General Synod Election Candidates 2026

Revd Samuel S. Thorp​ ​
Vicar of Penn and Tylers Green​​
Diocese of Oxford
Election Address
I’ve always enjoyed the gentle irony of my name being “Samuel”, “one who hears God”
when I was born with moderate hearing loss in both of my ears. Samuel can also mean
“one who is called by God” and despite resisting following in my father's footsteps as a
vicar, God, and indeed the Church of England, convinced me otherwise. I was ordained
in 2018/19 in the Diocese of Norwich, served my curacy in rural Norfolk (in the Diss
Team Ministry, a team of 5 parishes which became a team of 11) and I came to Penn and
Tylers Green in the Buckingham area of the Oxford Diocese in June 2023. Earlier this
year I joined the Deanery Leadership team, supporting the Area Dean and Lay Chair for
Amersham Deanery.

Recently I have been discerning a calling to stand for General Synod and am offering
myself in the hopes of being a ‘reasonable, holy, and lively sacrifice’, seeking to serve
God, the Church, and the Diocese of Oxford. I offer myself as myself, by which I mean
that I intend to be a person of living faith who carries their convictions honestly whilst
being willing to engage with and listen to other people, stories and perspectives.

When it comes to Churchmanship I have always viewed myself as something of a
spiritual mongrel. My father, the Revd Canon Stephen Thorp, and my maternal
grandfather, the Revd Canon John Short, brought me up in a low church evangelical
faith centred on faithful preaching. My time at the London School of Theology, where I
did my BA Theology, was aimed at discovering what I believed for myself. There I was
immersed in a broad range of theological perspectives and denominations (with robust
and colourful discussions on baptism, for example) with people from various cultures
around the world. Whilst there I had a powerful encounter with God which freed me
from long term struggles and transformed my studies. During my MA at Cranmer I had
the opportunity to experience High Anglo-Catholic worship on placement and followed
the best advice I was given on my first day at Cranmer - “Spiritually, eat what you are
given”. That is, there’s often a spiritual benefit even outside of our comfort zones. My
Training Incumbent, Revd Canon Tony Billett, used to say that I am an evangelical in the
pulpit and a catholic behind the altar.

So why do I want to stand for General Synod?

Firstly because I’ve been unable to shrug off the sense of calling to offer myself. But also
because I love the Church of England and the faithful people who so generously and
selflessly give so much of themselves to support the ministry of the Church, whether
that be in visible roles on Sunday mornings or quietly behind the scenes as the engines

Revd Samuel S. Thorp​ ​
Vicar of Penn and Tylers Green​​
Diocese of Oxford
that keep things ticking over. I want to add my voice to the support and encouragement
of those on the ground, not simply through kind words but by contributing to shaping
the processes and structures that will undoubtedly be changing around them as we
approach the upcoming retirement cliff and the drastic reduction in clergy numbers.

One of my theological strengths has always been systematics, and that sense of ‘big
picture’ awareness of how different details in different areas might interact with each
other or cause ripples in other areas is something I would bring to Synod, particularly
when it comes to the balance(s) of power(s) between “the centre” and the grassroots.

Whilst I recognise the importance of resolving the impasse left from the LLF process I
am concerned that it has displaced other important conversations. My scriptural
convictions mean that I hold to Canon B30 and the teaching that marriage is between a
man and a woman, and my pastoral heart desires to see a positive vision for the
flourishing of human sexuality within a Christ centred proclamation of the Gospel.

The Gospel of Christ has to be the root of our faith and ministry, and never before has
the mission field been so filled with opportunities. The decline of Christian norms, the
increasing lack of biblical literacy, and the rapidly evolving technological context of our
lives leaves the Church navigating new waters. My prayer is that we have been labouring
in the night with limited success, but that Christ will call the Church of England to cast
the net into the waters once again - and near swamp the boat with fish.

However I have to acknowledge that part of why I am standing now is more personal. I
have mentioned my deafness, it is caused by a condition called Ushers Type 2 which
also causes Retinitis Pigmentosa; which means my sight is deteriorating from the
peripheral to the centre. I am now registered as Severely Sight Impaired and use a white
cane. For the time being my sight is such that I can read, and I believe I shall be able to
for at least the next five years. But I wouldn’t want to gamble on being able to read
visually for the whole of the next quinquennium. Nevertheless my faith sustains me with
joy and hope, and I would like to offer that witness to the Church as well.

As such this quinquennium is likely my only opportunity to offer myself for your
consideration. I pray that even if we don’t agree on every detail, you will consider me as
a brother in Christ who can faithfully and sincerely represent you, seeking to serve the
Diocese of Oxford and the Church of England to the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.

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