The former Bishop of Oxford, Lord Harries, has passed away at the age of 89.
Tributes have been flooding in for Lord Harries of Pentregarth, who passed away on Wednesday.
On Thursday morning, the Oxford Diocese released a statement confirming that the former Bishop had died following a brief illness, just weeks before he would have turned 90.
Rt Rev Richard Harries, who previously served as a British Army officer, held the position of Bishop of Oxford from 1987 to 2006.
Upon his retirement, he was granted a life peerage and subsequently continued his parliamentary duties in the House of Lords under the title Lord Harries of Pentregarth.
For several decades, Lord Harries was a frequent contributor to the Church Times and BBC Radio 4’s Thought for the Day programme, authoring a total of 26 books.
The current Bishop of Oxford, Rt Rev Dr Steven Croft, offered his reflections: “Bishop Richard will be remembered by very many people across the diocese for his intelligence and kindness, his good humour, and his deep pastoral wisdom.
“He made a very significant impact beyond the life of the Church in the life of the nation through his ministry in the House of Lords and his writing and broadcasting, particularly on Thought for the Day.
“He made key contributions to Christian ethics and to interfaith relationships, particularly the relationship between Christianity and Judaism, both in Oxford and more widely.”
Bishop Steven described Lord Harries as “one of the very best speakers” in the House of Lords.
He continued: “His speech on assisted dying in September stood out among scores of speeches that day for its clarity and compassion.”
Bishop Steven stated that the diocese “remained in debt to Richard for his gentle, encouraging leadership, inspiring appointments and skilled stewardship in his long ministry here.”
He further added: “Like many others, I am deeply grateful personally for his encouragement and wisdom.
“We give thanks for Bishop Richard’s life and witness. We pray for his wife Jo and children Mark and Clare and their families.
“We grieve his passing and we give thanks for the sure hope of resurrection. May Richard rest in peace and rise in glory. Alleluia.”
Sarah Meyrick, the editor of the Church Times who formerly worked for the Oxford Diocese, commented: “We will miss Richard Harries enormously at the Church Times.
“He was a public intellectual and a wonderful thinker. His pieces for us were always well argued and interesting — and always delivered to us on time. His most recent contribution was a thoughtful piece on the atonement for our Holy Week issue.
“At a personal level, he was modest, gracious, and a delight to deal with. In other words, any editor’s dream. He will be much missed and mourned by his many admirers.”
In one of his final pieces for the Church Times, Lord Harries wrote: “This life is a journey and a preparation for something beyond it.
“What is beyond is not simply an extension of this life, or this kind of life lived elsewhere. It is that in which all things come together, which exists as an end in itself.”
In 2003, Lord Harries became embroiled in a prominent dispute after nominating Canon Jeffrey John for the area bishopric of Reading, who subsequently decided not to accept the position.
The proposed appointment of the celibate homosexual Canon had the potential to divide the Oxford Diocese, with conservative factions urging parishes to withhold financial contributions in response.