23 Facts About Philip North

Philip John North was born on 2 December 1966 and is a bishop in the Church of England.

Philip North was previously Bishop of Burnley, a suffragan bishop in the same diocese, since 2015; and team rector of the parish of Old St Pancras.

Philip North withdrew his acceptance of the nomination in March 2017 without taking up the post after concerns were raised about him being "unable to receive the ministry of women as bishops or priests" and his citing "highly individualised attacks" which he had received.

Philip North was educated at The Latymer School, a private school in Edmonton, London.

Philip North studied history at the University of York, graduating with a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1988.

Philip North spent a year working as a pastoral assistant in Redhouse, Sunderland, before preparing for ordination at St Stephen's House, Oxford.

Philip North graduated from the University of Oxford with a BA degree in 1991; as per tradition, his BA was promoted to a Master of Arts degree in 2001.

Philip North was ordained in the Church of England as a deacon in 1992 and as a priest in 1993.

Philip North was a curate at Saint Mary and Saint Peter's in Sunderland until 1996, after which he became the vicar of Holy Trinity in Hartlepool until 2002, during which time he was Hartlepool's area dean.

In 2002, Philip North became priest administrator of the Anglican Shrine of Our Lady of Walsingham, serving as priest-in-charge of Hempton and Pudding Norton from 2004 to 2007.

In 1997, Philip North joined the Company of Mission Priests, a dispersed community of male Anglican priests who do not marry and follow the Vincentian rule of life.

On 19 October 2012, Philip North was announced as Martin Warner's successor as Bishop of Whitby.

On 16 December 2012, it was announced that Philip North had withdrawn his acceptance of the post because of conflict between his views on women as priests and bishops, his love for the Parish of Old St Pancras and "the views of people in the Archdeaconry of Cleveland".

On 7 November 2014, it was announced that Philip North had been selected as the next Bishop of Burnley.

Philip North was consecrated at York Minster on 2 February 2015.

In May 2016, it was announced that Philip North was to be Acting Dean of Blackburn during the vacancy in the deanery caused by the resignation of Christopher Armstrong on 17 June 2016.

Philip North later resigned the residentiary canonry on 31 August 2022.

On 31 January 2017, it was announced that Philip North was to be translated to become Bishop of Sheffield; his installation at Sheffield Cathedral had been scheduled for June 2017, by which point he needed to have been elected and confirmed.

Philip North has been an honorary assistant bishop in the Diocese of Chester since 2022.

Philip North legally took up the See of Blackburn at the confirmation on 25 April 2023 at York Minster of his election.

Philip North's installation took place on 24 June 2023 at Blackburn Cathedral.

Philip North is a member of the Council of Bishops of The Society.

Philip North voted against introducing "standalone services for same-sex couples" on a trial basis during a meeting of the General Synod in November 2023; the motion passed.