The Church of England has named its second female bishop as Leeds University alumna the Rev Canon Alison White.

The 58-year-old will become the new bishop of Hull following legislation to allow the appointment of women bishops last year.

The announcement on Wednesday comes after the first female bishop the Rev Libby Lane was consecrated in January.

White studied for an MA in Theology at Leeds in 1995, having graduated with an English degree from Durham University.

She said, ‘I’m hugely grateful to Libby (Lane). I don’t think I would have wanted to be the first woman to be called into this ministry. Won’t that be wonderful when, in the best sense, it isn’t newsworthy because we’re women; it’s newsworthy because of what we’re called into. It’s step by step in making it business as usual’.

White, who is priest-in-charge of Riding Mill in Newcastle, is married to the assistant bishop of the city. They will become the first husband and wife team of bishops.

The Archbishop of York Dr John Sentamu said, ‘Alison is a person of real godliness and wisdom. This is a joyous day’.

Speaking of the appointment of women bishops, Sentamu added, ‘The Church of England tends to take a long time to make a decision but when it does make a decision, it moves very, very quickly’.

Josie Hough

Image courtesy of Huffington Post