Olivia Graham

Olivia Josephine Graham (born 21 June 1956) is a British bishop. She has served as Bishop of Reading, a suffragan bishop in the Diocese of Oxford, since 2019. She was previously Archdeacon of Berkshire in the same diocese from 2013 to 2019.[1]

The Right Reverend Olivia Graham
Bishop of Reading
Graham in 2005
Church	Church of England
Diocese	Diocese of Oxford
In office	November 2019 to present
Predecessor	Andrew Proud
Other posts	Archdeacon of Berkshire (2013–2019)
Orders
Ordination	1997 (deacon) 1998 (priest)
Consecration	19 November 2019 by Justin Welby
Personal details
Birth name	Olivia Josephine Graham
Born	21 June 1956
Nationality	British
Denomination	Anglicanism

Early life and education

Graham was born on 21 June 1956.[2] She was educated at Cobham Hall School, an all-girls independent school in Cobham, Kent, and at Stake Farm College, also in Kent.[3]

From 1974 to 1981, she was a teacher in Africa.[3] She then returned to England to study at the University of East Anglia, graduating with a Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree in 1984.[2] She moved into international development;[4] working for the United Nations from 1984 to 1986 and for Oxfam from 1986 to 1993.[3]

Ordained ministry

Graham trained for ordained ministry on the St Albans and Oxford Ministry Course, from 1994 to 1997, completing a Certificate of Theology (CTh). She was made deacon at Michaelmas 1997 (5 October), by Richard Harries, Bishop of Oxford, at Christ Church Cathedral, Oxford;[5] and ordained priest the following Michaelmas (4 October 1998), by Mike Hill, area Bishop of Buckingham, at All Saints', High Wycombe.[6] She was appointed Archdeacon of Berkshire in 2013.

Episcopal ministry

On 15 July 2019, it was announced that Graham is to become Bishop of Reading, a suffragan bishop of the Diocese of Oxford.[7] On 19 November 2019, she was consecrated a bishop by Justin Welby during a service at St Paul's Cathedral.[8] As area bishop, she oversees the Reading episcopal area: this is identical to the Archdeaconry of Berkshire she previously oversaw as archdeacon.

Personal life

In 1989, Graham married Keith Malcolm Glenny. Together they have three children: one daughter and two sons.[3]

References

1. "Archdeacon of Berkshire". Diocese of Oxford.
2. "Graham, Olivia Josephine". Who's Who. ukwhoswho.com. 2016 (November 2015 online ed.). A & C Black, an imprint of Bloomsbury Publishing plc. Retrieved 24 July 2016. (subscription or UK public library membership required)
3. "Graham, Ven. Olivia Josephine". Who's Who 2019. Oxford University Press. 1 December 2018. Retrieved 3 August 2019.
4. Buckley, Steven (15 July 2019). "Olivia Graham named Bishop of Reading". Diocese of Oxford. Retrieved 3 August 2019.
5. "Ordinations". Church Times (#7026). 10 October 1997. p. 4. ISSN 0009-658X. Retrieved 15 July 2019 – via UK Press Online archives.
6. "Michaelmas Ordinations". Church Times (#7078). 9 October 1998. p. 4. ISSN 0009-658X. Retrieved 15 July 2019 – via UK Press Online archives.
7. Diocese of Oxford — Olivia Graham named Bishop of Reading Oxford.angliocan.org, (Accessed 15 July 2019)
8. Buckley, Steven (19 November 2019). "Olivia Graham consecrated as Bishop of Reading". Diocese of Oxford. Retrieved 20 November 2019.