Full Breakdown
Bishop of Lincoln Resigns Amid Ongoing Sexual-Assault Investigation
By Drooid · · How we work
Background & Context
The Right Reverend Stephen Conway was appointed Bishop of Lincoln on 24 May 2023, after serving as Acting Bishop while also holding the see of Ely. His tenure began in 2023, marking his first full appointment to the Lincoln diocese.
Resignation and Investigation
In February 2024, Conway was arrested as part of a police inquiry into an allegation that a man was sexually assaulted between 2018 and 2025. Lincolnshire Police said the suspect was a 68-year-old man and released him on conditional bail while the investigation continues. The Church of England confirmed that Conway’s resignation will formally take effect on 1 October, as announced in a statement from Church House.
Key Figures & Groups
- Stephen Conway – Right Reverend, Bishop of Lincoln (resigning).
- Dr Nicholas Chamberlain – Bishop of Grantham, appointed Acting Bishop of Lincoln.
- Archbishop of Canterbury – suspended Conway in February under the House of Bishops’ Code of Practice.
- Lincolnshire Police – conducting the criminal investigation.
- Church House/National Safeguarding Team – handling the safeguarding complaint.
Official Statements & Responses
In a pastoral letter, Dr Chamberlain and the Suffragan Bishop of Grimsby, the Right Reverend Jean Burgess, acknowledged that the news may provoke a range of feelings, encouraged parishioners to support one another, and announced that diocesan gatherings for prayer would be organised over the coming months.
What’s Next
A Crown Nominations Commission will be convened “in due course” to select a permanent Bishop of Lincoln. The police investigation remains active, with no further details released at this time.