Godfrey Ashby


Godfrey William Ernest Candler Ashby is a British Anglican bishop, theologian, and academic. From 1980 to 1985, he was the eighth Bishop of St John's in the Anglican Church of Southern Africa. From 1988 to 1995, he was the Assistant Bishop of Leicester in the Church of England.

Early life

Ashby was educated at The King's School, an independent school in Chester, Cheshire. He studied at King's College London, and graduated in 1954 with a Bachelor of Divinity degree and the Associateship of King's College.
He also became a Doctor of Philosophy.

Ordained ministry

Ashby was ordained in the Church of England as a deacon in 1955 and as a priest in 1956. His first post was as a Curate in the Parish of St Helier in the Diocese of Southwark.
In 1958, Ashby emigrated to South Africa. Here he rose steadily in the church hierarchy, being successively: Subwarden of St Paul's College, Grahamstown; Rector of Alice, Eastern Cape; a senior lecturer in Hebrew at Rhodes University; Dean of Grahamstown and Archdeacon in the Diocese of Grahamstown.

Episcopal ministry

In 1980, Ashby was consecrated a bishop. From 1980 to 1985, he served as Bishop of St John's, the diocesan bishop. He was then professor of Divinity at the University of the Witwatersrand.
In 1988, Ashby moved back to England. He served as the Assistant Bishop of Leicester in the Diocese of Leicester from 1988 to 1995. Additionally, he was Priest-in-Charge of All Saints, Newtown Linford between 1992 and 1995. In 1993, he was made an Honorary Canon of Leicester Cathedral; in 1988, he was an assistant bishop of the Anglican Diocese of Johannesburg.
Ashby retired from full-time ministry in 1995. He returned to South Africa, where he served as an Assistant Bishop in the Diocese of George. In 2008, he returned to England, and is now an Honorary Assistant Bishop. He served in the Diocese of Portsmouth between 2008 and 2011. He has served in the Diocese of Exeter since 2011.

Personal life

Bishop Ashby was married to Valerie "Sally" Ashby, née Hawtree. Together, they had six children: Garmon, John-Mark, Mary, Philip, Ruth, and Charles.

Publications

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