Martin Warner (bishop)

The Right Reverend Martin Warner SSC
Bishop of Chichester
Warner in May 2010, when Bishop of Whitby
Church	Church of England
Diocese	Chichester
In office	2012–present
Predecessor	John Hind
Previous post(s)	Bishop of Whitby (2010–2012)
Orders
Ordination	1984 (deacon) 1985 (priest)
Consecration	26 January 2010[1] by John Sentamu
Personal details
Born	(1958-12-24) 24 December 1958 (age 65)
Nationality	British
Denomination	Anglican
Residence	The Palace, Chichester
Alma mater	University of Durham
Member of the House of Lords (Lord Spiritual)
Incumbent
Assumed office 15 January 2018

Martin Clive Warner SSC (born 24 December 1958)^[2] is an Anglican bishop in England. He is currently the Bishop of Chichester.

Early life and education

Warner was educated at King's School, Rochester, Maidstone Grammar School, and at St Chad's College, University of Durham 1977–80. He then trained for ordination at St Stephen's House, Oxford, later earning a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degree at the University of Durham. His doctoral thesis was titled "Virginity matters: power and ambiguity in the attraction of the Virgin Mary"^[3]

Ordained ministry

Warner was ordained in the Church of England as a deacon in 1984 and as a priest in 1985.^[4]

• Assistant Curate at St Peter's, Plymouth (1984–1988)
• Team Vicar of the Parish of the Resurrection, Leicester (1988–1993)
• Administrator of the Anglican Shrine of Our Lady of Walsingham (1993–2002)
• Priest in Charge of Hempton with Pudding Norton (1998–2000)
• Honorary Canon of Norwich Cathedral (2000–?)
• Associate Vicar at St Andrew, Holborn (2002–2003)^[5]

Warner was a canon residentiary at St Paul's Cathedral, 2003–2009: the canon pastor from 2003 to 2008 and then canon treasurer until 2009.^[5]

Episcopal ministry

Warner was consecrated as a bishop in the Church of England at York Minster on 26 January 2010^[1] and then welcomed on 30 January 2010 at St Hilda's Church, Whitby.^[6] He suffered a cardiac arrest on 23 August 2010 while on holiday in Florence,^[7] but returned to work.^[8] From 2008 to 2011, Warner wrote the weekly "Sunday's Readings" column for the Church Times.

On 3 May 2012, Warner's appointment as the next diocesan Bishop of Chichester was announced,^[9] his election was confirmed on 2 July^[10] and his enthronement took place in Chichester Cathedral on 25 November.^[11]

In a compromise by John Sentamu, Archbishop of York, to whom the candidate professed canonical obedience, Warner officiated as principal celebrant in the laying-on of hands and Eucharist for the episcopal consecration of Philip North as suffragan Bishop of Burnley at York Minster on 2 February 2015 (Feast of Candlemas).^[12]

He was introduced to the House of Lords as a Lord Spiritual on 15 January 2018.^[13]

Views

On 20 November 2012, Warner was one of three bishops (and one of the two diocesans) in the General Synod who voted against a motion to allow the ordination of women as bishops in the Church of England.^[14] His position on the issue has been criticised by some local clergy and parishioners across the Chichester diocese.^[15]

He is a member of the Council of Bishops of The Society, an association of traditionalist Anglo-Catholics.^[16]

In 2023, following the news that the House of Bishop's of the Church of England was to introduce proposals for blessing same-sex relationships, he signed an open letter which stated:^[17]

many Christians in the Church of England and the Anglican Communion, together with Christians from across the churches of world Christianity, continue to believe that marriage is given by God for the union of a man and woman and that it cannot be extended to those who are of the same sex. [...] Without seeking to diminish the value of many committed same-sex relationships, for which there is much to give thanks, we find ourselves constrained by what we sincerely believe the Scriptures teach which cannot be set aside.^[17]

He voted against introducing "standalone services for same-sex couples" on a trial basis during a meeting of the General Synod in November 2023; the motion passed.^[18][19]

Styles

• The Reverend Martin Warner (1984–2000)
• The Reverend Canon Martin Warner (2000–2003)
• The Reverend Canon Doctor Martin Warner (2003–2010)
• The Right Reverend Doctor Martin Warner (2010–present)

References

1. Diocese of York — Consecration of the Bishop of Whitby
2. "Warner, Martin Clive". Who's Who. Vol. 2017 (November 2016 online ed.). A & C Black. Retrieved 13 June 2017. (Subscription or UK public library membership required.)
3. Warner, Martin Clive (2003). Virginity matters: power and ambiguity in the attraction of the Virgin Mary (Doctor of Philosophy thesis). University of Durham. Retrieved 30 August 2024.
4. "Martin Clive Warner". Crockford's Clerical Directory (online ed.). Church House Publishing. Retrieved 30 August 2024.
5. "St Paul's Annual Report 2008" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 23 February 2022. Retrieved 1 November 2011.
6. Diocese of York — Service of Welcome for the Bishop of Whitby
7. "Bishop Martin Warner taken ill". The Diocese of York. 24 August 2010. Retrieved 25 August 2010.
8. Diocese of York — Update from Bishop Martin
9. Number 10 – Diocese of Chichester
10. The Chichester Diocesan Fund and Board of Finance Incorporated – Report of the Board and Financial Statements for the year ended 31 December 2012 Archived 22 February 2014 at the Wayback Machine p. 6 (Accessed 15 July 2013)
11. "Diocese of Chichester — "Do not be afraid" says new Bishop as he surveys national and local challenges". Archived from the original on 22 February 2014. Retrieved 27 November 2012.
12. "Philip North's Episcopal Ordination - A Milestone". Retrieved 26 May 2020.
13. Hansard — Introduction: Bishop of Chichester (Accessed 26 January 2018)
14. "General Synod — November 2012 — Electronic voting results for Item 501". Thinking Anglicans. 20 November 2012. Retrieved 1 December 2012.
15. "Chichester Observer — Women bishops row heats up in Chichester". Chichester Observer. 30 November 2012. Retrieved 1 December 2012.
16. "The Council of Bishops". The Society. Retrieved 6 December 2015.
17. "LLF: a paper on the Doctrine of Marriage". Thinking Anglicans. 31 January 2023. Retrieved 31 January 2023.
18. "GENERAL SYNOD NOVEMBER 2023 GROUP OF SESSIONS BUSINESS DONE AT 5 P.M." (PDF). churchofengland.org. The Church of England. 13 November 2023. Retrieved 23 November 2023. 7. The motion (as amended) 'That this Synod, conscious that the Church is not of one mind on the issues raised by Living in Love and Faith, that we are in a period of uncertainty, and that many in the Church on all sides are being deeply hurt at this time, recognise the progress made by the House of Bishops towards implementing the motion on Living in Love and Faith passed by this Synod in February 2023, as reported in GS 2328, encourage the House to continue its work of implementation, and ask the House to consider whether some standalone services for same-sex couples could be made available for use, possibly on a trial basis, on the timescale envisaged by the motion passed by the Synod in February 2023.' was carried following a counted vote by Houses.
19. "General Synod 15th November 2023 – Item 007" (PDF). churchofengland.org. The Church of England. 15 November 2023. Retrieved 23 November 2023.

Church of England titles
Preceded by John Hind	Bishop of Chichester 2012–present	Incumbent