The Rt Revd Stephen Lake was consecrated as the 79th Bishop of Salisbury during a service at Southwark Cathedral on 25 April 2022. He was later welcomed into the diocese during a service of Inauguration which took place on 19 June at Salisbury Cathedral.
He was born and grew up in Poole, Dorset, and after working in Poole General Hospital and then serving as a Community Service Volunteer in London, he trained at Chichester Theological College. Stephen was ordained deacon in 1988 in our cathedral.
His curacy was at Sherborne Abbey with Castleton and Lillington, and he was ordained Priest in 1989 by Bishop John Kirkham. Bishop Stephen regularly wears Bishop John’s pectoral cross.
Stephen moved within the diocese to become Vicar of St Aldhelm’s, Branksome, Poole from 1992 and was appointed Rural Dean of Poole in 2000.
In 2001, Bishop Stephen was appointed Sub Dean of St Albans, caring for the largest regular cathedral congregation in England. He became Dean of Gloucester in 2011 and served as the Lead Dean for Safeguarding and as a Church Commissioner. During the pandemic, Bishop Stephen worked on the Church of England Emerging Church Steering Group.
Bishop Stephen has a Bachelor of Theology and has an MA in Theology. Politics and Faith Based Organisations from Kings College, London. He has written several books encouraging confirmation and liturgical practice. In 2016 he was made an Honorary Fellow of the University of Gloucestershire for services to the City of Gloucester and only leaving to come to Salisbury, was made a Freeman of the City of Gloucester.
Bishop Stephen has been a member of the Scout Association since he was a Cub Scout and was recently Chair of Gloucestershire Scouts, having also been a National Trustee from 2007 to 2012.
He says: “It is such a privilege and a joy to be called back to the Diocese of Salisbury as Bishop. To be able to serve in the places that formed me will be something rare and special.
Coming from leading a major cathedral I have a clear sense of the importance of great organisation, of good culture and rootedness in place. I hope to lead a confident diocese as we move out of the pandemic years together”.
Bishop Stephen is married to Carol, and they have three adult children.
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