Colin Slee
Encyclopedia
The Very Rev Colin Slee (10 November 1945 - 25 November 2010) was a clergyman in the Church of England
, most notable for his final post as Dean of Southwark Cathedral
, a post he held from 1994 until his death. A friend of Desmond Tutu
and Rowan Williams
, his churchmanship was liberal
(he was influenced by the book Honest to God
during his youth) and Anglo-Catholic, with his backing of Jeffrey John
's nomination as a bishop in 2003 and opposition to the use of Jerusalem
in church.
, he then spent nearly two years in Papua New Guinea
on VSO
before reading theology at King's College London
(where he won a university Purple in rowing). Trained for the priesthood at St Augustine's College
, he was ordained in 1970 and served his first post as curate of St Francis church, Heartsease, Norwich
. In 1971 he married Edith Tryon, born in New Zealand, and they had three children, along with two foster children. His next posts were as curate of Great St Mary's in Cambridge
and chaplain of Girton College (1973–76), chaplain
of King's College London (1976–1982) as well as Chief Coach of KCL Boat Club, a role he continued after becoming Canon Residentiary
and Sub-Dean at St Albans Cathedral
(1982–94).
He became dean of Southwark in 1994, where he oversaw the building of a new library, conference centre and refectory, built links with the chapel of Harvard University
(becoming an honorary lecturer at its Divinity School) and became a trustee of the Millennium Bridge
and chaplain to Shakespeare's Globe
. In 1995 he was elected to General Synod
, serving until his death, and in 2001 was awarded the OBE
and made a Fellow of King's College London. He was also a member of the Crown Nominations Committee from 2006 onwards, chairman of the Tutu Foundation and involved in the Winston Churchill Memorial Trust Fellowship, the British School of Osteopathy
and the International Network Focus on New Religious Movements
. In 2007 conservatives successfully opposed his appointment as bishop of Christchurch in New Zealand. In June 2010 he invited Katherine Jefferts Schori to preach at Southwark Cathedral. He died in November 2010 of pancreatic cancer
.
Church of England
The Church of England is the officially established Christian church in England and the Mother Church of the worldwide Anglican Communion. The church considers itself within the tradition of Western Christianity and dates its formal establishment principally to the mission to England by St...
, most notable for his final post as Dean of Southwark Cathedral
Southwark Cathedral
Southwark Cathedral or The Cathedral and Collegiate Church of St Saviour and St Mary Overie, Southwark, London, lies on the south bank of the River Thames close to London Bridge....
, a post he held from 1994 until his death. A friend of Desmond Tutu
Desmond Tutu
Desmond Mpilo Tutu is a South African activist and retired Anglican bishop who rose to worldwide fame during the 1980s as an opponent of apartheid...
and Rowan Williams
Rowan Williams
Rowan Douglas Williams FRSL, FBA, FLSW is an Anglican bishop, poet and theologian. He is the 104th and current Archbishop of Canterbury, Metropolitan of the Province of Canterbury and Primate of All England, offices he has held since early 2003.Williams was previously Bishop of Monmouth and...
, his churchmanship was liberal
Liberal Christianity
Liberal Christianity, sometimes called liberal theology, is an umbrella term covering diverse, philosophically and biblically informed religious movements and ideas within Christianity from the late 18th century and onward...
(he was influenced by the book Honest to God
Honest to God
Honest to God is a book written by the Anglican Bishop of Woolwich John A.T. Robinson, criticising traditional Christian theology. It aroused a storm of controversy on its original publication by SCM Press in 1963...
during his youth) and Anglo-Catholic, with his backing of Jeffrey John
Jeffrey John
Jeffrey Philip Hywel John SCP is a Church of England priest and the current Dean of St Albans. He made headlines in 2003 when he was the first person to have openly been in a same-sex relationship to be nominated as a Church of England bishop...
's nomination as a bishop in 2003 and opposition to the use of Jerusalem
And did those feet in ancient time
"And did those feet in ancient time" is a short poem by William Blake from the preface to his epic Milton a Poem, one of a collection of writings known as the Prophetic Books. The date on the title page of 1804 for Milton is probably when the plates were begun, but the poem was printed c. 1808...
in church.
Life
Slee was born in West London, as the son of a policeman. Educated at Ealing Grammar School for BoysEaling, Hammersmith and West London College
Ealing, Hammersmith & West London College is a college of further education based across four campuses located in Acton, Ealing, Hammersmith and Southall districts of London, England. The college provides education for over 25,000 students, and it is a member of the 157 Group of high performing...
, he then spent nearly two years in Papua New Guinea
Papua New Guinea
Papua New Guinea , officially the Independent State of Papua New Guinea, is a country in Oceania, occupying the eastern half of the island of New Guinea and numerous offshore islands...
on VSO
Voluntary Service Overseas
Voluntary Service Overseas is an international development charity that works through experienced volunteers living and working as equals alongside local partners. It is the largest independent volunteer-sending organization in the world...
before reading theology at King's College London
King's College London
King's College London is a public research university located in London, United Kingdom and a constituent college of the federal University of London. King's has a claim to being the third oldest university in England, having been founded by King George IV and the Duke of Wellington in 1829, and...
(where he won a university Purple in rowing). Trained for the priesthood at St Augustine's College
St Augustine's College, Canterbury
St Augustine's College, Canterbury was a Church of England theological college in Canterbury, Kent that opened in 1848 and closed in 1976. Many of those who trained there went on to serve as missionaries...
, he was ordained in 1970 and served his first post as curate of St Francis church, Heartsease, Norwich
Norwich
Norwich is a city in England. It is the regional administrative centre and county town of Norfolk. During the 11th century, Norwich was the largest city in England after London, and one of the most important places in the kingdom...
. In 1971 he married Edith Tryon, born in New Zealand, and they had three children, along with two foster children. His next posts were as curate of Great St Mary's in Cambridge
Cambridge
The city of Cambridge is a university town and the administrative centre of the county of Cambridgeshire, England. It lies in East Anglia about north of London. Cambridge is at the heart of the high-technology centre known as Silicon Fen – a play on Silicon Valley and the fens surrounding the...
and chaplain of Girton College (1973–76), chaplain
Chaplain of King's College London
The Chaplain of King's College London is a Church of England minister based at the College's main Strand campus.-Chaplains of King's College:* Henry Moseley * John Allen * Edward Hayes Plumptre...
of King's College London (1976–1982) as well as Chief Coach of KCL Boat Club, a role he continued after becoming Canon Residentiary
Canon (priest)
A canon is a priest or minister who is a member of certain bodies of the Christian clergy subject to an ecclesiastical rule ....
and Sub-Dean at St Albans Cathedral
St Albans Cathedral
St Albans Cathedral is a Church of England cathedral church at St Albans, England. At , its nave is the longest of any cathedral in England...
(1982–94).
He became dean of Southwark in 1994, where he oversaw the building of a new library, conference centre and refectory, built links with the chapel of Harvard University
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
(becoming an honorary lecturer at its Divinity School) and became a trustee of the Millennium Bridge
Millennium Bridge (London)
The Millennium Bridge, officially known as the London Millennium Footbridge, is a steel suspension bridge for pedestrians crossing the River Thames in London, England, linking Bankside with the City. It is located between Southwark Bridge and Blackfriars Railway Bridge...
and chaplain to Shakespeare's Globe
Shakespeare's Globe
Shakespeare's Globe is a reconstruction of the Globe Theatre, an Elizabethan playhouse in the London Borough of Southwark, located on the south bank of the River Thames, but destroyed by fire in 1613, rebuilt 1614 then demolished in 1644. The modern reconstruction is an academic best guess, based...
. In 1995 he was elected to General Synod
General Synod of the Church of England
The General Synod is the deliberative and legislative body of the Church of England. The synod was instituted in 1970, replacing the Church Assembly, and is the culmination of a process of rediscovering self-government for the Church of England that had started in the 1850s.- Church Assembly: 1919...
, serving until his death, and in 2001 was awarded the OBE
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
and made a Fellow of King's College London. He was also a member of the Crown Nominations Committee from 2006 onwards, chairman of the Tutu Foundation and involved in the Winston Churchill Memorial Trust Fellowship, the British School of Osteopathy
British School of Osteopathy
The British School of Osteopathy is the largest and the oldest school of osteopathy in the United Kingdom.The BSO holds Recognised Qualification status from the statutory regulatory body for osteopathy in the UK, the General Osteopathic Council....
and the International Network Focus on New Religious Movements
INFORM
INFORM is an independent registered charity located at the London School of Economics. It was founded in 1988 by the sociologist of religion, Eileen Barker, with funding from the British Home Office, Britain’s mainstream churches, foundations and enquirers...
. In 2007 conservatives successfully opposed his appointment as bishop of Christchurch in New Zealand. In June 2010 he invited Katherine Jefferts Schori to preach at Southwark Cathedral. He died in November 2010 of pancreatic cancer
Pancreatic cancer
Pancreatic cancer refers to a malignant neoplasm of the pancreas. The most common type of pancreatic cancer, accounting for 95% of these tumors is adenocarcinoma, which arises within the exocrine component of the pancreas. A minority arises from the islet cells and is classified as a...
.