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He was born in Tonyrefail in South Wales, in 1953, and studied at Hertford College, Oxford, where he gained a first in classics and modern languages in 1975. He subsequently studied theology at St Stephen's House, Oxford.

After a curacy in Penarth, Llandaff, he returned to Oxford in 1980 to read for a doctorate in Pauline theology. He became chaplain at Brasenose College, before in 1984 being appointed dean of divinity at Magdalen College, Oxford.

He is a founder member and a trustee of Affirming Catholicism, a group formed in 1990 promoting catholicism within the Anglican church, and which supported the campaign for the ordination of women.

He was Vicar of Holy Trinity, Eltham, (in the Southwark Diocese) in south London from 1991, and in 1997 he became canon chancellor and theologian of Southwark Cathedral.

On May 20, 2003, his appointment as the new Suffragan Bishop of Reading was announced.

His nomination led to controversy both in the Church of England and in the wider Anglican CommunionThe Anglican Communion is a world-wide organisation of Anglican Churches. There is no single "Anglican Church"; it is better to speak of the Anglican Communion, which consists of national churches in communion with the Church of England. Most share the do, due to his involvement in a long-term celibate homosexual relationship. He has for many years been a campaigner for gay rights.

Some conservative, evangelical and traditionalist churches in the United States and Africa were prominent in their threats to split from the Anglican Communion should Jeffrey John's consecration proceed.

Concerns over the potential for division within the church led the Archbishop of CanterburyThe Archbishop of Canterbury is a bishop of the Church of England. His see is the Diocese of Canterbury and his episcopal chair ('cathedra') is at Canterbury Cathedral. He is the most senior bishop of the Church of England and of the worldwide Anglican Co, Dr Rowan WilliamsThe Most Reverend and Right Honourable Rowan Douglas Williams FBA, (born 14 June, 1950) is the Anglican Archbishop of Canterbury, a theologian, poet and lecturer. Rowan Williams was born in Swansea, Wales, into a Welsh-speaking family. He was educated at, to request Dr John to step down. On July 6July 6 is the 187th day of the year (188th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 178 days remaining. Events 1253 Mindaugas crowned king of Lithuania. 1483 Richard III crowned king of England. 1484 Portuguese sea captain Diogo Cao finds the mouth, 2003, he withdrew his appointment to the bishopric.

In spite of the withdrawal of Jeffrey John, the differences in views of homosexuality within the Anglican churchMany different Christian groups hold different Christian views on homosexuality . Anglican views of homosexuality Unification Church views of sexuality Quaker views of homosexuality The issue of homosexuality remains one of great controversy throughout th continued to cause controversy in 2003 following the appointment of Gene Robinson as Bishop of New Hampshire in the Episcopal church in the USA.

On April 19, 2004, 10 Downing Street announced Dr John's appointment to the Deanery of St Albans. He was invested at a ceremony at the cathedral on July 2, 2004.