Roy Williamson (bishop)

{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}

{{Infobox Christian leader

| name = Roy Williamson

| title = Bishop of Southwark

| diocese = Diocese of Southwark

| term = 1991–1998

| predecessor = Ronald Bowlby

| successor = Tom Butler

| other_post = Bishop of Bradford
1984–1991
Archdeacon of Nottingham
1978–1984

| ordination =

| consecration = {{circa|1984}}

| birth_date = {{birth date|1932|12|18|df=y}}

| birth_place =

| death_date = {{death date and age|2019|9|17|1932|12|18|df=y}}

| religion = Anglican

| residence =

| parents =

| spouse =

| children =

| occupation =

| profession =

| alma_mater = Kingston Polytechnic

}}

Robert Kerr Williamson (8 December 1932 – 17 September 2019), known as Roy Williamson, was the seventh Bishop of Bradford”Debrett's People of Today 1992” (London, Debrett's) {{ISBN|1-870520-09-2}}) from 1984 until 1991, and was then translated to Southwark where he served until his retirement seven years later.

Williamson was born in Belfast"The Right Rev Roy Williamson: clear voiced, lively and decidedly liberal Anglican bishop who dismissed objections to the ordination of women and gay priests" The Times p54: Issue no 72,984 dated Tuesday 22 October 2019 and educated at Kingston Polytechnic and Oak Hill Theological College.”Who's Who 1992 “(London, A & C Black {{ISBN|0-7136-3514-2}}) His first post after ordination was as a curate at Crowborough Parish Church.Crockford's Clerical Directory 1975-76 London: Oxford University Press, 1976 {{ISBN|0-19-200008-X}} He then held incumbencies at St Paul, Hyson Green, Nottingham[https://southwellchurches.nottingham.ac.uk/hyson-green-st-paul/hincumb.php Church web site] and St Ann with Emmanuel, in the same city followed by Vicar of St Michaels, Bramcote before being appointed Archdeacon of Nottingham in 1978, his last post before elevation to the episcopate.The Times, Thursday, Dec 15, 1983; pg. 14; Issue 61713; col B Archdeacon to be Bishop of Bradford

On 11 February 2017, Williamson 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.[https://retiredbishopsletter.com/letter/ Retired Bishops' Letter — The Letter] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170212093340/https://retiredbishopsletter.com/letter/ |date=2017-02-12 }} (Accessed 11 February 2017; the fourteen bishops were David Atkinson, Michael Doe, Tim Ellis, David Gillett, John Gladwin, Laurie Green, Richard Harries, Stephen Lowe, Stephen Platten, John Pritchard, Peter Selby, Tim Stevens, Martin Wharton, and Williamson.) By 13 February, a serving bishop (Alan Wilson, Bishop of Buckingham) and nine further retired bishops had added their signatures;[https://retiredbishopsletter.com/new-signatures/ Retired Bishops' Letter — New Signatures] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170218064226/https://retiredbishopsletter.com/new-signatures/ |date=2017-02-18 }} (Accessed 17 February 2017; the nine bishops were Gordon Bates, Ian Brackley, John Davies, Peter Maurice, David Rossdale, John Saxbee, Martin Shaw, Oliver Simon, and David Stancliffe. on 15 February, the report was rejected by synod.[https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/feb/15/church-of-england-in-turmoil-as-synod-rejects-report-on-same-sex-relationships "Church of England in turmoil as synod rejects report on same-sex relationships", The Guardian] (Accessed 17 February 2017)

He died on 17 September 2019 at the age of 86.[https://epaper.thetimes.com/app/THE343 Williamson]