Thomas Frederick Butler

Thomas Frederick Butler 2009

Thomas (Tom) Frederick Butler (born March 5, 1940 in Birmingham ) is a British Anglican clergyman and has been Bishop of Southwark since 1998 . He was officially retired on March 5, 2010.

life and career

Butler attended the University of Leeds where he studied electrical engineering , where he received a BSc in 1961 , an MSc in 1962 and a PhD in 1972 . He attended from 1962 the College of Resurrection in Mirfield to be prepared for the priesthood. He was ordained a deacon in 1964 and a priest in 1965 .

From 1964 to 1966 he was assistant vicar at St Augustine in Wisbech . He held this office from 1966 to 1967 at St Savior Church in Folkestone . From 1968 to 1973 he was a lecturer at the University of Zambia . Butler was chaplain at the University of Kent from 1973 to 1980. From 1980 to 1985 he was Archdeacon of Northolt .

Butler was Bishop of Willesden from 1985 to 1991 and Bishop of Leicester from 1991 to 1998 . He was Bishop of Southwark from 1998 to 2010 . Butler was inducted into office at Southwark Cathedral on September 12, 1998 , and retired on March 5, 2010 on his 70th birthday. His successor is Christopher Chessun .

In 1998 Butler received an honorary doctorate from Loughborough University as a Doctor of Science (DSc hon.).

Butler also held numerous other offices in church organizations and charitable institutions during his church career. He took on several duties and offices in the General Synod of the Church of England . From 1995 to 2001 he was Chairman of the Board of Mission of the General Synod, and from 2001 to 2003 Chairman of the Board of Social Responsibility. Currently (as of 2009) he is Vice Chairman of the Mission and Public Affairs Council . Until 2001 he was also the representative of the General Synod on the Inner Cities Religious Council , an initiative launched by the UK Ministry of the Environment.

Currently (as of 2009) he is also Vice Chairman of the Inter Faith Network .

Butler was also involved in social affairs. Among other things, he was chairman of the successor body of the 'Faith in the City' commission until 1995, a commission initiated by the Archbishop of Canterbury that dealt with social issues in inner city areas and socially disadvantaged areas and, in 1985, the controversial 'Faith in the City' -Report published.

He is married to Barbara Butler. She is a member of a charity organization. They have two grown children and four grandchildren.

Butler is the author of two books with his wife .

Membership in the House of Lords

Butler has been a Spiritual Lord of the House of Lords since 1996 . He made his inaugural address on November 30, 1998. Butler's political interests include science and technology , education, and development policy . Butler was a member of the House of Lords until 2010. On March 18, 2010, Christopher Hill , Bishop of Guildford , succeeded him in the House of Lords.

Working in public

Butler takes a liberal position on questions of canon law. This was particularly evident in his attitude towards the question of homosexuality . Butler said gay priests could be a blessing to the church. He condemned discrimination against homosexuals as "wrong and misguided" and called it a violation of individual human rights . Although the Old Testament and the Apostle Paul rejected same-sex relationships , homosexual relationships could often be closer and closer than those relationships that the Bible recognizes as formally valid marriage. It is the task of the church to respect these different ways of life. From Butler's point of view, there should not be a split in the Anglican Church in this regard .

In 2005, a controversy arose between Butler and the conservative priest of Dundonald Church in Wimbledon , who was affiliated with the Reform Network , Richard Coekin , over the ordination of priests in the Diocese of Southwark . Coekin, an avowed opponent of Butler's liberal stance on homosexuality, had been ordained a priest by Martin Morrison , a Bishop of the Church of England in South Africa , without Butler's permission . Butler threatened Coekin with impeachment. The conflict was eventually resolved through the mediation of Michael Scott-Joynt , Bishop of Winchester . Coekin was able to keep his office, but had to undertake to follow all Butler's instructions as diocesan bishop without restriction.

In 2006, Butler made headlines in the British daily press when he appeared at the police station following the traditional Christmas reception at the Irish Embassy in London and said he had been robbed and mugged. Butler said he couldn't remember any details of the robbery. However, witnesses said they saw Butler on the way home clearly intoxicated. Despite this misstep, Butler received a majority of solidarity and support from his community .

In 2008, Butler spoke out against militant forces within the Anglican Church in an article for the Guardian . Butler referred in particular to the GAFCON, a conference of conservative bishops who no longer rule out a split in the church, especially on the question of homosexuality. Butler explicitly supported Rowan Williams ' position to act accordingly and to put a stop to this.

Butler speaks regularly on the radio, as well as on local television. He is a regular contributor to the BBC's Radio 4 program Thought for the Day . Butler, as well as James Stuart Jones , the Bishop of Liverpool , welcomed the BBC's decision to keep Thought of the Day as a standalone radio show. He continued to express his hope that the excellent work of the BBC's Religion and Ethics Department would continue to play an important role in public broadcasting.

Publications

• 1992: Just Mission (with Barbara Butler)
• 1996: Just Spirituality in a World of Faiths (with Barbara Butler)

Web links

• Thomas Butler at Hansard (English)

Individual evidence

1. ↑ Bishop Tom Butler to retire ( Memento of the original from September 9, 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. , accessed December 18, 2009 
2. ↑ ^{a b} Rt Revd Dr Tom Butler biography at the Church of England
3. ↑ Tom Butler at the Diocese of Southwark ( Memento of the original from January 6, 2015 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. , accessed December 18, 2009 
4. ^ The Rt Rev Thomas Butler Laudation on the award of the honorary doctorate, homepage of Loughborough University
5. ↑ Tom Butler in the Hansard
6. ↑ New Members in the Lords ( Memento of the original from May 24, 2009 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. Announcement on the House of Lords website 
7. ^ Leading Conservative and Liberal bishops The Telegraph, June 21, 2008
8. ↑ Tom Butler: Today's Bishop is a gay divorcee. We may not like it but is it worth a schism? in: The Independent of November 2, 2003
9. ^ Southwark Minister Stripped of License Following Controversial Ordinations in: Christian Today, November 11, 2005
10. ^ Church imports bishop to be tough enough on gays in: The Times of November 4, 2005
11. ^ Coekin wins appeal ( Memento June 18, 2006 in the Internet Archive ) in: The Times June 5, 2006
12. ^ Curious incident in the night leaves Bishop of Southwark with black eye and sore head in: The Daily Telegraph, December 11, 2006
13. ^ Anglicanism's militant tendency must be resisted in: The Guardian.co.uk of December 18, 2009
14. ^ Bishop welcomes reprieve for religious radio slot in: Religious Intelligence of December 14, 2009

predecessor	Office	successor
Hewlett Thompson	Bishop of Willesden 1985–1991	Graham Dow
Richard Rutt	Bishop of Leicester 1991–1999	Tim Stevens
Roy Williamson	Bishop of Southwark 1998-2010	Christopher Chessun