Stephen Coleman

Stephen Coleman is a Law Teacher and Research Student at the School of Law and Politics, Cardiff University. He serves as Assistant Director of the Centre for Law and Religion and is the deputy course director of the LLM in Canon Law. He teaches Canon Law and contributes to academic leadership through convening the Colloquium of Anglican and Roman Catholic Canon Lawyers and the Church Law History Network. Coleman is also an ordained Vicar in the Church of England, currently serving at St Peter, Grange Park, North London.

His educational background includes an MA and MSt in Theology from the University of Oxford, followed by legal training and practice as a corporate solicitor in London. He later trained for ordination at Westcott House, Cambridge. He earned his LLM in Canon Law from Cardiff University in 2016 and is currently pursuing a PhD in Ecclesiastical Legal History under Professor Norman Doe.

Coleman's research is centered on Law and Religion, with a focus on Canon Law and Ecclesiastical Legal History. His doctoral work investigates the law of parochial patronage in the Church of England and its use as a tool for theological and ecclesiological reform, particularly through the writings of English ecclesiastical lawyers from the 16th century onward. His recent publications reflect deep engagement with Anglican canon law, ecclesiastical governance, and historical church-state dynamics.

His recent scholarly output shows a strong trend in ecclesiastical legal structures, historical analysis of church appointments, and contributions to authoritative theological references. The articles span topics such as episcopal appointments, ecclesiastical polity, and the role of canon law within the Anglican Communion, demonstrating a consistent interdisciplinary approach combining legal analysis with theological insight.

• Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts (FRSA)
• Early Career Member of the Royal Historical Society
• Honorary Research Fellow of St Stephen's House, Oxford (2022)

Coleman has been involved in significant academic and ecclesiastical service, including membership on the Editorial Board of the Ecclesiastical Law Journal and participation in a working party reforming the Clergy Discipline Measure 2003. He chairs the governors at Wren Academy Enfield, is a trustee of the Ecclesiastical Law Society, and teaches Canon Law to clergy in the Diocese of London. These roles reflect a deep commitment to both academic scholarship and practical ecclesiastical governance.

He is actively involved with the Centre for Law and Religion at Cardiff, where he co-leads initiatives that foster interdisciplinary dialogue between Anglican and Roman Catholic canon lawyers and promote research in church law history. His leadership in these networks strengthens the Centre’s role as a hub for global scholarship on religion and law.