
| name = Stephen Sykes
| title = Bishop of Ely
| church = Church of England
| diocese = Ely
| term = 1990{{snd}}1 September 1999
| predecessor = Peter Walker
| successor = Anthony Russell
| other_post = Principal of St John's College, Durham (1999–2006)
Regius Professor of Divinity (Cambridge; 1985–1990)
Van Mildert Professor of Divinity (Durham; 1974–1985)
| ordination = 1964 (deacon)
1965 (priest)
| consecration = 2 May 1990
| consecrated_by = Robert Runcie
| birth_date = {{birth date|df=y|1939|8|1}}
| birth_place =
| death_date = {{Death date and age|df=y|2014|09|24|1939|8|1}}
| religion = Anglican
| spouse = {{marriage|Marianne Hinton|1962}}
| children = 1 son; 2 daughters
| profession = Academic (Professor of theology/divinity)
| alma_mater = St John's College, Cambridge
}}
Stephen Whitefield Sykes (1 August 1939 – 24 September 2014) was a Church of England bishop and academic specialising in divinity. He was Van Mildert Professor of Divinity at Durham University from 1974 to 1985, and Regius Professor of Divinity at Cambridge University from 1985 to 1990. Between 1990 and 1999, he served as the Bishop of Ely, the diocesan bishop of the Diocese of Ely. He was the Principal of St John's College, Durham from 1999 to 2006. He served as an Honorary Assistant Bishop in the Diocese of Durham during his time as head of St John's College and in retirement.
Early life
Sykes was born on 1 August 1939 in Bristol, England; his father was the principal of one of the city's theological colleges.{{cite news|title=The Right Rev Stephen Sykes|url=https://www.thetimes.co.uk/tto/opinion/obituaries/article4290460.ece|access-date=9 December 2014|work=The Times|date=8 December 2014}} He was educated at Monkton Combe School, then an all-boys private school in Bath, Somerset.{{cite web|title=Stephen Whitefield SYKES|url=http://www.debretts.com/people-of-today/profile/2966/Stephen-Whitefield-SYKES|website=People of Today|publisher=Debrett's|access-date=29 September 2014|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141110193513/http://www.debretts.com/people-of-today/profile/2966/Stephen-Whitefield-SYKES|archive-date=10 November 2014}} He matriculated into St John's College, Cambridge in 1958 to study theology. He graduated from the University of Cambridge with a first class Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree in 1961.{{cite web|title=Stephen Sykes, 1939–2014|url=http://www.joh.cam.ac.uk/stephen-sykes-1939-2014|website=Discover St John's|publisher=St John's College, Cambridge|access-date=28 September 2014|date=25 September 2014}}{{cite news|title=The Right Reverend Stephen Sykes – obituary|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/obituaries/11149292/The-Right-Reverend-Stephen-Sykes-obituary.html|access-date=11 October 2014|work=The Daily Telegraph|date=8 October 2014}} He then trained for ordination at Ripon Hall, Oxford.
Career
=Ordained ministry=
Sykes was ordained deacon in 1964 and priest in 1965.{{cite web|title=The Right Reverend Stephen Sykes|url=http://www.ely.anglican.org/news_events/archived/stephen-sykes.html|website=News & Events|publisher=Diocese of Ely|access-date=28 September 2014|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141006110903/http://www.ely.anglican.org/news_events/archived/stephen-sykes.html|archive-date=6 October 2014}} In 1964, he returned to St John's College, Cambridge, his alma mater, as dean of the college chapel.{{cite web|title=Bishop of Ely pays tribute to Bishop Stephen Sykes|url=http://www.ely.anglican.org/news_events/news_items/26Sep14.html|website=News & Events|publisher=Diocese of Ely|access-date=28 September 2014|date=26 September 2014|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141018105149/http://www.ely.anglican.org/news_events/news_items/26Sep14.html|archive-date=18 October 2014}} When he moved to Durham in 1974, he became a residentiary canon of Durham Cathedral. Having returned to Cambridge in 1985, he was given a corresponding honorary canonry at Ely Cathedral. He served as a curate of St John the Evangelist's Church, Cambridge, from 1985 to 1990.
On 2 May 1990,[http://www.ely.anglican.org/news_events/archived/stephen-sykes.html Diocese of Ely – Stephen Sykes] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141006110903/http://www.ely.anglican.org/news_events/archived/stephen-sykes.html |date=6 October 2014 }} he was consecrated as the Bishop of Ely.{{London Gazette|issue=52063|page=2765|date=1 March 1990}} He became a Lord Spiritual through seniority and served in the House of Lords from 31 August 1996 to 31 July 1999.{{cite web|title=Mr Stephen Sykes|url=https://api.parliament.uk/historic-hansard/people/mr-stephen-sykes/index.html|website=Parliamentary Debates (Hansard)|access-date=29 September 2014}} He stepped down from this position on 1 September 1999 and returned to education.{{London Gazette|issue=55844 |page=5127|date=10 May 2000}} From 1999 to 2014, when he was head of St John's College and during retirement, he served as an honorary assistant bishop in the Diocese of Durham.{{Crockford| surname = Sykes | forenames = Stephen Whitefield | id = 26705 | accessed = 22 June 2018}}
From 1991 he was a member of the Doctrine Commission of the Church of England. He served as its chairman from 1996 to 2002.
=Academic career=
In addition to serving as dean of St John's College, Sykes was a member of the Faculty of Divinity at the University of Cambridge. He was an assistant lecturer in divinity from 1964 to 1968, then a lecturer in divinity from 1968 to 1974. In 1974, he was appointed as the Van Mildert Professor of Divinity at Durham University. In 1985, he returned to Cambridge University to take up the chair of Regius Professor of Divinity. During a break from academia he served as a bishop: he was Bishop of Ely from 1990 to 1999. In 1999, he was appointed the principal of St John's College, Durham. St John's is both a college of Durham University and an Anglican theological college. He retired in 2006.
Later life
Following his retirement, Sykes remained living in Durham. In his later years, he developed a neurological condition that confined him to a wheelchair.
Sykes died on 24 September 2014, aged 75.{{Cite web| title = Archbishop Mourns Bp. Sykes| work = The Living Church| date = 25 September 2014| access-date = 25 September 2014| url = http://livingchurch.org/archbishop-mourns-bp-sykes}} He was survived by his wife and children, though his wife died eight weeks later. His funeral was held in Durham Cathedral on 10 October 2014.{{cite web|title={{sic|In Memo|rium|hide=y|expected=In Memoriam}} Stephen Sykes|url=http://www.durhamcathedral.co.uk/worshipandmusic/sermon-archive/in-memorium-stephen-sykes|website=Durham Cathedral|access-date=28 October 2015|date=10 October 2014}} He was later buried in Cambridge at a woodland burial site.{{cite news|last1=Day|first1=Jordan|title=Former Bishop of Ely, Rt Rev Stephen Sykes, dies, aged 75|url=http://www.ely-news.co.uk/Bishop-Ely-Rt-Rev-Stephen-Sykes-dies-aged-75/story-23004044-detail/story.html|access-date=27 September 2014|work=Ely News|date=26 September 2014}}
Personal life
References
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{{s-bef|before=Hugh Turner}}
{{s-ttl|title=Van Mildert Professor of Divinity (Durham)|years=1974–1985}}
{{s-aft|after=Daniel W. Hardy}}
{{s-bef|before=Henry Chadwick}}
{{s-ttl|title=Regius Professor of Divinity (Cambridge)|years=1985–1990}}
{{s-aft|after=David F. Ford}}
{{s-bef|before= David V. Day}}
{{s-ttl|title= Principal of St John's College, Durham |years= 1999–2006}}
{{s-aft|after= David Wilkinson}}
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{{s-bef|before=Peter Walker}}
{{s-ttl|title=Bishop of Ely|years=1990–1999}}
{{s-aft|after=Anthony Russell}}
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{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Sykes, Stephen Whitefield}}
Category:Fellows of St John's College, Cambridge
Category:Alumni of St John's College, Cambridge
Category:Regius Professors of Divinity (University of Cambridge)
Category:English Anglican theologians
Category:Academics of Durham University
Category:Anglican suffragan bishops in the Diocese of Durham
Category:Alumni of Ripon College Cuddesdon
Category:20th-century Church of England bishops
Category:People educated at Monkton Combe School