Mike Harrison (bishop)

The Right Reverend

Mike Harrison
The Right Reverend; Mike Harrison
Bishop of Exeter
Diocese	Diocese of Exeter
In office	25 September 2024 – present
Predecessor	Robert Atwell
Other post(s)	Director of Mission and Ministry, Diocese of Leicester (2006 to 2016); Bishop of Dunwich (2016–2024)
Orders
Ordination	1990 (deacon); 1991 (priest)
Consecration	24 February 2016; by Justin Welby
Personal details
Born	Michael Robert Harrison; 7 March 1963 (age 61)
Spouse	Rachel
Children	Four
Alma mater	Selwyn College, Cambridge ; Ripon College Cuddesdon ; Union Theological Seminary ; King's College London ; University of Bradford

Michael Robert Harrison (born 7 March 1963) is a British Anglican bishop who has served as the Bishop of Exeter in the Church of England since 2024. He was previously the Bishop of Dunwich, a suffragan bishop in the Diocese of St Edmundsbury and Ipswich, from February 2016 until September 2024;^[1] from 2006 to 2016, he was the Director of Mission and Ministry in the Diocese of Leicester.^[2]

Early life and education

Harrison was born on 7 March 1963.^[3]^[2] He studied mathematics and statistics at Selwyn College, Cambridge, and graduated from the University of Cambridge with a Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree in 1984.^[2]^[4] He then worked in London as a management consultant and a social worker.^[1]

Harrison trained for ordination and studied theology at Ripon College Cuddesdon, an Anglican theological college, and graduated with a BA degree in 1989. He then spent a year studying at the Union Theological Seminary in New York City, United States, and graduated with a Master of Sacred Theology (STM) in 1990.^[2]

During the early years of his ordained ministry, Harrison also undertook postgraduate research. He studied doctrine at King's College London, and graduated with a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degree in 1997.^[4]^[2] His doctoral thesis was titled "Sharing in the life of God - a study of participation in Christian thought".^[1] He studied international development at the University of Bradford, and graduated with a Master of Arts (MA) degree in 1999.^[2]^[1]

Ordained ministry

Harrison was ordained in the Church of England as a deacon in 1990 and as a priest in 1991.^[2] From 1990 to 1994, he served his curacy at St Anne and All Saints, South Lambeth, in the Diocese of Southwark.^[4] He then moved to the Diocese of Bradford, where he was chaplain to the University of Bradford, and to Bradford and Ilkley Community College.^[1] During this time, he also served as the Diocesan World Development Advisor.^[4]

In 1998, Harrison returned to the Diocese of Southwark. He was Vicar of Holy Trinity, Eltham, between 1998 and 2006.^[2] From 2005 to 2006, he also served as Rural Dean of Eltham and Mottingham.^[4] He then moved to the Diocese of Leicester where he served as the Director of Ministry and Mission from 2006 to 2016;^[2] in this role his duties include "growing the mission of local parishes ... developing missional leadership, pioneer ministry and fresh expressions of church".^[1] In 2006, he was made an honorary canon of Leicester Cathedral.^[2]

Episcopal ministry

On 16 December 2015, Harrison was announced as the next Bishop of Dunwich, the sole suffragan bishop in the Diocese of St Edmundsbury.^[4]^[1]^[5] On 24 February 2016, he was consecrated a bishop during a service at Westminster Abbey.^[5] He was installed as the Bishop of Dunwich at St Edmundsbury Cathedral on 27 February.^[1]

On 4 June 2024, it was announced that Harrison would be the next Bishop of Exeter, the diocesan bishop of the Diocese of Exeter, from autumn 2024.^[6] He legally became Bishop of Exeter on 25 September 2024, when his election to that See was confirmed at Lambeth Palace Chapel.^[7]

Views

In January 2023, Harrison welcomed the Church of England's introduction of blessings of same-sex couples but expressed disappointment that it did not go further: "the faithful, pastoral, loving and just way forward is to extend Holy Matrimony to same-sex couples".^[8]

In November 2023, he was one of 44 Church of England bishops who signed an open letter supporting the use of the Prayers of Love and Faith (i.e. blessings for same-sex couples) and called for "Guidance being issued without delay that includes the removal of all restrictions on clergy entering same-sex civil marriages, and on bishops ordaining and licensing such clergy".^[9]