Bishop of Edinburgh
Encyclopedia
The Bishop
of Edinburgh
is the Ordinary
of the Scottish Episcopal
Diocese of Edinburgh
.
The see
was founded in 1633 by King Charles I
. William Forbes was consecrated in St. Giles' Cathedral
as its first bishop on 23 January 1634 though he died later that year. The General Assembly of 1638 deposed Bishop David Lindsay and all the other bishops, so the next, George Wishart, was consecrated in 1662 after the Restoration
. In 1690 it was Bishop Alexander Rose (1687–1720) whose unwelcome reply to King William III
led to the disestablishment of the Scottish Episcopalians as Jacobite
sympathisers, and it was he who led his congregation from St. Giles to a former wool store as their meeting house, on the site now occupied by Old Saint Paul's Church
.
After the repeal of the penal laws in 1792 and the reuniting of Episcopal and 'Qualified' congregations, the Diocese grew under the leadership of Bishops Daniel Sandford, James Walker, C.H. Terrot and Henry Cotterill. The high point of the 19th Century was the consecration of St. Mary’s Cathedral in 1879.
The see is currently vacant (as of 15 August 2011).
Church of Scotland bishops.
Scottish Episcopal Church bishops.
Bishop
A bishop is an ordained or consecrated member of the Christian clergy who is generally entrusted with a position of authority and oversight. Within the Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox Churches, in the Assyrian Church of the East, in the Independent Catholic Churches, and in the...
of Edinburgh
Edinburgh
Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...
is the Ordinary
Ordinary
In those hierarchically organised churches of Western Christianity which have an ecclesiastical law system, an ordinary is an officer of the church who by reason of office has ordinary power to execute the church's laws...
of the Scottish Episcopal
Scottish Episcopal Church
The Scottish Episcopal Church is a Christian church in Scotland, consisting of seven dioceses. Since the 17th century, it has had an identity distinct from the presbyterian Church of Scotland....
Diocese of Edinburgh
Diocese of Edinburgh
The Diocese of Edinburgh is one of the seven dioceses of the Scottish Episcopal Church. It covers the City of Edinburgh, the Lothians, the Borders and Falkirk. The diocesan centre is St Mary's Cathedral, Edinburgh...
.
The see
Episcopal See
An episcopal see is, in the original sense, the official seat of a bishop. This seat, which is also referred to as the bishop's cathedra, is placed in the bishop's principal church, which is therefore called the bishop's cathedral...
was founded in 1633 by King Charles I
Charles I of England
Charles I was King of England, King of Scotland, and King of Ireland from 27 March 1625 until his execution in 1649. Charles engaged in a struggle for power with the Parliament of England, attempting to obtain royal revenue whilst Parliament sought to curb his Royal prerogative which Charles...
. William Forbes was consecrated in St. Giles' Cathedral
St. Giles' Cathedral
St Giles' Cathedral, more properly termed the High Kirk of Edinburgh, is the principal place of worship of the Church of Scotland in Edinburgh. Its distinctive crown steeple is a prominent feature of the city skyline, at about a third of the way down the Royal Mile which runs from the Castle to...
as its first bishop on 23 January 1634 though he died later that year. The General Assembly of 1638 deposed Bishop David Lindsay and all the other bishops, so the next, George Wishart, was consecrated in 1662 after the Restoration
English Restoration
The Restoration of the English monarchy began in 1660 when the English, Scottish and Irish monarchies were all restored under Charles II after the Interregnum that followed the Wars of the Three Kingdoms...
. In 1690 it was Bishop Alexander Rose (1687–1720) whose unwelcome reply to King William III
William III of England
William III & II was a sovereign Prince of Orange of the House of Orange-Nassau by birth. From 1672 he governed as Stadtholder William III of Orange over Holland, Zeeland, Utrecht, Guelders, and Overijssel of the Dutch Republic. From 1689 he reigned as William III over England and Ireland...
led to the disestablishment of the Scottish Episcopalians as Jacobite
Jacobitism
Jacobitism was the political movement in Britain dedicated to the restoration of the Stuart kings to the thrones of England, Scotland, later the Kingdom of Great Britain, and the Kingdom of Ireland...
sympathisers, and it was he who led his congregation from St. Giles to a former wool store as their meeting house, on the site now occupied by Old Saint Paul's Church
Old Saint Paul's, Edinburgh
Old Saint Paul's is an historic church of the Scottish Episcopal Church in the heart of Edinburgh's Old Town in Scotland. It stands on the site of the original home of the separate Scottish Episcopal Church, part of the Anglican Communion, which evolved with the adoption of the Presbyterian...
.
After the repeal of the penal laws in 1792 and the reuniting of Episcopal and 'Qualified' congregations, the Diocese grew under the leadership of Bishops Daniel Sandford, James Walker, C.H. Terrot and Henry Cotterill. The high point of the 19th Century was the consecration of St. Mary’s Cathedral in 1879.
The see is currently vacant (as of 15 August 2011).
List of bishops
- Jan–Apr 1634 William ForbesWilliam Forbes (bishop)-Life:He was the son of Thomas Forbes, a burgess of Aberdeen, descended from the Corsindac branch of that house, by his wife, Janet, the sister of Dr. James Cargill. Born at Aberdeen in 1585, he was educated at the Marischal College, graduating A.M. in 1601. Very soon after he held the chair of...
- 1634–1638: David Lindsay
- 1638–1661: see abolished
- 1662–1671: George Wishart
- 1672–1679: Alexander YoungAlexander Young (bishop)Alexander Young was a 17th century Scottish prelate. Young was born in Aberdeen of the Altbar family. In the winter of 1671, he became Bishop of Edinburgh, a position he held until his translation to be Bishop of Ross in 1679...
- 1679–1687: John Paterson
- 1687–1689: Alexander RoseAlexander RoseAlexander Rose of Edinburgh was a wood and ivory turner, following in the footsteps of his father, John, who came from Cromarty. He developed an interest in minerals and began a mineral collection, becoming a dealer in minerals...
(became a non-juringNonjuring schismThe nonjuring schism was a split in the Church of England in the aftermath of the Glorious Revolution of 1688, over whether William of Orange and his wife Mary could legally be recognised as King and Queen of England....
bishop)
Scottish Episcopal Church bishops.
- 1689–1720: Alexander RoseAlexander RoseAlexander Rose of Edinburgh was a wood and ivory turner, following in the footsteps of his father, John, who came from Cromarty. He developed an interest in minerals and began a mineral collection, becoming a dealer in minerals...
(also exercised Metropolitan authority 1704–1720) - 1720–1727: John FullartonJohn FullartonJohn Fullarton , of Greenhall, Argyll, was a Scottish clergyman and nonjurant Episcopal Bishop of Edinburgh between 1720 and 1727.-Origins:...
(also PrimusPrimus of the Scottish Episcopal ChurchThe Primus, styled The Most Reverend the Primus of the Scottish Episcopal Church, is the presiding bishop of the Scottish Episcopal Church. The current Primus is the Most Revd David Chillingworth who became Primus of the Scottish Episcopal Church on 13 June 2009...
1720–1727) - May–Oct 1727: Arthur Millar (also Primus May–Oct 1727)
- 1727–1733: Andrew Lumsden (also Primus 1727–1731)
- 1733–1739: David Freebairn (also Primus 1731–1738)
- 1739–1776: See vacant
- 1776–1784: William Falconer (also Primus 1762–1782)
- 1784–1788: See vacant
- 1788–1805: William Abernethy Drummond
- 1806–1830: Daniel SandfordDaniel Sandford (bishop of Edinburgh)The Rt Revd Daniel Sandford was Bishop of Edinburgh from 1806 until 1830.He was born in 1766 at Delville, near Dublin, Ireland, the son of Reverend Daniel Sandford and Sarah Chapone.He married Helen Frances Catherine Douglas, on 11 October 1790...
- 1830–1841: James Walker (also Primus 1837–1841)
- 1841–1872: Charles TerrotCharles TerrotCharles Hughes Terrot FRSE was a Scottish Episcopalian minister, theologian and mathematician. He served as Primus of the Scottish Episcopal Church from 1857 to 1862....
(also Primus 1857–1862) - 1872–1886: Henry CotterillHenry CotterillThe Rt Rev Henry Cotterill was an eminent Anglican Bishop in the second half of the 19th century.Henry Cotterill was born in Ampton in 1812 into an ecclesiastical family of committed Church Evangelicals. His father Joseph was Rector of Blakeney, Norfolk, and a prebendary of Norwich Cathedral. His...
- 1886–1910: John DowdenJohn DowdenJohn Dowden was an Irish cleric and ecclesiastical historian.He was born in Cork in 1840 as the fifth of five children by John Wheeler Dowden and Alicia Bennett. His famous brother was the poet, professor and literary critic Edward Dowden...
- 1910–1929: George WalpoleGeorge WalpoleThe Right Reverend George Henry Somerset Walpole, DD, MA was an eminent Anglican priest and author.Walpole was born in 1854 and educated at Trinity College, Cambridge. He began his career as curate at St Mary’s Truro. He was the incumbent of St...
- 1929–1939: Harry Reid
- 1939–1946: Logie Danson (also Primus 1943–1946)
- 1947–1961: Kenneth Warner
- 1961–1975: Kenneth CareyKenneth Carey (bishop)The Right Reverend Kenneth Moir Carey , DD, MA was an eminent Anglican priest.Carey was born on 6 April 1908, educated at Marlborough and Exeter College, Oxford and ordained in 1932. He began his career as Chaplain of Oxford House, Bethnal Green after which he was Curate of St Andrew’s, Handsworth...
- 1975–1985: Alastair HaggartAlastair HaggartAlastair Iain Macdonald Haggart was an eminent Anglican priest.Haggart was born on 10 October 1915 and educated at Hatfield College and Edinburgh Theological College. Ordained in 1942, he began his career with curacies at St Mary's Cathedral, Glasgow and St Mary’s Hendon. He was Precentor at...
(also Primus 1977–1985) - 1986–2000: Richard HollowayRichard HollowayRichard F. Holloway is a Scottish writer and broadcaster and was formerly Bishop of Edinburgh in the Scottish Episcopal Church....
(also Primus 1992–2000) - 2001–2011: Brian Smith
See also
- Roman Catholic Archbishop of Saint Andrews and Edinburgh
- Bishops in the Church of ScotlandBishops in the Church of ScotlandThere have not been bishops in the Church of Scotland since the 17th century, although there have occasionally been attempts to reintroduce episcopalianism....