Diocesan Press Release

Bishop of Southwark Appoints New Assistant

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 26 July 1999

The Rev Dr Jane Steen, Assistant Curate of Chipping Barnet with Arkley, in the Diocese of St Albans is to be the new Chaplain and Personal Assistant to the Right Rev Dr Tom Butler, the Bishop of Southwark.

Born in 1964 and ordained in 1996, Jane has a first degree and a PhD in English from Newnham College, Cambridge. She read Theology at Trinity College, Cambridge and trained for ordination at Westcott House.

Her PhD is on Samuel Johnson and she says that 'coming to Southwark will feel like coming home for many reasons. I grew up in Croydon and it will be good to give something back to the area of the church that nurtured my early Christian faith. But, I am especially looking forward to working in Streatham where Johnson spent a lot of time and where there is a Dr Samuel Johnson Avenue very near to Bishop's House.'

As well as Samuel Johnson, Jane describes her interests as Early Georgian Anglicanism, the history and interpretation of Biblical Criticism and says that she enjoys Christian Doctrine.

She is married to Preston, who is known as Pip and she enjoys horse riding. She will take up her post on Monday 4 October.

Speaking of the appointment Bishop Tom said 'Jane will bring a good analytical mind and pastoral experience to this post. I look forward to welcoming her to the Southwark Team.'

Ends.