Bishop Tim Dakin’s ordination – Andrew Carey reports in the CEN
There is much unhappiness in the Diocese of Winchester over the Bishop of Winchester’s ‘management style’. He has had to step back from ministry for six weeks after senior clergy threatened to hold a vote of ‘no confidence’ at Diocesan Synod. The diocese, advised by the communications firm, Luther Pendragon, have observed complete silence since the original announcement. This dearth of information has led to much speculation with a staggering 338 comments on the so-called ‘Thinking Angicans’ blog (thinkinganglicans.org.uk). Many of the commenters have questioned aspects of the CV with some illinformed comment claiming that the Bishop of Winchester was not even properly ordained.
However, former Chief Secretary of Church Army, Philip Johanson put this right stating that Tim Dakin was unusually commissioned as a Church Army officer in November 1992 in Nairobi, without any training as a Church Army officer. He was subsequently ordained a year later by the Archbishop of Kenya, Mannasses Kuria, again without training or formation. Nothing about his ordination was invalid but Tim Dakin had an extremely irregular pathway in life to becoming a bishop and had little or no training, or pastoral experience along the way. I write about this in regret and knowing that this episode must be hugely painful to Bishop Dakin and his family. Nevertheless lessons must be learned by the Church, not least about who is called to the episcopacy in such a challenging time for the church.
Andrew Carey. CEN June 11 2021
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