The Household of Cornelius and the Conversion of Peter

Bishop Steven delivers his sermon at the clergy conference 2025diocese of oxford

The Household of Cornelius and the Conversion of Peter In Caesarea there was a man named Cornelius, a centurion of the Italian cohort as it was called. So begins the third in this sequence of stories of conversion. Again the Holy Spirit is at work beyond and outside the Christian community. Again the Holy Spirit […]

/by

He must increase, and I must decrease

It’s been a strange Advent season. Our attention has been focussed outwards on the election and the global climate talks. The practical preparations for Christmas Services make their own demands on clergy and congregations. Thank you for all…

Creator of our common home

The Oxford English Dictionary have declared climate emergency to be the word of the year in 2019. According to the dictionary’s own data, usage of the term soared by over 10,000%. I attempt to write at least one new hymn a year as the verse…

How to Pray for this General Election

A Presidential Address to the Oxford Diocesan Synod on Saturday 16 November. Update: A pastoral letter was sent to the Church of England by the Archbishops on 19 November: "It's time to leave our echo chambers and listen to others." Read the…
Church numbers

Called to be a deeper church

On publication of the annual Statistics for Mission, Bishop Steven reflects that there remains a huge appetite to learn and explore the Christian faith. The sheer number of courses run by churches is a sign of how much people want to explore…

A Christian response to Brexit

We may be about to exit the European Union and begin a new relationship with our European neighbours and with the world. +Steven, +Alan, +Colin and Bishop-elect Olivia have written a joint letter to every church, school and chaplaincy in the…
Presenting everyone mature in Christ 845x321

Presenting everyone mature in Christ

This week over 400 people gathered in Christ Church for the Festival of Preaching. The conference was fully booked with a waiting list and a very high level of energy. There excellent and moving contributions from a galaxy of great speakers…
Bishop Boat Pilgrimage

My Berkshire Pilgrimage

Together we visited 38 churches and the chaplaincy of Reading University. I travelled 17 miles by boat on 1 September across Maidenhead and Windsor Deaneries.

Beginning my fourth year as Bishop of Oxford

I’m beginning my fourth year as Bishop of Oxford by walking and praying across Berkshire. Please do join me if you can, in spirit or in person. The pilgrimage sets off on Sunday 1st September in Old Windsor in and ends on Sunday 8th September…

Data Ethics and Artificial Intelligence: an update

The ethical questions surrounding the use of AI and data are manifold and large. Sooner or later they all lead back to the question "what does it mean to be a fully human person in a flourishing society in the 21st Century..."