On 25 July 2016, it was announced Springett was to become the next Bishop of Tewkesbury, a suffragan bishop in the Diocese of Gloucester.[5] He was consecrated a bishop on 30 November 2016 during a service at Canterbury Cathedral,[1] and was welcomed as the Bishop of Tewkesbury during a service at Gloucester Cathedral on 11 December 2016.[1] He has been chair of the Diocesan Board of Education since 2017, and therefore leads the oversight of the diocese's 116 church schools.[5][6][8]
Views
In January 2023, Springett stated that he supports the celebration and blessing of "faithful monogamous same-sex relationships", but does not support changing the Church of England's doctrine of marriage (i.e. that marriage is the life long union of one man and one woman).[9]
In November 2023, he 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".[10]
Personal life
In 1991, Springett married Helen Bates.[3] Together, they have two daughters; Charlotte and Alice.[5]
^Treweek, Rachel; Springett, Robert (18 January 2023). "A message from Bishop Rachel and Bishop Robert". Diocese of Gloucester. Retrieved 20 January 2023. 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.