Ellen Clark-King

The Reverend

Ellen Clark-King
Dean of King's College London
ChurchChurch of England
In office2020 to present
PredecessorRichard Burridge
Orders
Ordination1992 (deacon)
1994 (priest)
Personal details
Born
Ellen Jane Clark

1962 (age 61–62)
NationalityBritish-Canadian
Alma mater

Ellen Jane Clark-King (née Clark; born 1962) is a British-Canadian Anglican priest and academic. Since 2020, she has served as Dean of King's College London.

Early life and education

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Ellen Jane Clark was born in 1962.[1] From 1982 to 1985, she studied history at Newnham College, Cambridge, graduating with a Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree:[1][2][3] as per tradition, her BA was promoted to a Master of Arts (MA Cantab) degree.[1] From 1989 to 1992, she trained for ordination and studied theology at Ripon College Cuddesdon.[1] She continued her studies in Christian spirituality at the University of London, graduating with a Master of Arts (MA) degree in 1999.[1][2] She then studied for a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degree at Lancaster University, which she completed in 2003 with a doctoral thesis titled "Sacred hearts: feminist theology interrogated by the voices of working-class women".[4]

Ordained ministry and career

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Clark-King was made a deacon in the Church of England in 1992.[1] Following the vote to allow women to be ordained as priests in the Church of England, she was ordained to the priesthood in 1994 during a service at Hereford Cathedral.[3] She served her curacy in a multi-church parish in the Diocese of Hereford from 1992 to 1995.[1] Then, from 1995 to 2000, she was fellow and chaplain of Sidney Sussex College, Cambridge.[2] In 2000, she moved to the Diocese of Newcastle, where she became a doctoral student and non-stipendiary minister.[1][3] She was additionally assistant diocesan director of ordinands from 2001 to 2005.[1]

In 2005, Clark-King left the United Kingdom for the Anglican Church of Canada: she was looking for an inclusive church that was welcoming of LGBTQ clergy and accepted same-sex marriage.[3] She served as associate pastor of Christ Church Cathedral, Vancouver between 2005 and 2012.[1] She was additionally Archdeacon of Burrard from 2007 to 2014.[1][5] From 2012 to 2014 and from 2015 to 2016, she was cathedral vicar of Christ Church Cathedral, Vancouver.[1][6] For the 2014/15 academic year, she was director for Anglican formation at the Vancouver School of Theology.[1][7] She was also an elected member of the General Synod of the Anglican Church of Canada.[8] She took Canadian citizenship during her time in the country.[3]

In December 2016, she moved to the United States, where she became executive pastor and canon for social justice at Grace Cathedral, San Francisco in the Episcopal Diocese of California.[6] She was promoted to vice-dean in September 2019.[6] She was an elected member of the General Convention of the Episcopal Church in the United States of America.[8]

Having returned to the United Kingdom, she has been Dean of King's College London since December 2020: this is the most senior cleric of the university, and is tasked with overseeing the spiritual development and welfare of all its students and staff.[9] She is the first woman to hold the post in the almost two centuries of the college's existence.[9] She has additionally be a non-stipendiary minister at St Anne's Church, Soho in the Diocese of London since 2021, and a public preacher in the Diocese of Southwark since 2022.[10]

Personal life

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She is married to Jeremy Clark-King, a fellow Anglican priest.[9] Jonathan Clark, an Anglican bishop, is her brother.[11]

Selected works

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  • Clark-King, Ellen (2004). Theology by heart: women, the Church and God. Peterborough: Epworth Press. ISBN 978-0716205876.
  • Clark-King, Ellen (2011). Path to Your Door: Approaches to Christian Spirituality. London: Continuum International Publisher. ISBN 978-1441157638.

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m "Ellen Jane Clark-King". Crockford's Clerical Directory (online ed.). Church House Publishing. Retrieved 28 July 2021.
  2. ^ a b c "King's People: Revd Dr Ellen Clark-King". King's College London. 12 May 2021. Retrieved 28 July 2021.
  3. ^ a b c d e "An interview with Ellen Clark-King, first female Dean of King's College London – Newnham College". Newnham College. University of Cambridge. 18 February 2021. Retrieved 28 July 2021.
  4. ^ Clark-King, Ellen Jane (2003). "Sacred hearts: feminist theology interrogated by the voices of working-class women". E-Thesis Online Service. The British Library Board. Retrieved 28 July 2021.
  5. ^ "People: Ellen Clark-King becomes Archdeacon of Burrard". Anglican Diocese of New Westminster. 27 February 2007. Retrieved 28 July 2021.
  6. ^ a b c "Vice Dean Ellen Clark-King's New Appointment". Grace Cathedral. 7 June 2020. Retrieved 28 July 2021.
  7. ^ "Farewell to the Reverend Dr. Ellen-Clark-King". Anglican Diocese of New Westminster. 28 November 2016. Retrieved 28 July 2021.
  8. ^ a b "Candidates for Election by the Universities and TEIs: election addresses" (PDF). The Church of England. September 2021. Retrieved 16 June 2023.
  9. ^ a b c "First female chaplaincy Dean". King's College London. 8 June 2020. Retrieved 28 July 2021.
  10. ^ "Ellen Jane Clark-King". Crockford's Clerical Directory (online ed.). Church House Publishing. Retrieved 16 June 2023.
  11. ^ "The New Bishop of Croydon". Anglican Diocese of New Westminster. 26 March 2012. Archived from the original on 27 December 2021. Retrieved 27 December 2021.
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