Southwark (Parliament Politics Magazine) – The Bishop of Southwark, Rt Revd Christopher Chessun, has announced he will retire in August 2026 upon turning 70, closing a chapter in the diocese.
Bishop Chessun’s final day in office will be 4 August; his final service as Bishop will be held in Southwark Cathedral on 18 July, during which he will hand his diocesan crosier to the Area Bishop of Croydon, Dr Rosemarie Mallett, who will serve as Acting Bishop of Southwark until a permanent successor is installed.
Bishop Chessun writes in a letter to the diocese on Advent Sunday that Dr. Mallett had called the College of Bishops “with authority and grace” during an uncertain period when he was recovering from injuries sustained in a taxi last year (News, October 4, 2024).
“I am confident that she will lead a senior team that is well prepared for this change — it is a brilliant and effective team,” he writes.
Before his promotion to Southwark in 2011, Bishop Chessun was for six years the Area Bishop of Woolwich, and Urban Bishop for the diocese of Southwark.
In his letter, he writes:
“I have had the privilege of serving this Diocese for over twenty years in two episcopal roles, and of sharing the cure of souls with the many excellent clergy who hold my licence. I am mindful of all that you have given generously and sacrificially, as clergy and lay people, to strengthen partnerships in the Gospel in the parishes and ministries to which you have been called. I thank God for you daily, and ask for your prayers in these concluding months.”
Bishop Chessun is the primary bishop for the Middle East, and traveled to the region since the war in Gaza began (News, 26 January 2024). He has also conducted countless trips to the Holy Land.
Among the issues on which Bishop Chessun has commented in the House of Lords are the liberties of migrants and asylum-seekers (News, 16 June 2023), the start of hospice care (News, 19 September), and the demise of winter heating payments for many elderly (News, 13 September 2024).
Bishop Chessun “brings great wisdom and insight and, as a result of his leadership, the Diocese of Southwark remains strong and united as a Christian presence in every community in south London and east Surrey,” according to Nicola Thomas, the diocesan secretary.
What are the implications of the retirement for diocesan programs and leadership structure?
The withdrawal offers openings for renewal within the diocese but requires careful planning to sustain ongoing ministries, encourage inclusive leadership, and manage the transition effectively.
Established enterprise and charge strategies supported by Bishop Chessun, similar as civic ministry, church reshaping, and community engagement, may suffer review or adaptation under new leadership, though diocesan staff will maintain core functions.
With church retreats adding , dioceses, including Southwark, are encouraged to embrace a wider leadership model incorporating lay leadership and retired church benefactions to sustain ministry and charge during transitions and beyond.
The diocese will need to ensure smooth race through discussion with church, congregation, and original government stakeholders, maintaining support systems for retired churches and conserving institutional knowledge.
