THE next Bishop of St Albans is to be Dr Andrew Rumsey, who has been the Area Bishop of Ramsbury, in the diocese of Salisbury, since 2019, Downing Street announced on Thursday.
He succeeds Dr Alan Smith, who retired last May (News, 10 January 2025).
Dr Rumsey was born, baptised, and grew up in the diocese, where his father served as a parish priest. He was educated at Reading University and King’s College, London, where he completed his Doctor of Theology and Ministry (D.Th.Min.) in 2016 with a thesis “What kind of place is the Anglican parish? A theological description”.
He trained for ministry at Ridley Hall, Cambridge, before his ordination as priest in 1998. He served his title at Holy Trinity and St Michael, Harrow, in London diocese, before parish ministry in Southwark diocese. He was Vicar of Christ Church, Gypsy Hill, from 2001 until his appointment as Rector (2011), then Team Rector (2014), of Oxted, where he served until his consecration as a bishop in 2019.
Dr Rumsey also serves as the Church’s lead bishop for church buildings. Alongside his episcopal ministry, he is known for his writing on place and belonging, including Parish: An Anglican theology of place (Books, 21 July 2017) and English Grounds: A pastoral journal (Books, 11 March 2022). He is also a singer-songwriter, and has released three folk albums: Evensongs, which was recorded live in a 12th-century church, All Saints’, Ham, where he and his collaborators set out to capture the natural sounds and character of a summer’s day in the building (News, Podcast 20 October 2023); Collodion, released last year (Arts, 11 April 2025); and Blank Arcades, released last month.
Speaking in a pre-recorded message released on Thursday, he said that it was “a profound joy to return home” to St Albans. He was due to tour the diocese, beginning at St Martin’s, Knebworth, where he was baptised.
“My prayer is that together we will come home to Christ, and that our churches, schools, and chaplaincies will be places where people of every background can truly belong. I look forward to coming to know who you are now, and to serving alongside you in the years ahead,” he said.
He is to move to the diocese later this year with his wife, Rebecca, and their family. “Please know that I will be praying for you, and I ask you to pray for me and our family as we prepare for all that lies ahead,” he said.
On Thursday afternoon, he was due to be given a short tour of St Albans Cathedral, meet members of the cathedral community, and join the congregation for evensong.