The Venerable James Scott Ridge has been
Chaplain-General of Prisons The Chaplain-General of Prisons is the head of the Church of England's chaplaincy to prisons. He is also an ''ex officio'' member of the House of Clergy of the General Synod.
Chaplains-general
:''Smith was the first chaplain-general.''
*1946-1961 ...
(and
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 ...
of Prisons) since 2018.
[
]
Early life and education
Ridge was born in 1977 and educated at
Exeter University
, mottoeng = "We Follow the Light"
, established = 1838 - St Luke's College1855 - Exeter School of Art1863 - Exeter School of Science 1955 - University of Exeter (received royal charter)
, type = Public
, ...
,
Selwyn College, Cambridge
Selwyn College, Cambridge (formally Selwyn College in the University of Cambridge) is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge. The college was founded in 1882 by the Selwyn Memorial Committee in memory of George Augustus Selwyn (18 ...
, and
Westcott House, Cambridge
Westcott House is an Anglican theological college based on Jesus Lane in the centre of the university city of Cambridge in the United Kingdom.Westcott House website, Home pag Retrieved on August 27, 2006. Its main activity is training people for ...
.
Ordained ministry
The Venerable Ridge was
ordained
Ordination is the process by which individuals are consecrated, that is, set apart and elevated from the laity class to the clergy, who are thus then authorized (usually by the denominational hierarchy composed of other clergy) to perform va ...
deacon
A deacon is a member of the diaconate, an office in Christian churches that is generally associated with service of some kind, but which varies among theological and denominational traditions. Major Christian churches, such as the Catholic Churc ...
in 2005 and
priest
A priest is a religious leader authorized to perform the sacred rituals of a religion, especially as a mediatory agent between humans and one or more deities. They also have the authority or power to administer religious rites; in particu ...
in 2006. After a
curacy in
Halstead he became a
prison chaplain Prison religion includes the religious beliefs and practices of prison inmates, usually stemming from or including concepts surrounding their imprisonment and accompanying lifestyle. "Prison Ministry" is a larger concept, including the support of th ...
. He was at
HM Prison Chelmsford
HM Prison Chelmsford is a Category B men's prison and Young Offenders Institution, located in Chelmsford, Essex, England. The prison is operated by His Majesty's Prison Service.
History
Chelmsford Prison began as a county jail in 1825 before t ...
from 2009 to 2016 and
HM Prison Wayland from then until his appointment as
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 ...
.
References
1977 births
Alumni of the University of Exeter
Alumni of Westcott House, Cambridge
Alumni of Selwyn College, Cambridge
Chaplains-General of Prisons
Living people
21st-century English Anglican priests
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