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UK News

First female bishop in parliament "daunted" at "steep learning curve"

Rt Revd Rachel Treweek was announced as the new Bishop of Gloucester in March, a Diocesan job which made her eligible for a seat in the "Lords Spiritual".

Who is Bishop Rachel?

- 52 years old
- Married to Guy, a Priest-in-Charge of two parishes in London
- Former Archdeacon of Hackney
- Interests include conflict transformation, walking and canoeing

She has been fast tracked to the chamber by a change in the law allowing female bishops to 'skip the queue' of bishops waiting for a House of Lords seat.

Normally a bishop could wait up to 10 years for a place and Bishop Rachel told Premier she was "daunted" by how fast the process was.

"Obviously in an ideal world I would have liked to have really got to grips with being the Bishop of Gloucester and being in the diocese first," she said.

She added: "Yes, it's a steep learning curve but I hope that I will be able to bring what I'm learning, what I'm hearing about, what I'm seeing in the diocese to my role here."

Together with the other spiritual peers, she will take up the Church of England's responsibility to contribute a Christian voice to the legislative process.

When she enters the Upper Chamber for her introduction, Bishop Rachel will be supported by the Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, and the Bishop of London, the Rt Revd Richard Chartres.

During the ceremony, Bishop Rachel will take the parliamentary oath before taking a place on the benches alongside Archbishop Justin and the other members.

Gareth Fuller/PA Wire
Rachel Treweek

The welfare of all people would be the top issue Bishop Rachel would take an interest in whilst in the chamber, she said.

"What's most important for me is that I'm being fully who I am and what God's called me to be.

"Generalisations are always a very dangerous thing to do but I think women are very good at doing connections, I think they're very good at seeing the big picture.

"So I hope that the thing I will do here is be able to say how does this fit with this, rather than we're just discussing this and then discussing something else.

"How do those things fit together within the big picture of people's wellbeing and flourishing?"

She said bishops play a "unique role" in parliament because they connect with people across all walks of life in their diocese.

"When I come into the House of Lords I am brining all those voices, all the things I'm hearing, which is not something every peer in the House of Lords has the opportunity to do - to connect with life across the spectrum."

She added that she hoped her appointment would show young girls there was "nothing to stop them".

Listen to Bishop Rachel speaking to Premier's Antony Bushfield:

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