The See of Buckingham is currently vacant following the untimely death of Bishop Alan Wilson in February 2024. The whole diocese is asked to pray for the process of discernment to seek the who God is calling to be next Bishop of Buckingham.
The Bishop of Oxford is leading the process of appointment which will lead to names being submitted to Downing Street for nomination to the Crown. An advisory group has been appointed.
The Rt Revd Dr Alan Wilson
On Saturday 17 February, the Bishop of Oxford, the Rt Revd Dr Steven Croft, announced with great sadness the unexpected death of the Rt Revd Dr Alan Wilson, Bishop of Buckingham.
Bishop Alan was born in Edinburgh, grew up in east London and Kent, and studied at St John's College, Cambridge (open scholarship in history, BA 77, MA 80) and then Balliol College, Oxford, where, under the supervision of Peter Hinchliff, he completed a doctorate in modern historical theology (DPhil 89: The Theology of Church and Party of Anglo-Catholics 1880-1914, with special reference to the Church Crisis of 1898-1903).
He trained for ordination at Wycliffe Hall (Cert. Theol. 1979). He was ordained deacon (1979 at St Peter’s, Didcot), priest (1980 at Christ Church, Oxford), and bishop (2003 at Westminster Abbey).
Alan served in the Diocese of Oxford since 1979, at Balliol College from 1979-81 and non-stipendiary minister at Eynsham, then as curate of Caversham and Mapledurham (1982-89), and first incumbent of St John the Baptist, Caversham, from 1989-92. Moving to Sandhurst as rector in 1992, he contributed to continuing ministerial education by developing residential training workshops in supervision skills for training incumbents, and as a diocesan work consultant.
He led the planning group for the Diocesan Convention at High Wycombe in 2002. He was area dean of Sonning from 1998-2003 and honorary Canon of Christ Church, Oxford, from 2002-3. In October 2003, he became Area Bishop of Buckingham.
The Bishop of Buckingham worked closely with the Archdeacon of Buckingham, the Ven Guy Elsmore, and the associate archdeacon, the Revd Canon Chris Bull. He also had a chaplain and a PA. Other colleagues also provide specialist advice and support in the area of Buckingham.
Bishop Alan was also Chair of the Oxford Diocesan Board of Education.