Kenneth Stevenson | |
|---|---|
| Bishop of Portsmouth | |
_was_the_eighth_Bishop_of_Portsmouth_in_the_Church_of_England.png) Portrait of Bishop Kenneth Stevenson by Celia Glover | |
| Diocese | Portsmouth |
| In office | 1995–September 2009 |
| Predecessor | Timothy Bavin |
| Successor | Christopher Foster |
| Other posts | Chaplain, lecturer,University of Manchester (until 1995) |
| Orders | |
| Consecration | 1995 |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Kenneth William Stevenson (1949-11-09)9 November 1949 |
| Died | 12 January 2011(2011-01-12) (aged 61)[1] |
| Nationality | British (Scottish) |
| Denomination | Anglican |
| Spouse | Sarah Julia Mary Glover |
| Children | Elisabeth, Katharine (Kitty), James, Alexandra |
| Profession | Academic (liturgy) |
| Alma mater | University of Edinburgh |
Kenneth William Stevenson (9 November 1949 – 12 January 2011[1]) was the eighthBishop of Portsmouth in theChurch of England.[2]
Stevenson was born inEdinburgh on 19 November 1949.[3] He was educated atEdinburgh Academy and theUniversity of Edinburgh, taking his MA in 1970.[3]
Stevenson was consecrated as Bishop of Portsmouth in 1995, following parish work inLincoln,[4]Guildford,[5] and in the university chaplaincy at theUniversity of Manchester.[6] He was married, with four children.[7]
Stevenson held a PhD from theUniversity of Southampton and aDD from theUniversity of Manchester where he lectured inliturgy alongside his work as a chaplain. He was involved in the Church of England's participation in thePorvoo Communion, not least because he was part-Danish.[8] He was a Knight Commander of the Kingdom of Denmark'sOrder of the Dannebrog.[9]
As Bishop, Stevenson was "a highly public bishop and loved the city's diversity. He was at home atCowes Week or enjoying the hospitality of theRoyal Navy, also moving among some of the most deprived communities in Britain."[9]
In 2006, having been diagnosed withleukemia, Stevenson began a course of treatment and he returned to work in November.[10] On 22 February 2009 he announced at a service atPortsmouth Cathedral that he would retire in September 2009 due to continuing ill-health. He presided at his last confirmation service on 19 July 2009 atSt Peter's Church, Seaview, Isle of Wight. Stevenson commented in a statement:
"There is a sadness in the decision but I know that it is the right one. I did wrestle with it and it has proved to be the most difficult decision of my life. I have loved being your Bishop and have never wanted to be Bishop of anywhere else."[11]
In retirement, Stevenson continued to write[12] and give his support to fund-raising activities forLeukaemia & Lymphoma Research, e.g. through musical events[13] and the artistic work of his daughter Alexandra.[14] Stevenson died on 12 January 2011, hisIndependent obituary noting that "he was drinking champagne and listening to his favourite Bach only hours before his death".[8] His brother-in-law, the journalist and editorStephen Glover, wrote inThe Guardian about Stevenson's death that "he accomplished it with good humour, courage and firm belief."[9]
Stevenson had twobrothers-in-law who were alsobishops:David Tustin andPeter Forster.[15] Both assisted at his funeral atPortsmouth Cathedral on 26 January 2011,[16] along with his great friendPatricia Routledge.[17]
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