Edward Holland (bishop)

The Right Reverend

Edward Holland

Bishop of Colchester
Diocese| Diocese of Chelmsford
In office| 1995–2001
Predecessor| Michael Vickers
Successor| Christopher Morgan
Other post(s)| Honorary assistant bishop in London and in Europe (2002–present)
Suffragan Bishop in Europe (1986–1995)
Orders
Ordination| 1965 (deacon); 1966 (priest)
Consecration| 22 July 1986
Personal details
Born|  (1936-06-28) 28 June 1936 (age 88)
Denomination| Anglican
Parents| Reginald Holland & Olive Yeoman
Alma mater| King's College London

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Edward Holland (born 28 June 1936) is a retired Anglican bishop, who was the Suffragan Bishop in Europe and then the area Bishop of Colchester. He is now an honorary assistant bishop in both the Diocese of London and the Diocese in Europe.

## Early life

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Holland was born on 28 June, 1936,[1] educated at Dauntsey's School, and trained for the priesthood at King's College London, becoming an Associate of King's College (AKC).

## Ordained ministry

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Holland was ordained a deacon in 1965 and a priest in 1966. His first ministry position after ordination was as a curate at Holy Trinity Church, Dartford. He then served at John Keble Church, Mill Hill.[2] before a period in the Mediterranean.

Holland was precentor at Gibraltar Cathedral and then chaplain of Christ Church, Naples.[3][4] He returned to London to be vicar of St. Mark's, Bromley, before his ordination to the episcopate.

### Episcopal ministry

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Holland was consecrated as a bishop on 22 July 1986, by Robert Runcie, Archbishop of Canterbury, at Southwark Cathedral.[5] His first episcopal appointment made use of his experience as the suffragan bishop ("Suffragan Bishop in Europe") of the Diocese in Europe,[6] a diocese often described simply as "in Europe". The suffragan bishop in Europe assists the diocesan bishop. Holland served in this ministry for nine years.

Holland returned to the United Kingdom in 1995, to the Diocese of Chelmsford, as Bishop of Colchester. That see is also one of a suffragan bishop, but this diocese is one in which the see is divided into discrete areas of administration (since 1983),[7] so the bishop is more often referred to as an area bishop. He retired from full-time ministry in 2001.[8]

In retirement, Holland has been an honorary assistant bishop in the Diocese in Europe since 2002[9] and also in the Diocese of London between 2002 and 2023.[8]

### Views

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In February 2012, Holland signed an open letter calling for the Church of England to allow its priests to officiate at civil partnership ceremonies in their churches if their conscience allows them to.[10] It was suggested that this would work in the same way as the remarriage of divorced couples, in that no priest would be forced to do so if their conscience did not allow it.[11]

## References

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1. ^ Debrett's People of Today, London 2008, ISBN 978-1-870520-95-9
2. ^ Church website
3. ^ "Christ Church Naples - the City's Only Anglican Church". 9 January 2011.
4. ^ "Home". christchurchnaples.org.
5. ^ "picture caption". Church Times. No. 6442\. 1 August 1986. p. 2\. ISSN 0009-658X. Retrieved 1 June 2019 - via UK Press Online archives.
6. ^ Who's Who 1992 (London, A & C Black ISBN 0-7136-3514-2)
7. ^ "4: The Dioceses Commission, 1978–2002" (PDF). Church of England. Retrieved 23 April 2013.
8. ^ a b "Edward Holland". Crockford's Clerical Directory (online ed.). Church House Publishing. Retrieved 24 September 2023.
9. ^ Crockford's Clerical Directory 2008/2009 Lambeth, Church House Publishing ISBN 978-0-7151-1030-0
10. ^ "Signatories on the letter to The Times and clergy proctors of London Diocese". Changing Attitude. 2 February 2012. Archived from the original on 8 July 2012. Retrieved 24 September 2023.
11. ^ "London clergy seek right to choose". Church Times. 1 February 2012. Archived from the original on 2 February 2017. Retrieved 30 January 2017.

Church of England titles

Preceded by

Ambrose Weekes

|  Suffragan Bishop in Europe
1986–1995  | Succeeded by

Henry Scriven

Preceded by

Michael Vickers

|  Bishop of Colchester
1995–2001  | Succeeded by

Christopher Morgan

* v
* t
* e

Suffragan Bishops in Europe

* Assistant Bishops (Gibraltar and Fulham): Harold Isherwood
* Ambrose Weekes (became SBE)
Ambrose Weekes
* Edward Holland
* Henry Scriven
* David Hamid
* Andrew Norman (announced)

* v
* t
* e

Bishops of Colchester

* Alfred Blomfield
* Henry Johnson
* Robert Whitcombe
* Thomas Chapman
* Charles Ridsdale
* Dudley Narborough
* Roderic Coote (became first area bishop)

Area bishops|

* Roderic Coote
* Michael Vickers
* Edward Holland
* Christopher Morgan
* Roger Morris

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*[t]: Discuss this template
*[e]: Edit this template