Nicky Gumbel
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Nicholas Glyn Paul Gumbel is an English Anglican priest and author in the evangelical and charismatic traditions.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref><ref>Template:Cite book</ref> He is known as the developer of the Alpha Course, a basic introduction to Christianity supported by churches of many Christian traditions. He was vicar of Holy Trinity Brompton in the Diocese of London (Church of England) from 2005 to 2022.
Early life and education
Nicky Gumbel was born on 28 April 1955 in London, England. He is the son of Walter Gumbel, a German secular Jew<ref name="independentmatthew">Template:Cite news</ref> from Stuttgart whose licence to practise law in that city was withdrawn in one of the early Nazi purges. Walter Gumbel emigrated to Britain and became a successful barrister.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Gumbel's mother, Muriel, was also a barrister and nominal Christian.<ref name="Heard 2012, p. 16">Template:Cite book</ref>
Gumbel was educated at Hill House School,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> an independent day preparatory school in Knightsbridge in London, followed by Eton College, an independent boys' boarding school near Windsor in Berkshire. He studied law at Trinity College, Cambridge, graduating with a Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree in 1976;<ref name="independentmatthew"/><ref name="spectatormatthew">Template:Cite news</ref> as per tradition,<ref name="bama">Template:Cite book</ref> his BA degree was later promoted to a Master of Arts (MA) degree.<ref name="Crockford entry" />
He converted to Christianity while attending university in 1974.<ref name="Heard 2012, p. 16" /> Gumbel also attended the Iwerne holiday camps founded by EJ "Bash" Nash; these were evangelical Christian holiday camps aimed at children from English public schools, aimed at preparing boys for future ministry at the highest level in the church. After revelations of sexual and physical abuse perpetrated by John Smyth at these camps, Gumbel gradually distanced himself from Iwerne, and in later editions of his 2011 book Bible in One Year, replaced the eulogy to Nash with the same eulogy addressed to John Collins.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Life and career
After graduating from university, Gumbel followed in his father's footsteps and became a practising barrister.<ref name="independentmatthew"/> Meanwhile, he became a regular worshipper at Holy Trinity Brompton Church, Knightsbridge.<ref name="guardiantranscript">Template:Cite news</ref> In January 1978, Gumbel married at the church<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> and he would go on to have three children with his wife Pippa.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
In 1982, Gumbel announced his decision to leave the bar to train for ordination in the Church of England. In 1983 he began theological studies and training for ordained ministry at Wycliffe Hall, Oxford.<ref name="independentmatthew"/> He graduated with a BA degree in 1986; as per tradition,<ref name="bama"/> his BA degree was later promoted to an MA degree.<ref name="Crockford entry">Template:Crockford</ref>
Ordained ministry
Gumbel was ordained in the Church of England as a deacon in 1986.<ref name="Crockford entry" /> After some difficulty in finding a curacy, he joined the staff of his "home" church of Holy Trinity Brompton (HTB) in the Diocese of London.<ref name="independentmatthew"/> He was ordained as a priest in 1987.<ref name="Crockford entry" /> In 1996, the Bishop of London appointed him Alpha chaplain, though he remained at HTB as a curate.<ref name="Christian Today – Alpha Course Chaplain">Template:Cite news</ref> In 2005, Gumbel was officially installed as vicar of Holy Trinity Brompton Church.<ref name="Crockford entry" /> The previous vicar, Sandy Millar, had retired from stipendiary ministry and became an assistant bishop in the Diocese of London.Template:Citation needed
In 2007, Gumbel was awarded an honorary doctorate by the University of Gloucestershire as recognition of his broad contribution to the wider church through Alpha.Template:Citation needed
He was appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in the 2024 New Year Honours for services to the Church of England.<ref>Template:London Gazette</ref>
Alpha Course
In 1990, Gumbel took over the running of the Alpha Course that had been running there since 1977.<ref name="guardiantranscript"/> The course was transformed under his leadership from being one designed for new Christians to one primarily for those outside the church who would not consider themselves Christians.Template:Citation needed Gumbel serves as the public face of the course, being described by James Heard as something of a "WeberianTemplate:Clarify charismatic leader".<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>
Gumbel is the author of a number of books related to the Alpha Course, including Questions of Life which has sold over 1,000,000 copies.Template:Citation needed Voted "Christian Book of the Year" in 1994, it has been published in 48 languages.Template:Citation needed Other related books include Why Jesus, Searching Issues, Telling Others, A Life Worth Living, Challenging Lifestyle, Heart of Revival, and 30 Days.Template:Citation needed
See also
References
Further reading
External links
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- 1955 births
- 20th-century English Anglican priests
- 21st-century English Anglican priests
- Alumni of Trinity College, Cambridge
- Alumni of Wycliffe Hall, Oxford
- Anglican writers
- Converts to Anglicanism from atheism or agnosticism
- People educated at Eton College
- English Charismatics
- English evangelicals
- English people of German-Jewish descent
- Evangelical Anglican clergy
- Evangelicalism in the Church of England
- Holy Trinity Brompton people
- Living people
- People educated at Hill House School
- Clergy from London
- Lawyers from London
- English barristers
- Commanders of the Order of the British Empire