New Principal of Queen’s

The Queen’s Foundation for Ecumenical Theological Educational has today announced the appointment of the Right Revd Anne Hollinghurst as its new Principal from September 2024. Bishop Anne, currently Bishop of Aston in the Church of England Birmingham, will succeed current Queen’s Principal Professor Clive Marsh, who will retire in the summer.

Queen’s currently has 259 students on full-time, part-time, residential, non-residential and on-line courses. As well as preparing men and women for ministry in the Church of England and the Methodist Church, the Foundation has many independent students studying on a variety of courses, and growing partnership with the Black Majority/Black Pentecostal churches.

The President of the Queen’s Foundation’s Governing Body, Bishop Paul Bayes, said, ‘Anne brings a wealth of ministerial, ecumenical, multi-cultural, inter-faith, educational and managerial experience to help us consolidate Queen’s as a brand leader in theological education and formation in discipleship and ministries.’

At her announcement, Bishop Anne said, ‘The Queen’s Foundation offers a truly vibrant Gospel-focused context for learning, research and ministry formation. It has a diverse range of students and programmes reflecting the wonderful diversity of the region and those drawn from far and wide, including Queen’s international community. I am thrilled to have been invited to take up the role of Principal at this exciting time of potential and further development of the unique offer that Queen’s brings. I look forward to playing my part in enabling this distinctive centre of theology and training at the heart of England to equip the churches in England, and global partners, for mission and ministry in today’s world.’

New Bishop of Birmingham, the Right Revd Michael Volland, writes, ‘Bishop Anne has served Church of England Birmingham for eight and a half years with love, joy, energy and distinction. I give thanks for the breadth and depth of her ministry as Bishop of Aston. In particular, I am grateful for the outstanding leadership she offered as Acting Bishop of Birmingham during the recent vacancy in See. We pray that Bishop Anne will know great joy as she prepares to follow the call of God to embark on a new season of ministry as Principal of the Queens Foundation Birmingham. She will bring significant gifts and experience to bear and will be a great blessing to the Queens community as they seek to serve the wider Church in offering opportunities for world-class theological study.’

The official announcement from the Queen’s Foundation can be found HERE. Read more about Bishop Anne HERE. Read more about the Queen’s Foundation HERE.