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Jan McFarlane
British bishop and former speech and language therapist From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Janet Elizabeth "Jan" McFarlane (born 25 November 1964) is a British Church of England bishop and former speech and language therapist. She has been Dean of Lichfield, the primus inter pares (first among equals) of the clergy at Lichfield Cathedral — the mother church of the Diocese of Lichfield — since 2024;[1] she has also been an honorary assistant bishop of the Diocese since 2020. She has previously served as a Canon of Lichfield; as Bishop of Repton (the suffragan bishop of the Diocese of Derby); and as Acting Bishop of Derby.
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Early life and education
Jan McFarlane was born on 25 November 1964 in Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire, England.[2][3][4] She was educated at Blythe Bridge High School, a state secondary school in Blythe Bridge near Stoke-on-Trent.[5] She studied at the University of Sheffield, graduating with a Bachelor of Medical Science (BMedSci) degree in 1987.[2] She then worked as a Speech Therapist in the National Health Service and lived in North Staffordshire.[6] She specialised in teaching deaf children to speak.[3]
Having been selected for ordination, Jan McFarlane underwent a number of years of formation. She studied theology at St John's College, Durham, and graduated from the University of Durham with a Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree in 1992.[2] She then underwent a further year of training at Cranmer Hall, Durham, an open evangelical Anglican theological college,[2][7] completing a Diploma in Ministry (DipMin) in 1993.[4]
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Ordained ministry
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McFarlane was ordained in the Church of England as a deacon in 1993 at Lichfield Cathedral.[2][7] From 1993 to 1994, she served as parish deacon in the Stafford Team Ministry in the Diocese of Lichfield.[2] She was ordained as a priest in 1994.[2] She was one of the first female priests as 1994 was the first year that the Church of England ordained women to the priesthood.[8] From 1994 to 1996, she remained in the Stafford to serve her curacy as part of the Stafford Team Ministry.[2][7] From 1996 to 1999, she was a chaplain and minor canon of Ely Cathedral in the Diocese of Ely.[2]
In 1999, she moved to the Diocese of Norwich to take up the appointment of Diocesan Director of Communications.[2] From 2001 to 2009, she was additionally chaplain to Graham James, Bishop of Norwich.[2][7] She was selected as the next Archdeacon of Norwich in 2008.[6] On 15 March 2009, she was installed as Archdeacon in Norwich Cathedral.[7] Upon her appointment, she became one of only nine female archdeacons out of a total of 112 in the Church of England and the first in her diocese.[6] From 2015, she also served as Warden of Readers for the diocese.[9]
Jan McFarlane was first elected to the General Synod of the Church of England in 2005.[5] She is a supporter of the ordination of women as bishops.[10] She was a member of the General Synod that approved the consecration of women to the episcopate.[11]
Episcopal ministry
On 26 February 2016, Jan McFarlane was announced as the next Bishop of Repton, suffragan bishop in the Diocese of Derby.[8] She was consecrated a bishop by Justin Welby, Archbishop of Canterbury, on 29 June 2016.[12][13] She was welcomed into the Diocese of Derby as Bishop of Repton on 7 September 2016, during service at Derby Cathedral.[14] While at Repton, she also served as Acting diocesan Bishop of Derby, 31 August 2018 to February 2019.[15]
It was announced in January 2020 that she would be moving to become a Residentiary Canon ("Canon Custos") of Lichfield Cathedral,[16] and an honorary assistant bishop of the Diocese of Lichfield, the following April.[17] She was duly licensed to those roles on 3 April 2020.[18] In April 2023, she was licensed as interim dean of Lichfield Cathedral.[19][20][21] On 5 June 2024, it was announced that she had been appointed Dean of Lichfield on a permanent basis.[22][23] She was instituted as dean during a service at Lichfield Cathedral on 21 September 2024.[24][1]
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Personal life
In 2004, McFarlane married Andrew Ridoutt.[4] Her husband works as a television cameraman.[8]
In February 2014, McFarlane was diagnosed with breast cancer. As part of her treatment, she underwent surgery, chemotherapy and radiotherapy. She shared her story with a local newspaper, the Eastern Daily Press, and "urged other cancer patients to not hide away from the disease".[25]
Selected works
- McFarlane, Jan (2009). Pocket prayers for Advent and Christmas. London: Church House Publishing. ISBN 9780715141960.
- McFarlane, Jan; Gooder, Paula; Baines, Nick; Kiddle, John; Cottrell, Stephen (2010). Ready Steady Slow: an Advent calendar to unwind with. London: Church House Publishing. ISBN 9780715142219.
- McFarlane, Jan (2012). Pocket prayers of blessing. London: Church House Publishing. ISBN 9780715142394.
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References
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