Conservative evangelicals in the Church of England are set to have a new ‘flying bishop’ for the constituency after Rod Thomas announced plans to retire.
Bishop Rod, who is Bishop of Maidstone – a role which provides alternative episcopal oversight for evangelicals committed to male headship – will step down in October. He will be 68.
The hunt for his successor comes at a crucial time for the Church of England: the ‘Living in Love and Faith’ (LLF) process on sexuality is moving towards whatever recommendations flow out of it. And in an extraordinary move, a married gay man, Stephen Knott, has just been appointed as the next Archbishops’ Secretary for Appointments – a key role managing the process for the appointment of bishops, deans and other senior posts in the CofE.
