Stephen Conway

Stephen David Conway SCP (born 22 December 1957) is a British Anglican bishop. Since July 2023, he has served as the Bishop of Lincoln. Prior to that he had been successively Bishop of Ramsbury (an area/suffragan bishop in the Diocese of Salisbury), then Bishop of Ely. He is currently suspended from his ministry following allegations of sexual assault.

Early life and education Conway was born on 22 December 1957. He was educated at Archbishop Tenison's Grammar School, a state grammar school in Lambeth, London. working as an assistant master at Glenalmond College, a private school in Perth, Scotland, between 1981 and 1983. After a further year of training, he left theological college in 1986 to be ordained in the Church of England. and ordained a priest the following Petertide (28 June 1987) by David Jenkins, Bishop of Durham — both times at Durham Cathedral. From 1986 to 1989, he served his curacy at St Mary's Church, Heworth in the Diocese of Durham. He was an assistant curate at Church of St Michael and All Angels, Bishopwearmouth, Sunderland, between 1989 and 1990, and then an honorary curate of St Margaret's Church, Durham, between 1990 and 1994. and he was consecrated on 22 June 2006. He was the last area bishop under that diocese's 1981–2009 area scheme. Following the retirement of David Stancliffe as Bishop of Salisbury in July 2010, Conway was made responsible for the administration of that diocese. On 31 August 2010, it was announced that he would be the next Bishop of Ely. His installation and enthronement was held in Ely Cathedral on 5 March 2011. He was introduced to the House on Monday, 7 July 2014.

It was announced that Conway was to serve as both Bishop of Ely and Acting Bishop of Lincoln (each half-time) from 1 January 2022. He stepped down as acting bishop on 20 April 2023, and returned to being the full-time Bishop of Ely.

On 24 May 2023, it was announced that Conway was to be translated to Lincoln as substantive bishop diocesan in "autumn" 2023; his translation was effected by the confirmation of his election on 20 July 2023 at St Mary-le-Bow. He was enthroned Bishop of Lincoln on Armistice Day.

On 20 February 2026 he was suspended from his ministry due to an ongoing safeguarding investigation. The suspension followed a complaint filed with the church's safeguarding team the previous month accusing Conway of sexual assault against a male complainant. Conway was arrested on 21 February as part of a police investigation into the allegation and later released on bail. Nicholas Chamberlain has assumed his duties as bishop pending the outcome of the investigation. In late February 2026, Conway resigned as episcopal visitor to the Shrine of Our Lady of Walsingham; this resignation was accepted by the Guardians of the Shrine.

Views Following the conclusion of the Living in Love and Faith process in January 2023, Conway stated that he supports "faithful same-sex couples to have their union affirmed in church and for them to receive God's blessing".

In November 2023, he was one of 44 Church of England bishops who signed an open letter supporting the use of the Prayers of Love and Faith (i.e. blessings for same-sex couples) and called for "Guidance being issued without delay that includes the removal of all restrictions on clergy entering same-sex civil marriages, and on bishops ordaining and licensing such clergy".

Styles The Reverend Stephen Conway (1986–2002) The Venerable Stephen Conway (2002–2006) The Right Reverend Stephen Conway (2006–present)