Paul Wright (Archdeacon of Bromley & Bexley)

Paul Wright
Archdeacon of Bromley & Bexley
Diocese	Diocese of Rochester
In office	December 2003 – 2022
Predecessor	Garth Norman
Orders
Ordination	1979 (deacon); 1980 (priest) by David Say
Personal details
Born	(1954-02-12) 12 February 1954 (age 70)
Nationality	British
Denomination	Anglican
Parents	Cecil & Bessie
Spouse	Jill ​ (m. 1981)​
Children	3
Alma mater	King's College London

Paul Wright (born 12 February 1954) is a British retired Anglican priest who served as the Archdeacon of Bromley & Bexley (in the Church of England Diocese of Rochester), 2003[1]–2022.

Education and family

Paul Wright was born on 12 February 1954, to Cecil Edwin John Wright and Bessie Wright.[2] After leaving school, he joined the Metropolitan Police Service and then worked in banking.[3] After four years working for an international bank, he left to study theology at King's College London.[3][2] He graduated in 1978 with a Bachelor of Divinity (BD) degree and the Associateship of King's College (AKC).[4] From 1978 to 1979, he attended Ripon College Cuddesdon to trained for ordained ministry.[5] He later continued his studies, graduating with a Master of Theology (MTh) degree from Heythrop College, London in 1990, and a Doctor of Ministry (DMin) degree from the University of Wales, Lampeter in 2009.[6]

He married Jill Rayner in 1981 and they have three children; Wright became a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts (FRSA) in 2016.[4]

Ministry

He was made a deacon at Petertide 1979 (24 June)[7] and ordained a priest the Petertide next (22 June 1980) by David Say, Bishop of Rochester, at Rochester Cathedral.[8] He served curacies at St George's Church, Beckenham (1979–1983) and in Richmond (St Mary Magdalene, St Matthias and St John the Divine; 1983–1985), where he was chaplain of Christ's School.[6]

Wright became Vicar of Gillingham, Kent (St Augustine) in 1985, until his move to Crayford in 1990, where he served as Rector until 1999: while there, he was additionally Rural Dean of Erith (1993–1997) and an honorary canon of Rochester Cathedral since 1998.[6] He next served as Vicar of Sidcup[4] until his collation in December 2003[9] as Archdeacon of Bromley & Bexley. In that role, he has also additionally been Bishop's Adviser for Inter-Faith Concerns (2011–2015), priest-in-charge of Bromley Common (2012–2015)[6] and of St Augustine, Slade Green (2016–2019).[2]

Wright retired effective 31 March 2022;[10] a farewell service was held at Rochester Cathedral on 20 February 2022.[11]

References

1. "Announcements", The Times (London, England), 5 December 2003, p. 49.
2. "Wright, Ven. Dr Paul, (born 12 Feb. 1954), Archdeacon of Bromley and Bexley, 2003–March 2022". Who's Who 2022. Oxford University Press. 1 December 2021. Retrieved 3 March 2022.
3. "AN ARCHDEACON'S TALE" (pdf). Together. No. 12. Diocese of Rochester. February 2022. pp. 24–25. Retrieved 3 March 2022.
4. "Wright, Paul". Who's Who. Vol. 2016 (November 2015 online ed.). A & C Black. Retrieved 26 October 2016. (Subscription or UK public library membership required.)
5. "Paul Wright". Crockford's Clerical Directory (online ed.). Church House Publishing. Retrieved 3 March 2022.
6. "Paul Wright". Crockford's Clerical Directory (online ed.). Church House Publishing. Retrieved 8 January 2019.
7. "Petertide ordinations". Church Times. No. 6079. 6 July 1979. p. 17. ISSN 0009-658X. Retrieved 12 January 2019 – via UK Press Online archives.
8. "Petertide ordinations". Church Times. No. 6125. 4 July 1980. p. 5. ISSN 0009-658X. Retrieved 12 January 2019 – via UK Press Online archives.
9. "Archdeacon Paul Wright". Diocese of Rochester. Archived from the original on 28 September 2013. Retrieved 12 January 2019.
10. "Resignations and Retirements (Archdeacon retires)". Church Times. No. 8289. 28 January 2022. p. 32. ISSN 0009-658X. Retrieved 1 February 2022 – via UK Press Online archives.
11. "Fond farewell to retiring Archdeacon of Bromley and Bexley". Diocese of Rochester. 21 February 2022. Archived from the original on 3 March 2022. Retrieved 3 March 2022.

Church of England titles
Preceded by Garth Norman	Archdeacon of Bromley & Bexley 2003–2022	TBA