Sally Hitchiner

The Reverend
Sally Hitchiner
Chaplain and Interfaith Adviser at Brunel University
Church Church of England
Diocese Diocese of London
Personal details
Born 1980 (age 37–38)
Liverpool, England
Nationality English
Denomination Anglicanism
Partner Fiona Green
Alma mater University of York
Wycliffe Hall, Oxford

Sally Hitchiner (born 1980) is an English Anglican priest. She is currently Coordinating Anglican Chaplain and Interfaith Adviser at Brunel University.[1]

Early life and education

Hitchiner was born in 1980.[2] From 1998 to 2001, she studied anthropology and social policy at the University of York where she achieved a first class honours.[3][4] She then studied theology and trained for ordination at Wycliffe Hall, Oxford, an Evangelical Anglican theological college.[2]

Ordained ministry

In 2008 she became the Chaplain's Assistant[5] at St Peters College, Oxford and at the Oxford Pastorate chaplaincy where she reinvented the Oxford University Socratic Society, debating philosophy and theology with those of different beliefs.

She served her curacy at St John's Church Ealing from 2009 to 2012, during which time she led the church's Sunday evening Cafe Church congregation with a special focus on those who did not feel comfortable in mainstream church settings. She also developed a role in the media, commenting on religious affairs, including the issue of women becoming bishops. She was involved in coordinating the local community response to the London riots in 2011,[6] and a year later led the call towards forgiveness and reconciliation.[7] She developed an unlikely friendship with Richard Dawkins following jointly sitting with him as the subject for the semi final of the Sky Arts National Portrait of the Year competition which was aired in December 2014 [8][9]

She contributed a chapter on mission to a book celebrating the voices of ordained women who had become national experts [10]

Personal life and views on LGBT rights

On 15 July 2014, she was accidentally outed during a live appearance on television.[11][12] Hitchiner opposes "gay-to-straight" conversion therapy and the Church of England's official stance against same-sex marriage. She is the founder of Diverse Church, a movement for young LGBT adults.[13] She stated on BBC Breakfast on 3 September 2016 that she had recently become engaged to be Civilly Partnered, and she was united in a civil partnership with Fiona.[14][15] Clergy in the Church of England are permitted to enter into same-sex civil partnerships.[16]

She advocates all sides in the debate working together constructively towards increased inclusion of LGBT people within the church and society.[17]

In 2014 she founded Diverse Church a national support group for 18-30 year old LGBT+ Christians. This group specialises in supporting those in the most conservative ends of the church and welcomes all 18-30 year old LGBT Christians whatever their views are on ethics or theology. It places a high value on confidentiality and there is no need to come beyond the group out when you join.[18]

References

  1. ↑ "Chaplains". brunel.ac.uk. Retrieved 24 July 2015.
  2. 1 2 "Sally Ann Hitchiner". Crockford's Clerical Directory (online ed.). Church House Publishing. Retrieved 3 September 2016.
  3. ↑ "LGBT History Month" (pdf). University of York. February 2015. Retrieved 3 September 2016. Reverend Sally Hitchiner, a York alumnus (Social Policy 1998 - 2001)
  4. ↑ "Headteachers' Annual Conference Confident Collaborative: Leadership" (pdf). Oxford Diocesan Board of Education. Diocese of Oxford. 27 March 2014. Retrieved 3 September 2016.
  5. ↑ "St Peter's College JCR Welfare Guide 2008-9". Retrieved 8 June 2015.
  6. ↑ "Churches urge council to invest in youth work after riots - Christian News on Christian Today". christiantoday.com. Retrieved 24 July 2015.
  7. ↑ "Forgive the man who killed my Dad? Never". Telegraph.co.uk. 19 April 2012. Retrieved 24 July 2015.
  8. ↑ http://www.christiantoday.com/article/unlikely.friendships.richard.dawkins.and.rev.sally.hitchiner.bond.over.portrait.sitting/44634.htm
  9. ↑ "Church of England News: Secretary General responds to GAFCON UK". Church of England News. Retrieved 2017-07-01.
  10. ↑ https://www.amazon.co.uk/Books-Sally-Hitchiner/s?ie=UTF8&page=1&rh=n%3A266239%2Cp_27%3ASally%20Hitchiner
  11. ↑ https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/why-the-church-of-england-faces-a-dilemma-as-it-comes-under-pressure-to-back-gay-marriage-10366636.html. Missing or empty |title= (help)
  12. ↑ "Rev Sally Hitchiner is accidentally outed on live show". Telegraph.co.uk. 16 July 2014. Retrieved 24 July 2015.
  13. ↑ Gledhill, Ruth (3 August 2014). "Former 'ex-gay' leaders publish open letter saying conversion therapy is damaging". Christian Today. Retrieved 15 November 2014.
  14. ↑ "Reforming Marriage: Nicholas Holtam, David Monteith, Sally Hitchiner - St Martin-in-the-Fields - Trafalgar Square, concerts in London". www.stmartin-in-the-fields.org. Retrieved 2017-10-16.
  15. ↑ "Autumn Lecture Series - Reforming Marriage - St Martin-in-the-Fields". St Martin-in-the-Fields. Retrieved 2018-01-30.
  16. ↑ "Gay cleric's 'wedding' to partner". 2006-08-01. Retrieved 2017-09-29.
  17. ↑ https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/why-the-church-of-england-faces-a-dilemma-as-it-comes-under-pressure-to-back-gay-marriage-10366636.html
  18. ↑ http://www.premieryouthwork.com/Past-Issues/2015/March-2015/LGBT-Young-people-and-the-Church
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