Jan McFarlane

Janet Elizabeth "Jan" McFarlane (born 25 November 1964) is a British Church of England bishop and former speech and language therapist. She has been Dean of Lichfield, the primus inter pares (first among equals) of the clergy at Lichfield Cathedral — the mother church of the Diocese of Lichfield — since 2024; she has also been an honorary assistant bishop of the Diocese since 2020. She has previously served as a Canon of Lichfield; as Bishop of Repton (the suffragan bishop of the Diocese of Derby); and as Acting Bishop of Derby.

Early life and education Jan McFarlane was born on 25 November 1964 in Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire, England. She was educated at Blythe Bridge High School, a state secondary school in Blythe Bridge near Stoke-on-Trent. She studied at the University of Sheffield, graduating with a Bachelor of Medical Science (BMedSci) degree in 1987. She specialised in teaching deaf children to speak. completing a Diploma in Ministry (DipMin) in 1993. From 1994 to 1996, she remained in the Stafford to serve her curacy as part of the Stafford Team Ministry.

Jan McFarlane was first elected to the General Synod of the Church of England in 2005. She was a member of the General Synod that approved the consecration of women to the episcopate.

Episcopal ministry On 26 February 2016, Jan McFarlane was announced as the next Bishop of Repton, suffragan bishop in the Diocese of Derby. She was welcomed into the Diocese of Derby as Bishop of Repton on 7 September 2016, during a service at Derby Cathedral. While at Repton, she also served as Acting diocesan Bishop of Derby, 31 August 2018 to February 2019.

It was announced in January 2020 that she would be moving to become a Residentiary Canon ("Canon Custos") of Lichfield Cathedral, and an honorary assistant bishop of the Diocese of Lichfield, the following April. She was duly licensed to those roles on 3 April 2020. In April 2023, she was licensed as interim dean of Lichfield Cathedral. On 5 June 2024, it was announced that she had been appointed Dean of Lichfield on a permanent basis. She was instituted as dean during a service at Lichfield Cathedral on 21 September 2024.

Selected works