David Atkinson (bishop) explained

Honorific Prefix:The Right Reverend
David Atkinson
Bishop of Thetford
Diocese:Norwich
Term:200116 September 2009 (retired)
Predecessor:Hugo de Waal
Successor:Alan Winton
Other Post:Honorary assistant bishop in Southwark (2009–present)
Archdeacon of Lewisham (1996–2001)
Ordination:1972 (deacon); 1973 (priest)
Consecration:2001
Birth Date:5 September 1943
Religion:Anglican
Parents:Thomas Collins & Adèle
Spouse:Susan (m. 1969)
Children:1 son; 1 daughter
Profession:Academic & author (theology & ethics)
Alma Mater:King's College, London

David John Atkinson[1] (born 5 September 1943) is the former Bishop of Thetford.[2]

Early life and education

Atkinson was educated at Maidstone Grammar School and King's College London (he became an Associate of King's College and, at other points, a Doctor of Philosophy, Master of Letters, Oxford Master of Arts, and Bachelor of Science). He had a short career as a chemistry teacher.[3]

Ordained ministry

Atkinson was ordained in 1973.[4] His career began with a curacy at St Peter Halliwell, Bolton,[5] after which he was Curate at St John, Harborne, Birmingham, and then Librarian at Latimer House, Oxford. From 1977 he was chaplain (and a Fellow) of Corpus Christi College, Oxford, and part-time Lecturer at Wycliffe Hall, then a canon residentiary at Southwark Cathedral and finally (before his elevation to the episcopate)[6] Archdeacon of Lewisham.

He was Bishop of Thetford from 2001 to 2009. In 2009 he became an assistant bishop in the Diocese of Southwark. He has been Northrupp Visiting Professor at Hope College, Holland, Michigan, and Visiting Lecturer at St John's College, Hong Kong, and at the South Asia institute of Advanced Christian Studies. He is a member of the Society of Ordained Scientists, and has served on the Board of Operation Noah. Atkinson is married with two children and eight grandchildren. He retired on 16 September 2009.[7]

On 11 February 2017, Atkinson was one of fourteen retired bishops to sign an open letter to the then-serving bishops of the Church of England. In an unprecedented move, they expressed their opposition to the House of Bishops' report to General Synod on sexuality, which recommended no change to the Church's canons or practices around sexuality.[8] By 13 February, a serving bishop (Alan Wilson, Bishop of Buckingham) and nine further retired bishops had added their signatures;[9] on 15 February, the report was rejected by synod.[10]

Bibliography

He has written a number of books on pastoral theology, Christian ethics and biblical studies.

Articles

References

  1. Web site: Bishop David Atkinson – Bishop, academic, environmental campaigner and author. www.bishopdavidatkinson.co.uk. en. 2018-10-18.
  2. http://anglicancommunion.org/tour/cathedral.cfm?IDNUMBER=14235&view=prov Anglican Profile
  3. Who's Who 2008: London, A & C Black, 2008
  4. [Crockford's Clerical Directory]
  5. http://www.stpetersparish.info/ St Peter Halliwell Bolton Parish web site
  6. Web site: Press release on appointment . 2008-07-11 . https://web.archive.org/web/20080828125722/http://www.southwark.anglican.org/news/pr143.htm . 2008-08-28 . dead .
  7. http://www.norwich.anglican.org/article/399 Bishop of Thetford to retire – Diocese of Norwich clergy e-mailing.
  8. https://retiredbishopsletter.com/letter/ Retired Bishops' Letter — The Letter
  9. https://retiredbishopsletter.com/new-signatures/ Retired Bishops' Letter — New Signatures
  10. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/feb/15/church-of-england-in-turmoil-as-synod-rejects-report-on-same-sex-relationships The Guardian — Church of England in turmoil as synod rejects report on same-sex relationships