Graham Dow

Geoffrey Graham Dow (born July 4, 1942 in Edmonton ) is a British Anglican theologian . He was Bishop of Carlisle in the Church of England from 2000 to 2009 .

education

Dow attended the private St. George's School in Harpenden from 1947 to 1954 , and later from 1954 to 1960 the St Alban's School in St Albans , Hertfordshire . From 1960 to 1966 he studied chemistry and theology at the Queen's College of the University of Oxford . There he passed a Bachelor of Arts in 1963 and a Bachelor of Science in chemistry and theology in 1965 . In 1968 the Master of Arts followed there , also in chemistry and theology, and finally in 1981 the Master of Science in chemistry. From 1972 to 1974 Dow studied part-time at Birmingham University and earned a degree in pastoral theology . From 1975 to 1982 he studied, also part-time, at the University of Nottingham , where Dow graduated with a Master of Philosophy in 1982 .

Church career

To prepare for the priesthood , he attended Clifton Theological College from 1966 to 1967 . In 1967 Dow was ordained a deacon , followed in 1968 by ordination as a priest. From 1967 to 1972 he was assistant vicar at St Peter and St Paul , Tonbridge Parish Church , in Tonbridge in the Diocese of Rochester . From 1972 to 1975, as a student chaplain and chaplain at St John's College (Oxford) Oxford University in Oxford , initially as auxiliary chaplain, then from 1974 to 1975 as a chaplain. From 1975 to 1981 he taught as a university lecturer at St John's College at the University of Nottingham in the subject Christian doctrine ( Christian Doctrine ). In 1981 he became a pastor at Holy Trinity Church in Coventry and held that office until 1992. From 1988 to 1992 he was also Canon Theologian at Coventry Cathedral . In 1992 he was appointed Bishop of Willesden, holding the office of suffragan bishop in the Diocese of London. In this capacity, he was also Chairman of the London Church Leaders Executive from 1997 to 2000 . In 2000 he was, succeeding Ian Harland , Bishop of Carlisle . He held this office until March 31, 2009. Since then, Dow has been officially retired. However, he has been serving the Church of England since 2009, as Assistant Bishop for the Diocese of Chester . Dow's successor as Bishop of Carlisle was James Newcome .

Dow held several church honorary offices. From 1981 to 1987 he was a member of the Bishop's Council for Ministry , from 1982 to 1985 also of the Bishop's Council of the Church of England. Since 1982 he was a member of the deanery and a member of the diocesan synod. From 1992 to 1997 he was also Chairman of the Board of Socil Responsibility of the Diocese of London. He was a member of the Board of Directors ( Governor , 1981-1992) and Trustee ( Trustee , 1987-1992) of the Blue Coat School in Coventry.

Membership in the House of Lords

Dow was a member of the House of Lords from November 8, 2007 to April 30, 2009 as Spiritual Lord . Dow's seat in the House of Lords was taken over in 2009 by the Bishop of Wakefield , Stephen Platten .

His political interest areas Dow included the promotion of the county of Cumbria , the agriculture , as well as railway and Public Transportation . Dow named Angola , Mozambique and India as countries of particular interest to him .

Working in public

The focus of Dow's church work was on the topics of Christian faith in everyday life, the relationship between religion and politics , the promotion of lay clergy , charismatic and spiritual renewal . Dow is a believer in a theology of spiritual healing and inner liberation through prayer. He is considered a specialist in the field of exorcism . In his book Explaining Deliverance (1991), Dow named various manifestations of evil and destructive forces: denial of God, alternative medicine , alcoholism and smoking , anorexia and wearing black clothing. Certain sexual practices such as oral and anal intercourse would also give evil spirits the opportunity to enter the human body.

Dow always took a conservative position on questions of canon law. He is a representative of Anglican evangelicalism . He is assigned to the group of traditionalists in the Church of England .

This was also evident in his general attitude towards the question of homosexuality . He was one of the Rebel Bishops of the Church of England. 2003 Dow signed an open letter as one of the bishops of the Church of England that the nomination of Jeffrey John , an open homosexual , a priest who lived in a committed relationship Auxiliary Bishop of Reading by the Archbishop of Canterbury , Rowan Williams , rejected. The signatories also included the bishops of Bradford , Chester , Chichester , Exeter , Liverpool , Rochester , Southwell and Nottingham and Winchester .

Dow is one of the most famous opponents of gay rights. Following the UK floods in June 2007, Dow said there would be more natural disasters in the future. Graham Dow saw God's punishment in the 2007 floods because "any kind of lifestyle is now considered legitimate" but it does not please God. In particular, he criticized the civil law recognition of same-sex partnerships in Great Britain since December 2005 .

In 2005, Dow hit the headlines of the British press calling for an eight- foot- tall granite stone inscribed in Carlisle to be removed. The inscription, a curse of the then Archbishop of Glasgow , Gavin Dunbar , was originally intended for the English and Scottish sheep and cattle robbers who wreaked havoc along the border in the 16th century. The stone was made and set up by a local artist as part of the 1000th anniversary celebrations in Carlisle in 2002. Dow supported local believers who believed the curse was responsible for foot-and-mouth disease , flooding and the decline of the local soccer team. Dow suggested that the original curse was not godly and considered an exorcism.

Private

Dow is married with four adult children. His wife Molly is a teacher and also has a degree in chemistry and theology. She also worked as a lay clergyman and as a church advisor on questions of faith. She led spiritual reflection seminars and prayer groups. Dow's leisure activities and hobbies include an interest in railroads , especially steam trains and roller-head trains , travel , music, and reading biographies .

Publications

• The Local Church's Political Responsibility (1980)
• Whose hand on the tiller? (1983)
• Those Tiresome Intruders (1990)
• Christian Renewal in Europe (1992)
• Explaining Deliverance (1991)
• A Christian Understanding of Daily Work (1994)
• Pathways of Prayer (1996)

Individual evidence

1. ↑ The Rt Rev Graham Dow  ( page no longer available , search in web archives )  Info: The link was automatically marked as defective. Please check the link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. Graham Dow biography at Debrett's (excerpts available online)  
2. ↑ Retirement of Bishop of Carlisle ( Memento of the original from September 28, 2011 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. Homepage of the Diocese of Carlisle  
3. ^ Bishop of Carlisle entry on the TheyWorkForYou.com homepage
4. ↑ The Rt Revd Graham Dow ( Memento of the original from November 5, 2009 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. Biography on the Church of England homepage 
5. ^ The face Ruth Gledhill in: The Times, July 3, 2007
6. ^ Leading Conservative and Liberal bishops in: The Telegraph, June 21, 2008
7. ↑ Dioceses divided by the issue that won't go away The Guardian of June 19, 2003
8. ↑ Floods are judgment on society, say bishops The Telegraph, July 1, 2007
9. ^ Bishop: Homos guilt of floods , queer.de, July 2, 2007
10. ↑ They're doomed! The Guardian March 9, 2005
11. ↑ ARCHBISHOP TO LIFT 'EVIL' CURSE LINKED TO FOOT AND MOUTH ( Memento of the original from August 23, 2007 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was automatically inserted and not yet checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. Jonathan Petre in: Sunday Telegraph , available online from Clans of Scotland  

predecessor	Office	successor
Thomas Frederick Butler	Bishop of Willesden 1992-2000	Pete Broadbent
Ian Harland	Bishop of Carlisle 2000–2009	James William Scobie Newcome