Colin James (bishop)

Colin Clement Walter James (born 20 September 1926 in Cambridge; † 9 December 2009 Wolvesey ) was a British Anglican clergyman and bishop of the Church of England. He was prelate of the Garter.

Life and career

James was born in Cambridge, where his father was pastor of St. Giles Church. He attended Aldenham School in Hertfordshire, and the King's College Choir School, but not sang in the choir.

James later lived first in Aldenham. At the end of the Second World War, he was stationed for a short time as a soldier in the Royal Navy in Hong Kong. After the war he returned to Cambridge. He studied history at King's College, University of Cambridge and graduated from there with a diploma. At Ripon College Cuddesdon he was preparing for the priesthood. In 1952 he was Vicar ( Curate ) in Stepney. From 1955 to 1956 he worked first as an auxiliary chaplain at the Stowe School, a prestigious private school in Buckingham, active, then from 1956 to 1959 as a chaplain there.

In 1959, he joined the Religious Broadcasting Department of the BBC. From 1960 to 1967 he produced there broadcasts on religious topics for the south and the west of Britain.

From 1967 to 1973 worked as a parish priest (Vicar ) in the diocese of Winchester responsible for the congregations St Peter and St Swithum in Bournemouth, also additionally as the responsible minister ( Curate - in-charge ) 1970-1973 for the parish St Stephens. From 1972 to 1977 he served as diocesan director in the Diocese of Winchester for the training of priests.

1973 James Suffragan Bishop of Basingstoke. This office had been newly created and included the responsibility for the northern part of the diocese of Winchester. At the same time James was so from 1973 to 1977 also Residenzkanoniker ( residentiary Canon ) at the Cathedral of Winchester, because the church leadership of the Church of England had determined that the Office of the Suffraganbischofs Basingstoke should be connected to a function at the Cathedral of Winchester.

In 1977 he became Bishop of Wakefield. From 1985 to 1995 he was then, as the successor of John Vernon Taylor, Bishop of Winchester. His successor in office was Michael Scott - Joynt.

James was married to Sally Henshaw since 1962. She died in 2001. They had one son and two daughters.

James died on 10 December 2009 after a short illness at the age of 83 years.

Membership in the House of Lords

James belonged from 1982 to 1995 as a clergyman Lord the House of Lords on. His inaugural speech was made on 11 April 1983.

Work in the public

James was twice as Archbishop of Canterbury in conversation. For the first time, as Arthur Michael Ramsey retired in 1974 and again in 1990, as a successor to Robert Runcie was sought.

James belonged to the Church of England the direction of Anglo - Catholicism, Anglicanism, the Catholic, ie sacramentally and interpreted in break timeless traditions with the old church.

James was seen as fundamentally opposed to the ordination of women. The ordination of women, he therefore left as a rule his suffragans. However, he confessed to priests in the Church of England always the same rights as their male colleagues and looked priests and priestesses as equivalent. James, however, was not generally set conservatively. As chairman of the Liturgy Commission of the Church of England ( Liturgical Commission), he was responsible for introducing many new, freer forms of worship.

He later became Chairman of the Church Information Committee, responsible for the departments of the press, and radio and television at Church House in Westminster. He was also chairman of the Central Religious Advisory Council for the BBC and the Independent Broadcasting Authority, in a time when the abolition of fixed transmission times for religious radio and television programs was planned.