Stephen Platten
Stephen George plates ( born May 17, 1947 in South Gate ) is a British Anglican clergyman and in 2003 Bishop of Wakefield.
Life and career
Plates was the son of George Henry and Marjory plates. The father was manager of a large textile company. Stephen plates visited the Company 's School in London. From 1966 to 1968 he worked at Shell International Petroleum Co Ltd. Plates attended the London University, where he studied education and science. In these subjects he made in 1972 with a Bachelor of Education.
Plates studied from 1972 to 1975 Theology at Ripon College Cuddesdon. He was ordained a deacon in the same year as a priest in the diocese of Oxford 1975. From 1975 to 1978 he was chaplain at St Andrews Church in Headington, Oxford. From 1978 to 1983 he was chaplain and lecturer at the same time for the ethics class at Lincoln Theological College in Lincoln. From 1983 to 1989 plates was Domgeistlicher at Portsmouth Cathedral in the Diocese of Portsmouth and at the same Diocesan Director. He was among other things responsible for the selection and preparation of candidates for the priesthood in the diocese. He was also treasurer of the Cathedral and Chairman of the Finance Committee. Plates was also responsible for the education and training of the priests and the laity in the diocese education. He was also responsible for the care and training required of deacons in a pilot project of the diocese.
During his time at Portsmouth, he was also one of the founders of the Society for the Study of Christian Ethics, which deals with the teaching and the scientific study of Christian ethics and moral theology. He was 1983-1989 President of the Society for the Study of Christian Ethics.
From 1990 to 1995 he was secretary of the Archbishop of Canterbury and thereby responsible for issues of ecumenism. At the same time, he was from 1990 to 1995 also volunteer chaplain at the Cathedral of Canterbury. He was also an Anglican Co - Secretary of the Anglican Roman Catholic International Commission.
From 1995 to 2003 plates served as Dean of Norwich. As Dean of Norwich plates was responsible for the administration of Norwich Cathedral and was thus at this time the guide rod of the bishop.
Since July 2003 he is the Bishop of Wakefield.
Plates had during his church career as well as numerous other offices, held charitable institutions and other bodies in church organizations. Since 1989 he is a member in the line of SCM - Canterbury Press Ltd, since 2001 Chairman of the SCM - Canterbury Press Trust. From 1990 to 1995 he was also appointed director and head of the Nikaean Club, a guest house for official visits of the Archbishop of Canterbury and the Church of England. Since 1998 he is a member of the Archbishops' Council Hymns Ancient and Modern. He is also since 2000 a member of the Faith and Order Advisory Group of the Church of England. Since 2005 plates is Chairman of the Liturgical Committee of the Church of England and a member of the Cathedrals Fabric Commission for England.
Plates supports several honorary titles. In 2003 he received a Bachelor of Divinity from Trinity College, University of Oxford, also also in 2003 an honorary doctorate as a Doctor of Letters ( Hon DLitt ) from the University of East Anglia.
Plates is also the author of numerous books. He has published over 40 articles in prestigious newspapers and own journals. He also wrote more than 120 comments and reviews.
He is married and has two sons. His wife Rosslie The work includes children with special needs.
Membership in the House of Lords
Plates belongs since 2009 as a clergyman Lord the House of Lords on. He succeeds Graham Dow, former Bishop of Carlisle. His inaugural address was delivered on 30 June 2009. Among his political field of interest count plates international affairs, social ethics, in particular asylum and refugee issues, as well as individual ethical issue positions, environmental protection, media standards and the publishing industry. Plates is as representative of the House of Lords also a member of the Parliamentarians Network for Conflict Prevention and Human Security.
Work in the public
Priorities of Platten's church work are of inter-religious dialogue and cooperation with other faith communities. Plates sat down in particular and for close contacts with the Catholic Church. He is Chairman of the Anglican Centre in Rome.
In the 1990s, plates built together with Malkhaz Songulashvili, the Archbishop of the Evangelical Baptist Church ( Evangelical Baptist Church) in Georgia, intensive contacts and community partnerships. With Songulashvili plates connects since a close friendship.
2007 plates turned in view of the 2008 re-occuring Lambeth Conference against a biased news reporting. He threw in particular to the media, they would by their coverage predict a failure of the conference in advance. Alone the presence of different positions within the Church of England, for example, on the issue of homosexuality, the conference do not meaningless or unnecessary.
Plates belonged on 7 October 2008 the signatories of a declaration that called for the protection of children against mental and physical violence.
In November 2009, plates led the festive service of the official survey of the St John 's Parish Church in Halifax for Munster.
In November 2009 hit plates in Mirfield, West Yorkshire, along with the Anglican Archbishop and Nobel Peace Prize laureate Desmond Tutu. Plates praised Tutu, following his visit in a newspaper article as a church man who possessed the ability to renew the faith among the leading Anglicans. Plates emphasized Tutus dignity, generosity and modesty in the mediation of faith.