The most senior

Anglican Anglicanism is a Western Christian tradition that has developed from the practices, liturgy, and identity of the Church of England following the English Reformation, in the context of the Protestant Reformation in Europe. It is one of th ...

chaplain A chaplain is, traditionally, a cleric (such as a Minister (Christianity), minister, priest, pastor, rabbi, purohit, or imam), or a laity, lay representative of a religious tradition, attached to a secularity, secular institution (such as a hosp ...

in each branch of the

British Armed Forces The British Armed Forces, also known as His Majesty's Armed Forces, are the military forces responsible for the defence of the United Kingdom, its Overseas Territories and the Crown Dependencies. They also promote the UK's wider interests, s ...

(

Royal Navy The Royal Navy (RN) is the United Kingdom's naval warfare force. Although warships were used by English and Scottish kings from the early medieval period, the first major maritime engagements were fought in the Hundred Years' War against F ...

British Army The British Army is the principal land warfare force of the United Kingdom, a part of the British Armed Forces along with the Royal Navy and the Royal Air Force. , the British Army comprises 79,380 regular full-time personnel, 4,090 Gurk ...

, and

Royal Air Force The Royal Air Force (RAF) is the United Kingdom's air and space force. It was formed towards the end of the First World War on 1 April 1918, becoming the first independent air force in the world, by regrouping the Royal Flying Corps (RFC) and ...

) is made an

archdeacon An archdeacon is a senior clergy position in the Church of the East, Chaldean Catholic Church, Syriac Orthodox Church, Anglican Communion, St Thomas Christians, Eastern Orthodox churches and some other Christian denominations, above that o ...

in the

Church of England The Church of England (C of E) is the established Christian church in England and the mother church of the international Anglican Communion. It traces its history to the Christian church recorded as existing in the Roman province of Britain ...

. Respectively they are titled the Archdeacon for the Royal Navy, the Archdeacon for the Army, and the Archdeacon for the Royal Air Force. As an archdeacon, they are styled ''

The Venerable The Venerable (''venerabilis'' in Latin) is a style, a title, or an epithet which is used in some Western Christian churches, or it is a translation of similar terms for clerics in Eastern Orthodoxy and monastics in Buddhism. Christianity Cathol ...

''.

Archdeacon for the Royal Navy

The Archdeacon for the Royal Navy is the senior Anglican chaplain of the

Chaplaincy Service. Since 2021, this has been Andrew Hillier. Until 1998, the most senior Anglican chaplain had also been head of the Chaplaincy Service as the

Chaplain of the Fleet The Royal Navy Chaplaincy Service provides chaplains to the Royal Navy. The chaplains are commissioned by the Sovereign but do not hold military rank other than that of "Chaplain Royal Navy". They are usually addressed as Padre, Reverend or more ...

. Since then, chaplains from other denominations have also been able to be appointed Chaplain of the Fleet but when an Anglican becomes head they hold both appointments concurrently. *

Simon Golding Simon Jefferies Golding, (born 30 March 1946) is a Church of England priest and former Royal Navy chaplain. He was Chaplain of the Fleet, Director General of the Naval Chaplaincy Service and Archdeacon for the Royal Navy from 2000 to 2002. He wa ...

(1998–2002); also Chaplain of the Fleet from 2000 to 2002 *

Barry Hammett Barry Keith Hammett, (born 9 October 1947) is a Church of England priest and former Royal Navy chaplain. He was Chaplain of the Fleet, Director General of the Naval Chaplaincy Service and Archdeacon for the Royal Navy from 2002 to 2006.Who's Who ...

(2002–2006); also Chaplain of the Fleet from 2002 to 2006 *

John Green John Michael Green (born August 24, 1977) is an American author, YouTube Content creation, content creator, podcaster, and philanthropist. His books have more than 50 million copies in print worldwide, including ''The Fault in Our Stars'' ( ...

(2006–2010); also Chaplain of the Fleet from 2006 to 2010 *

Martin Poll Martin Poll (November 24, 1922 – April 14, 2012) was an American film and television producer. Poll produced eleven feature films during his career, including '' The Lion in Winter'', for which he received a 1968 Academy Award nomination for ...

(2010–2012) *

Ian Wheatley Ian James Wheatley, (born 1962) is a British Anglican priest and former Royal Navy officer. From 2014 to 2018, he has served as Chaplain of the Fleet, the senior military chaplain of the Royal Navy: he had also served as Deputy Chaplain of the F ...

(2012–2017); also Chaplain of the Fleet from 2014 * Martyn Gough (2018–2021); also Chaplain of the Fleet *

Andrew Hillier Andrew is the English form of a given name common in many countries. In the 1990s, it was among the top ten most popular names given to boys in English-speaking countries. "Andrew" is frequently shortened to "Andy" or "Drew". The word is derived ...

(2021–present); also Chaplain of the Fleet

Archdeacon for the Army

The Archdeacon for the Army is the senior Anglican chaplain of the

Royal Army Chaplains' Department The Royal Army Chaplains' Department (RAChD) is an all-officer department that provides ordained clergy to minister to the British Army. History The Army Chaplains' Department (AChD) was formed by Royal Warrant of 23 September 1796; until the ...

(RAChD),

. Since 2022, this has been Stephen Dunwoody. Until 1987, the most senior Anglican chaplain had also been head of the RAChD as its Chaplain General. Since then, chaplains from other denominations have also been able to be appointed Chaplain General but when an Anglican becomes head they hold both appointments concurrently. *

Tom Robinson Thomas Giles Robinson (born 1 June 1950) is a British singer, bassist, radio presenter and long-time LGBT rights activist, best known for the hits "Glad to Be Gay", "2-4-6-8 Motorway", and "Don't Take No for an Answer", with his Tom Robinson ...

(1987–1990) *

Graham Roblin Graham Henry Roblin (18 August 1937 – 4 December 2005) was the Archdeacon of the Army and Deputy Chaplain General to the Forces from 1989 to 1993. Roblin was educated at King’s College, Taunton and King’s College London and ordained ...

(1990–1993) * Alan Dea (1993–1995) *

John Holliman John Holliman (October 23, 1948 – September 12, 1998) was an American broadcast journalist. He was a member of the original reporting corps for CNN, serving as its agriculture correspondent after serving in the same capacity for Associa ...

(1996–1999) * John Blackburn (1999–2004); also Chaplain General from 2000 to 2004 *

Stephen Robbins Stephen Robbins (born 1953) is a British Church of England priest and former British Army officer. He is bishop's chaplain to Nick Holtam, Bishop of Salisbury. He was previously the most senior military chaplain in the British Army, serving as ...

(2004–2011); also Chaplain General from 2008 to 2011 *

Peter Eagles Peter Andrew Eagles, (born 6 July 1959) is a British Anglican bishop. Since 2017, he has been the Bishop of Sodor and Man; he was consecrated a bishop in the Church of England in June 2017, and he was installed in September 2017. He is a former ...

(2011–2017), Deputy Chaplain General *

Clinton Langston Clinton Matthew Langston, (born 1962) is a British Anglican priest and military chaplain. He served as Chaplain General of the Royal Army Chaplains' Department, British Army between 2018 and 2022, and as Archdeacon for the Army in the Church of ...

(2017–2022); also Chaplain General from 2018 * Stephen Dunwoody (2022–present)

Archdeacon for the Royal Air Force

The Archdeacon for the Royal Air Force is the most senior Anglican chaplain of the

Chaplains Branch. They also hold the position of Principal Anglican Chaplain. Since 2022, this has been

Giles Legood Air Vice-Marshal Giles Leslie Legood, (born 1967) is a British Anglican priest. Since July 2022 he has served as Chaplain-in-Chief of the Royal Air Force Chaplains Branch and Archdeacon for the Royal Air Force. He previously served as Deputy Chap ...

. Until 2001, the most senior Anglican chaplain had also been head of the Chaplains Branch as its

Chaplain-in-Chief The Royal Air Force Chaplains Branch provides military chaplains for the Royal Air Force of the United Kingdom. Mission The Mission of the Royal Air Force Chaplains Branch is to serve the RAF Community through: Prayer, Presence and Proclamation. ...

. Since then, chaplains from other denominations have also been able to be appointed Chaplain-in-Chief but when an Anglican becomes head they hold all three appointments concurrently. *

Ron Hesketh Ronald David Hesketh, (born 16 June 1947) is a British Anglican priest and retired military chaplain. From 2001 to 2006, he served as Chaplain-in-Chief, and thereby head of the Royal Air Force Chaplains Branch, and Archdeacon for the Royal Air Fo ...

(2001–2006); also Chaplain-in-Chief from 2001 to 2006 *

Ray Pentland Raymond Jackson Pentland, (born 14 July 1957) is a British Church of England priest. He is a retired military chaplain, having served as Chaplain-in-Chief of the Royal Air Force and head of its Chaplains Branch from 2009 to 2014. Early life P ...

(2006–2014); also Chaplain-in-Chief from 2009 to 2014 *

Jonathan Chaffey Jonathan Paul Michael Chaffey, (born 1962) is a British Church of England priest and former military chaplain, who served with the Royal Air Force. He serves as Archdeacon of Oxford in the same diocese; from 2014 to 2018 he served as the Chaplai ...

(2014–2018); also Chaplain-in-Chief from 2014 to 2018 *

John Ellis John Ellis may refer to: Academics *John Ellis (scrivener) (1698–1791), English political writer *John Ellis (naturalist) (1710–1776), English botanical illustrator *John Ellis (physicist, born 1946), British theoretical physicist at CERN * Jo ...

(2018–2022); also Chaplain-in-Chief since 2018 *

(2022–present); also Chaplain-in-Chief

References

{{Archdeacons in the Church of England + + +