By Elizabeth Hopkirk2021-02-19T05:00:00+00:00
Guli Francis-Dehqani, the first bishop for housing, takes up her post in April. With the Church of England publishing a detailed report into the housing crisis this weekend, she tells Elizabeth Hopkirk why the role is much more than a token one – and how she believes she can make a real difference
Bishop Guli was announced as bishop-designate of Chelmsford in December, replacing Stephen Cottrell who is now archbishop of York
“Housing is an issue of justice, which Jesus cares about intimately.” With these words Justin Welby, the archbishop of Canterbury, announced at an industry conference last month that he was appointing a bishop for housing. The news was greeted with surprise and curiosity, welcomed by some, dismissed as an irrelevance by others. What was the leader of the Anglican Communion doing addressing a housing conference? And what can the third estate achieve where the first and second have so singularly failed?