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  1. Politics
31 October 2011updated 17 Jan 2012 12:32pm

Dean of St Paul’s Cathedral resigns

Graeme Knowles steps down with immediate effect, following the resignation of Giles Fraser last week

By Samira Shackle

St Paul’s has been thrown into crisis with the news that the Dean, Graeme Knowles, had resigned with immediate effect. The Church Times broke the story. According to the Guardian’s Peter Walker, the Bishop of London has said that the loss of Knowles is a “tragedy”.

This comes just days after the resignation of Canon Chancellor Giles Fraser, who objected to the decision for St Paul’s to take legal action against the Occupy the London Stock Exchange protesters camped outside the building.

On Friday, Knowles announced that the cathedral would seek an injunction against the protesters, provoking a barrage of criticism. Fraser said that eviction would constitute “violence in the name of the Church”.

On resigning, Knowles said that “since the arrival of the protesters’ camp outside the cathedral, we have all been put under a great deal of strain and have faced what would appear to be some insurmountable issues”. He added:

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It has become increasingly clear to me that, as criticism of the cathedral has mounted in the press, media and in public opinion, my position as Dean of St Paul’s was becoming untenable.

In order to give the opportunity for a fresh approach to the complex and vital questions facing St Paul’s, I have thought it best to stand down as dean, to allow new leadership to be exercised. I do this with great sadness, but I now believe that I am no longer the right person to lead the Chapter of this great cathedral.

The Archbishop of Canterbury made the following statement:

The announcement today of the resignation of the Dean of St Paul’s, coming as it does in the wake of the resignation of Canon Giles Fraser last week, is very sad news. The events of the last couple of weeks have shown very clearly how decisions made in good faith by good people under unusual pressure can have utterly unforeseen and unwelcome consequences, and the clergy of St Paul’s deserve our understanding in these circumstances.

Graeme Knowles has been a very distinguished Dean of St Paul’s, who has done a great deal to strengthen the pastoral and intellectual life of the Cathedral and its involvement in the life of London. He will be much missed, and I wish him and Susan well in whatever lies ahead.

He added:

The urgent larger issues raised by the protesters at St Paul’s remain very much on the table and we need – as a Church and as society as a whole – to work to make sure that they are properly addressed.

More follows…

 

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  1. Politics
31 October 2011updated 17 Jan 2012 12:32pm

Dean of St Paul’s Cathedral resigns

Graeme Knowles steps down with immediate effect, following the resignation of Giles Fraser last week

By Samira Shackle

St Paul’s has been thrown into crisis with the news that the Dean, Graeme Knowles, had resigned with immediate effect. The Church Times broke the story. According to the Guardian’s Peter Walker, the Bishop of London has said that the loss of Knowles is a “tragedy”.

This comes just days after the resignation of Canon Chancellor Giles Fraser, who objected to the decision for St Paul’s to take legal action against the Occupy the London Stock Exchange protesters camped outside the building.

On Friday, Knowles announced that the cathedral would seek an injunction against the protesters, provoking a barrage of criticism. Fraser said that eviction would constitute “violence in the name of the Church”.

On resigning, Knowles said that “since the arrival of the protesters’ camp outside the cathedral, we have all been put under a great deal of strain and have faced what would appear to be some insurmountable issues”. He added:

It has become increasingly clear to me that, as criticism of the cathedral has mounted in the press, media and in public opinion, my position as Dean of St Paul’s was becoming untenable.

In order to give the opportunity for a fresh approach to the complex and vital questions facing St Paul’s, I have thought it best to stand down as dean, to allow new leadership to be exercised. I do this with great sadness, but I now believe that I am no longer the right person to lead the Chapter of this great cathedral.

The Archbishop of Canterbury made the following statement:

The announcement today of the resignation of the Dean of St Paul’s, coming as it does in the wake of the resignation of Canon Giles Fraser last week, is very sad news. The events of the last couple of weeks have shown very clearly how decisions made in good faith by good people under unusual pressure can have utterly unforeseen and unwelcome consequences, and the clergy of St Paul’s deserve our understanding in these circumstances.

Graeme Knowles has been a very distinguished Dean of St Paul’s, who has done a great deal to strengthen the pastoral and intellectual life of the Cathedral and its involvement in the life of London. He will be much missed, and I wish him and Susan well in whatever lies ahead.

He added:

The urgent larger issues raised by the protesters at St Paul’s remain very much on the table and we need – as a Church and as society as a whole – to work to make sure that they are properly addressed.

More follows…

Content from our partners
The promise of prevention
How Labour hopes to make the UK a leader in green energy
Is now the time to rethink health and care for older people? With Age UK

Select and enter your email address Your weekly guide to the best writing on ideas, politics, books and culture every Saturday. The best way to sign up for The Saturday Read is via saturdayread.substack.com The New Statesman's quick and essential guide to the news and politics of the day. The best way to sign up for Morning Call is via morningcall.substack.com Our Thursday ideas newsletter, delving into philosophy, criticism, and intellectual history. The best way to sign up for The Salvo is via thesalvo.substack.com Stay up to date with NS events, subscription offers & updates. Weekly analysis of the shift to a new economy from the New Statesman's Spotlight on Policy team. The best way to sign up for The Green Transition is via spotlightonpolicy.substack.com
  • Administration / Office
  • Arts and Culture
  • Board Member
  • Business / Corporate Services
  • Client / Customer Services
  • Communications
  • Construction, Works, Engineering
  • Education, Curriculum and Teaching
  • Environment, Conservation and NRM
  • Facility / Grounds Management and Maintenance
  • Finance Management
  • Health - Medical and Nursing Management
  • HR, Training and Organisational Development
  • Information and Communications Technology
  • Information Services, Statistics, Records, Archives
  • Infrastructure Management - Transport, Utilities
  • Legal Officers and Practitioners
  • Librarians and Library Management
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  • Marketing
  • OH&S, Risk Management
  • Operations Management
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  • Printing, Design, Publishing, Web
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  • Public Relations and Media
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  • Quality Management
  • Science and Technical Research and Development
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Visit our privacy Policy for more information about our services, how New Statesman Media Group may use, process and share your personal data, including information on your rights in respect of your personal data and how you can unsubscribe from future marketing communications.
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