Joseph Fison
Encyclopedia
Joseph Edward Fison was an Anglican bishop
. He was the 74th Bishop of Salisbury
.
Fison was educated at Shrewsbury School
and then at The Queen's College, Oxford
, where he took second-class honours in Classical Moderations
and Greats
and a first-class honours in the Final Honour School of Theology while training at Wycliffe Hall
(though he could not take the degree of Bachelor of Arts
, having already taken it for his classics degree). He graduated from the University of Oxford
with a BA in 1929, MA in 1934, and BD
1950 (a postgraduate degree awarded in recognition of his scholarship).
From 1930 until 1933 he taught at the English Mission College in Cairo
and after being ordained both deacon and priest in 1934 he embarked on a clerical career that was to last nearly 40 years. He started his ordained ministry as chaplain and tutor at Wycliffe Hall
before serving a curacy at St Aldate's Church, also in Oxford
. With the Second World War came service in the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve
, latterly as Senior Chaplain in Jerusalem.
In peacetime he rose rapidly in the Church of England
hierarchy. He held residentiary canonries
at Rochester Cathedral
(1945–52) and Truro Cathedral
(also Sub-Dean) (1952–59) before moving to another university city, Cambridge, to be Vicar of the Great St Mary's from 1959 to 1963. Finally, he was appointed Bishop of Salisbury
. Many saw the appointment of such a cultured and urbane man to such a rural diocese as Salisbury
as akin to "harnessing a racehorse to a farm cart" but he proved a distinctive success. A “cultured man with some knowledge of literature” he died in office and was succeeded by George Reindorp, previously Bishop of Guildford
..
Bishop
A bishop is an ordained or consecrated member of the Christian clergy who is generally entrusted with a position of authority and oversight. Within the Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox Churches, in the Assyrian Church of the East, in the Independent Catholic Churches, and in the...
. He was the 74th Bishop of Salisbury
Bishop of Salisbury
The Bishop of Salisbury is the ordinary of the Church of England's Diocese of Salisbury in the Province of Canterbury.The diocese covers much of the counties of Wiltshire and Dorset...
.
Fison was educated at Shrewsbury School
Shrewsbury School
Shrewsbury School is a co-educational independent school for pupils aged 13 to 18, founded by Royal Charter in 1552. The present campus to which the school moved in 1882 is located on the banks of the River Severn in Shrewsbury, Shropshire, England...
and then at The Queen's College, Oxford
The Queen's College, Oxford
The Queen's College, founded 1341, is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England. Queen's is centrally situated on the High Street, and is renowned for its 18th-century architecture...
, where he took second-class honours in Classical Moderations
Honour Moderations
Honour Moderations are a first set of examinations at Oxford University in England during the first part of the degree course for some courses ....
and Greats
Literae Humaniores
Literae Humaniores is the name given to an undergraduate course focused on Classics at Oxford and some other universities.The Latin name means literally "more humane letters", but is perhaps better rendered as "Advanced Studies", since humaniores has the sense of "more refined" or "more learned",...
and a first-class honours in the Final Honour School of Theology while training at Wycliffe Hall
Wycliffe Hall, Oxford
Wycliffe Hall is a Church of England theological college and a Permanent Private Hall of the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom. It is located on the Banbury Road in central North Oxford, between Norham Gardens and Norham Road.-Overview:...
(though he could not take the degree of Bachelor of Arts
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
, having already taken it for his classics degree). He graduated from the University of Oxford
University of Oxford
The University of Oxford is a university located in Oxford, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest surviving university in the world and the oldest in the English-speaking world. Although its exact date of foundation is unclear, there is evidence of teaching as far back as 1096...
with a BA in 1929, MA in 1934, and BD
Bachelor of Divinity
In Western universities, a Bachelor of Divinity is usually an undergraduate academic degree awarded for a course taken in the study of divinity or related disciplines, such as theology or, rarely, religious studies....
1950 (a postgraduate degree awarded in recognition of his scholarship).
From 1930 until 1933 he taught at the English Mission College in Cairo
Cairo
Cairo , is the capital of Egypt and the largest city in the Arab world and Africa, and the 16th largest metropolitan area in the world. Nicknamed "The City of a Thousand Minarets" for its preponderance of Islamic architecture, Cairo has long been a centre of the region's political and cultural life...
and after being ordained both deacon and priest in 1934 he embarked on a clerical career that was to last nearly 40 years. He started his ordained ministry as chaplain and tutor at Wycliffe Hall
Wycliffe Hall, Oxford
Wycliffe Hall is a Church of England theological college and a Permanent Private Hall of the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom. It is located on the Banbury Road in central North Oxford, between Norham Gardens and Norham Road.-Overview:...
before serving a curacy at St Aldate's Church, also in Oxford
St Aldate's Church
St Aldate's is a Church of England parish church in the centre of Oxford, in the Deanery and Diocese of Oxford. The church is on the street named St Aldate's, opposite Christ Church and next door to Pembroke College. The church has a large congregation and has a staff team of about 35 which...
. With the Second World War came service in the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve
Royal Naval Reserve
The Royal Naval Reserve is the volunteer reserve force of the Royal Navy in the United Kingdom. The present Royal Naval Reserve was formed in 1958 by merging the original Royal Naval Reserve and the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve , a reserve of civilian volunteers founded in 1903...
, latterly as Senior Chaplain in Jerusalem.
In peacetime he rose rapidly in the Church of England
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...
hierarchy. He held residentiary canonries
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 ....
at Rochester Cathedral
Rochester Cathedral
Rochester Cathedral, or the Cathedral Church of Christ and the Blessed Virgin Mary, is a Norman church in Rochester, Kent. The bishopric is second oldest in England after Canterbury...
(1945–52) and Truro Cathedral
Truro Cathedral
The Cathedral of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Truro is an Anglican cathedral located in the city of Truro, Cornwall, in the United Kingdom. It was built in the Gothic Revival architectural style fashionable during much of the nineteenth century, and is one of only three cathedrals in the United Kingdom...
(also Sub-Dean) (1952–59) before moving to another university city, Cambridge, to be Vicar of the Great St Mary's from 1959 to 1963. Finally, he was appointed Bishop of Salisbury
Bishop of Salisbury
The Bishop of Salisbury is the ordinary of the Church of England's Diocese of Salisbury in the Province of Canterbury.The diocese covers much of the counties of Wiltshire and Dorset...
. Many saw the appointment of such a cultured and urbane man to such a rural diocese as Salisbury
Diocese of Salisbury
The Diocese of Salisbury is a Church of England diocese in the south of England. The diocese covers Dorset and most of Wiltshire and is a constituent diocese of the Province of Canterbury. The diocese is led by the Bishop of Salisbury and the diocesan synod...
as akin to "harnessing a racehorse to a farm cart" but he proved a distinctive success. A “cultured man with some knowledge of literature” he died in office and was succeeded by George Reindorp, previously Bishop of Guildford
Bishop of Guildford
The Bishop of Guildford is the Ordinary of the Church of England Diocese of Guildford in the Province of Canterbury.The title was first created as a suffragan see in the Diocese of Winchester in 1874. The suffragan bishop of Guildford assisted the Bishop of Winchester in overseeing the diocese...
..