Jonathan Gibbs (bishop)


Jonathan Robert Gibbs is a Church of England bishop. He is the current and first Bishop of Huddersfield, an area bishop in the Diocese of Leeds.

Early life and education

Gibbs was born in 1961. He was educated at The King's School, an independent school in Chester, Cheshire. He then studied Philosophy and Politics at Jesus College, Oxford, and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree; as per tradition, his BA was later promoted to Master of Arts degree.
In 1984, Gibbs entered Ridley Hall, Cambridge, an Anglican theological college, to train for ordained ministry. He also undertook postgraduate research at Jesus College, Cambridge, completing a Doctor of Philosophy degree in 1990. His doctoral thesis was titled "The challenge of transformation: towards a theology of work in the light of the thought of H. Richard Niebuhr".

Ordained ministry

Gibbs was ordained in the Church of England as a deacon in 1989 and as a priest in 1990. He served his curacy at Holy Trinity and Christ Church, Stalybridge, in the Diocese of Chester. He was the Chaplain at Basle from 1992 until 1998. He was then the incumbent at Heswall from 1998 until his elevation to the episcopate.
In August 2014, it was announced that Gibbs would be the first Bishop of Huddersfield, an area bishop in the newly created Diocese of Leeds. On 17 October 2014, he was consecrated a bishop by John Sentamu, Archbishop of York, during a service at York Minster.

Personal life

Gibbs is married to Toni. Together, they have three children; Harriet, Edward, and Thomas.