I was born in Liverpool in 1957, went to the Holt Comprehensive School and then studied Modern Languages (German and French) at the University of Bradford. I worked as a freelance technical translator in Germany and for a telecommunications company in Paris during this time. After graduation I got married to Linda and we moved to Cheltenham where I worked as a Linguist Specialist at the Government Communications Headquarters (GCHQ) as a Russian linguist.
In 1984 we moved to Bristol where I trained for ordained ministry in the Church of England. After graduation from Trinity College, Bristol with a BA in Theological Studies in 1987, I was ordained in Carlisle Cathedral to serve at St Thomas, Kendal, and St Katherine, Crook. From there I moved to the Diocese of Leicester in 1991, becoming Vicar of Rothley in 1992 and beginning eight very happy years in a wonderful place with wonderful people. I was elected to the General Synod in 1995 and served (with a brief break) until 2005, serving on the Board of Mission, Partnership for World Mission and to the Crown Appointments Commission Review Group.
In February 2000 we moved to the Diocese of Southwark to take up the post of Archdeacon of Lambeth. I was consecrated Bishop of Croydon at St Paul’s Cathedral, London, in May 2003.
My portfolio of responsibilities now includes: English Co-chair of the Meissen Commission (Church of England relations with the Evangelical Church in Germany), representing the Archbishop of Canterbury in an international interfaith initiative based in Kazakhstan and member of the House of Bishops’ Europe Panel. I am also the Bishop for Diocesan Communicators and am an experienced media broadcaster and writer.
I was appointed a Director of Ecclesiastical Insurance in 2002. For many years I have regularly contributed to Pause for Thought on Radio 2 and a book based on these reflections, ‘Speedbumps & Potholes’, was published in 2004. Other books include ‘Marking Time: Reflections on Mark’s Gospel for Lent Holy Week and Easter’ (2005), ‘Hungry for Hope?’ (2007), ‘Scandal of Grace: The danger of following Jesus’ (2008) and ‘Finding Faith: Stories of music and life’ (2008).
We have three adult children and an incontinent cat.
I am passionate about Christian engagement in the big wide world – not on our own terms, but on the basis that we get stuck in wherever we can. This means that I think the messiness of the Church is a good thing and that we must be bolder (and thicker-skinned) when it comes to engaging with the world for the sake of the Kingdom of God. This means that we must be curious about the world, interested in the world and committed to the world in all its pain and glory.
I love music, literature, film and theatre. I try to love art, but often don’t know the ‘language’. And that is why this blog will roam far and wide over whatever takes my eye or ear. The Church is often criticised for being obsessed with the Church – but I believe the Church exists for the sake of the world and it is there that my musings find their stimulation. I can understand why God loves the world – it is a wonderful and amazing place to be.
nickbaines
January 28, 2009 at 2:58 pm
Hi Nick
No hate mail, or profound comments, about current news items.
Just to say I met with my spiritual director today and mentioned you had been at LA last week. Her name is Gwyneth Evans and she still remembers the kind letter you sent her after your ordination service to priesthood, when she was stuck in the diaconate!
Best wishes from Anne.
February 14, 2009 at 2:57 pm
How cool that you, as a bishop, are choosing to interact with people via a blog!
February 14, 2009 at 3:20 pm
I don’t know about ‘cool’, but it’s fun so far!
February 14, 2009 at 5:27 pm
Very much enjoying your blog which I have just discovered – can’t think why I haven’t come across it before! Thought you might like to know that I’ve added a link to it into your Wikipedia entry.
February 14, 2009 at 6:48 pm
Thanks for doing that. I have only been blogging since mid-November last year.
February 24, 2009 at 3:14 pm
I have just read “About” on your blog and wow do I agree with your last two paragraphs about the Church exists for the sake of the world and should be fully engaged with it, and the world’s an amazing, interesting place etc.
However there still seem to be many clergy who appear to be very inward looking and behave almost as though their congregation does not have a life outside the church building! I suspect this may be one reason why some people give church a try and then just wander off feeling that “the church” is not interested in their life and what’s happening in it.
Anne.
February 27, 2009 at 9:07 am
Hi Nick
Great to see you in Church at Rothley last Sunday – I enjoyed your blog and reminded me of your time at Rothley – an excellent way to keep in touch
Diane and Chris
February 28, 2009 at 5:08 pm
Hi Chris,
Good to see you last weekend, too. It seems a long time ago now! Do feel free to comment on anything you see in the blog and join inthe discussions.
Nick
March 5, 2009 at 6:48 pm
Hi Nick,
You inspired me to blog- I’ve been going 2 months please link to mine at http://unfinishedchristian.wordpress.com/
March 5, 2009 at 7:03 pm
That’s good! It’s fun, isn’t it – until the trolls get going. I’ll link you up.
March 6, 2009 at 1:17 pm
Hello Nick
On your blog I can’t find any way to subscribe to your blog by email – my step mother would like to subscribe but she is still on dialup so would prefer email updates rather than reading online. I use the rss feed to my netvibes to get your blog posts which I find very challenging, interesting, inspiring and quite often funny – thank you.
Anna
March 6, 2009 at 10:41 pm
Thanks Anna – you are very kind. I don’t know how to do what you ask, but I will ask a techie and find out!
March 11, 2009 at 10:06 am
Anna, we have now added an email subscription feed. I hope it works! Let me know.
March 17, 2009 at 10:50 am
Nick,
By a very around about route I have just come upon your blog, and had to write to say ‘Hello’. You may remember me from St. Thomas’ Kendal, where I attended with my then wife Audrey (we are now divirced), and I was on the PCC.
I now live in southern Spain – with my new wife, and where I am involved with the Chaplaincy of St. George, Malaga as congregational warden in Cómpeta, where we live. I am also on the Archdeaconary Synod of Gibraltar, so you can see that I am still very involved in church life.
I trust that you are not – “too restless” – a Bishop, and would love to hear from you if you have a minute to email.
God Bless
Adrian Wilkinson
March 20, 2009 at 1:14 pm
Hi Nick,
Just heard you on the very interesting debate about “De-baptism” on Radio 2. My question to you is simple:
As you’ll know well (c.f., e.g., Luke 3:23), Jesus wasn’t baptised until age 30. Why then have people since then and why should people today be baptised at an earlier age?
Regards,
James
March 20, 2009 at 1:56 pm
James, if you follow the logic, we would only baptise male Jewish oldest sons at the age of 30 – if they ahd also been circumcised when they were a baby. Baptists believe baptism is an act of commitment on the part of the person being baptised; paedobaptists believe baptism is a reception of the grace of God and response to what God does. Baptism either way (though the individualism of some baptist practice could do with some ecclesiological backing-up) recognises the corporate nature of the church and incorporates the person into it. Paedobaptism holds the covenants of the Old Testament together with the new world of the emerging church and interprets the NT texts in the light of a biblical theology that takes the OT seriously. I was baptised at 14 in a Baptist Church!
I will blog on other elements of this later.
April 10, 2009 at 6:46 pm
Glad to have discovered your blog via Twitter, Nick.
Peace & blessings
J
April 22, 2009 at 11:34 am
Hi Nick, am checking out your blog as promised, hows your book going? Done much since Spring Harvest?
warmest regards
Fiona
April 23, 2009 at 12:18 am
Hi Fiona, I have to finish book by the weekend and still have two chapters to write. Spent all this evening writing scripts for Radio 2 – recording on Friday. Since SH I have done a three-day conference in Austria last weekend (in German). I need a holiday! Hope you are well.
May 13, 2009 at 1:44 pm
Just rec’d your ‘Finding Faith’ book after your response to my Blog comment! Would love to send you some more info of stuff I have done using mainstream hymns – let me know…
PB
May 13, 2009 at 2:49 pm
Send it, Peter!
May 18, 2009 at 2:48 pm
Hi Nick,
Just wanted to say thank you for the confirmation service on Sunday it was great.
I thought you might want to have a look at this website that explains the community arts project I was involved in in Liverpool.
http://www.chrysalisarts.org.uk/projects_t4r_liverpool.cfm
Many Thanks
Eleanor Heath
May 21, 2009 at 11:23 am
Hi Nick,
I just wanted to invite you to participate in a brand new political blogging and social networking tool called http://www.PollBooth.com
The site is currently closed to the general public, only politicians, journalists and bloggers such as yourself will be invited to join for the time being.
If you wish to participate prior to the public launch just add pollbooth.com to your links on your wordpress blog then send an email to request.invite@pollbooth.com including the webaddress of your current blog and if approved I’ll send you an official invitation code allowing you to register on the site.
I hope to hear from you shortly and if not apologies for contacting you.
Regards,
Thom
May 21, 2009 at 11:13 pm
Thom,
I’ll leave it for the moment. I don’t want to spend even more time on the laptop. But, I’ll look at it later. Thanks anyway.
May 28, 2009 at 1:45 pm
Nick,
I am a Masters Student at Goldsmiths-University of London (TV Journalism). I am making a short film about secularism amongst youths and am looking to interview someone from the church. Sometime before the 12th of June at your convenience if you would be willing. It won’t take more than 20min. Please e-mail me if you can work something out.
Kind Regards,
Eamonn
May 28, 2009 at 3:25 pm
Let me have a number (bishop.nick@southwark.anglican.org) and I will call you. Time is tight, but I will see what I can do.