Martin Warner (bishop)

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"{{cite thesis |last= Warner |first= Martin Clive |date= 2003 |title= Virginity matters: power and ambiguity in the attraction of the Virgin Mary |degree= Doctor of Philosophy |publisher= University of Durham |url= http://etheses.dur.ac.uk/3140/ |accessdate= 30 August 2024}}

Warner was ordained in the Church of England as a deacon in 1984 and as a priest in 1985.{{Crockford| surname = Warner | forenames = Martin Clive | id = 24810 | accessed = 30 August 2024}}

• 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)

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.{{Cite web |url=http://www.stpauls.co.uk/documents/cathedral%20and%20history/annual%20report%202008.pdf |title=St Paul's Annual Report 2008 |access-date=1 November 2011 |archive-date=23 February 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220223044732/https://www.stpauls.co.uk/documents/Cathedral%20and%20History/Annual%20Report%202008.pdf |url-status=dead }}

Warner was consecrated as a bishop in the Church of England at York Minster on 26 January 2010[http://www.dioceseofyork.org.uk/news-events/news/news-from-the-diocese-of-york/01276.html Diocese of York — Consecration of the Bishop of Whitby] and then welcomed on 30 January 2010 at St Hilda's Church, Whitby.[http://www.dioceseofyork.org.uk/news-events/news/news-from-the-diocese-of-york/01282.html Diocese of York — Service of Welcome for the Bishop of Whitby] He suffered a cardiac arrest on 23 August 2010 while on holiday in Florence,{{cite web|url=http://www.dioceseofyork.org.uk/news-events/news/news-from-the-diocese-of-york/01402.html|title=Bishop Martin Warner taken ill|date=24 August 2010|publisher=The Diocese of York|access-date=25 August 2010}} but returned to work.[http://www.dioceseofyork.org.uk/news-events/news/news-from-the-diocese-of-york/01415.html Diocese of York — Update from Bishop Martin] 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,[http://www.number10.gov.uk/news/diocese-of-chichester/ Number 10 – Diocese of Chichester] his election was confirmed on 2 July[http://www.chichester.anglican.org/media/documents/document/2013/05/12_Financial_Statements.pdf The Chichester Diocesan Fund and Board of Finance Incorporated – Report of the Board and Financial Statements for the year ended 31 December 2012] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140222050742/http://www.chichester.anglican.org/media/documents/document/2013/05/12_Financial_Statements.pdf |date=22 February 2014 }} p. 6 (Accessed 15 July 2013) and his enthronement took place in Chichester Cathedral on 25 November.{{Cite web |url=http://www.chichester.anglican.org/news/2012/11/25/do-not-be-afraid-says-new-bishop-he-surveys-national-and-local-challenges/ |title=Diocese of Chichester — "Do not be afraid" says new Bishop as he surveys national and local challenges |access-date=27 November 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140222050748/http://www.chichester.anglican.org/news/2012/11/25/do-not-be-afraid-says-new-bishop-he-surveys-national-and-local-challenges/ |archive-date=22 February 2014 |url-status=dead }}

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).{{Cite web|title=Philip North's Episcopal Ordination - A Milestone|url=https://www.fministry.com/2015/02/philip-norths-episcopal-ordination.html|access-date=2020-05-26}}

He was introduced to the House of Lords as a Lord Spiritual on 15 January 2018.[https://hansard.parliament.uk/lords/2018-01-15/debates/652DAECE-61F0-45A6-A221-776C1D1E3842/IntroductionTheLordBishopOfChichester Hansard — Introduction: Bishop of Chichester] (Accessed 26 January 2018)

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.{{cite web|url=http://thinkinganglicans.org.uk/uploads/vote-analysis-2012nov.html|title=General Synod — November 2012 — Electronic voting results for Item 501|date=20 November 2012|publisher=Thinking Anglicans|access-date=1 December 2012}} His position on the issue has been criticised by some local clergy and parishioners across the Chichester diocese.{{cite web|url=http://www.chichester.co.uk/news/local/women-bishops-row-heats-up-in-chichester-1-4533741|title=Chichester Observer — Women bishops row heats up in Chichester|date=30 November 2012|publisher=Chichester Observer|access-date=1 December 2012}}

He is a member of the Council of Bishops of The Society, an association of traditionalist Anglo-Catholics.{{cite web|title=The Council of Bishops|url=http://www.sswsh.com/bishops.php|website=The Society|access-date=6 December 2015}}

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:{{cite web |title=LLF: a paper on the Doctrine of Marriage |url=https://www.thinkinganglicans.org.uk/llf-a-paper-on-the-doctrine-of-marriage |website=Thinking Anglicans |access-date=31 January 2023 |language=en |date=31 January 2023}}

{{quote| 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.}}

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.{{cite web |title=GENERAL SYNOD NOVEMBER 2023 GROUP OF SESSIONS BUSINESS DONE AT 5 P.M. |url=https://www.churchofengland.org/sites/default/files/2023-11/consolidated-business-done.pdf |website=churchofengland.org |publisher=The Church of England |access-date=23 November 2023 |date=13 November 2023 |quote=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.}}{{cite web |title=General Synod 15th November 2023 – Item 007 |url=https://www.churchofengland.org/sites/default/files/2023-11/item-7.pdf |website=churchofengland.org |publisher=The Church of England |access-date=23 November 2023 |date=15 November 2023}}

• 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)

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Category:1958 births

Category:Living people

Category:People educated at King's School, Rochester

Category:People educated at Maidstone Grammar School

Category:Alumni of St Chad's College, Durham

Category:Alumni of St Stephen's House, Oxford

Category:Bishops of Whitby

Category:Bishops of Chichester

Category:Lords Spiritual

Category:Anglo-Catholic bishops

Category:English Anglo-Catholics

Category:21st-century Church of England bishops