Peter R. Forster
Encyclopedia
Peter Robert Forster is a British
Anglican bishop
. He is currently the Bishop of Chester
in the Church of England
.
Born in Solihull
, the son of Thomas and Edna (née Russell), Forster was educated at the town's Tudor Grange Grammar School
and Merton College, Oxford
, where he received a Master of Arts
in chemistry
in 1973. At Edinburgh University, he graduated with a Bachelor of Divinity
in theology
in 1977 and became a Doctor of Philosophy
in 1985.
From 1980 to 1982, Forster was assistant curate of the Mossley Hill Parish Church in Liverpool
. He was senior tutor at St John's College, Durham
from 1983 to 1991 and became the vicar of Beverley Minster
in 1992. In 1996, he was appointed the 40th Bishop of Chester and became a Lord Spiritual
at the House of Lords
in 2001.
Forster has been married to Elisabeth Anne Forster (née Stevenson) since 1978; they have two sons and two daughters.
In 2003, Forster raised controversy when he was investigated by police for alleged "hate speech" after suggesting that homosexual people should seek psychiatric treatment. No charges were made and the police were satisfied that no offence had been committed.
Forster was one of the "rebel" bishops who signed a letter against the appointment of the Revd Jeffrey John
as the Bishop of Reading in 2003. The others were the Bishops of Bradford, Carlisle, Chichester, Exeter, Liverpool, Rochester, Southwell and Winchester.
In 2009 Forster became a trustee of the newly formed Global Warming Policy Foundation
, an organisation based in the United Kingdom which promotes scepticism of policy measures envisaged by governments to mitigate anthropogenic global warming.
Forster's brother in law, Kenneth Stevenson, was also a bishop
.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
Anglican bishop
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...
. He is currently the Bishop of Chester
Bishop of Chester
The Bishop of Chester is the Ordinary of the Church of England Diocese of Chester in the Province of York.The diocese expands across most of the historic county boundaries of Cheshire, including the Wirral Peninsula and has its see in the City of Chester where the seat is located at the Cathedral...
in the Church of England
Church of England
The Church of England is the officially established Christian church in England and the Mother Church of the worldwide Anglican Communion. The church considers itself within the tradition of Western Christianity and dates its formal establishment principally to the mission to England by St...
.
Born in Solihull
Solihull
Solihull is a town in the West Midlands of England with a population of 94,753. It is a part of the West Midlands conurbation and is located 9 miles southeast of Birmingham city centre...
, the son of Thomas and Edna (née Russell), Forster was educated at the town's Tudor Grange Grammar School
Tudor Grange Grammar School
Tudor Grange School is a co-educational comprehensive school and technology college located in Solihull, West Midlands. It was originally a boys' grammar school for around 650 boys.-Location:...
and Merton College, Oxford
Merton College, Oxford
Merton College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England. Its foundation can be traced back to the 1260s when Walter de Merton, chancellor to Henry III and later to Edward I, first drew up statutes for an independent academic community and established endowments to...
, where he received a Master of Arts
Master of Arts (Oxbridge)
In the Universities of Oxford, Cambridge and Dublin, Bachelors of Arts of these universities are admitted to the degree of Master of Arts or Master in Arts on application after six or seven years' seniority as members of the university .There is no examination or study required for the degree...
in chemistry
Chemistry
Chemistry is the science of matter, especially its chemical reactions, but also its composition, structure and properties. Chemistry is concerned with atoms and their interactions with other atoms, and particularly with the properties of chemical bonds....
in 1973. At Edinburgh University, he graduated with a Bachelor of Divinity
Bachelor of Divinity
In Western universities, a Bachelor of Divinity is usually an undergraduate academic degree awarded for a course taken in the study of divinity or related disciplines, such as theology or, rarely, religious studies....
in theology
Theology
Theology is the systematic and rational study of religion and its influences and of the nature of religious truths, or the learned profession acquired by completing specialized training in religious studies, usually at a university or school of divinity or seminary.-Definition:Augustine of Hippo...
in 1977 and became a Doctor of Philosophy
Doctor of Philosophy
Doctor of Philosophy, abbreviated as Ph.D., PhD, D.Phil., or DPhil , in English-speaking countries, is a postgraduate academic degree awarded by universities...
in 1985.
From 1980 to 1982, Forster was assistant curate of the Mossley Hill Parish Church in Liverpool
Liverpool
Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England, along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary. It was founded as a borough in 1207 and was granted city status in 1880...
. He was senior tutor at St John's College, Durham
St John's College, Durham
St John's College is a college of the University of Durham, United Kingdom. It is one of only two 'Recognised Colleges' of the University, the other being St Chad's. This means that it is financially and constitutionally independent of the University and has a greater degree of administrative...
from 1983 to 1991 and became the vicar of Beverley Minster
Beverley Minster
Beverley Minster, in Beverley, East Riding of Yorkshire is a parish church in the Church of England. It is said to be the largest parish church in the UK....
in 1992. In 1996, he was appointed the 40th Bishop of Chester and became a Lord Spiritual
Lords Spiritual
The Lords Spiritual of the United Kingdom, also called Spiritual Peers, are the 26 bishops of the established Church of England who serve in the House of Lords along with the Lords Temporal. The Church of Scotland, which is Presbyterian, is not represented by spiritual peers...
at the House of Lords
House of Lords
The House of Lords is the upper house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Like the House of Commons, it meets in the Palace of Westminster....
in 2001.
Forster has been married to Elisabeth Anne Forster (née Stevenson) since 1978; they have two sons and two daughters.
In 2003, Forster raised controversy when he was investigated by police for alleged "hate speech" after suggesting that homosexual people should seek psychiatric treatment. No charges were made and the police were satisfied that no offence had been committed.
Forster was one of the "rebel" bishops who signed a letter against the appointment of the Revd Jeffrey John
Jeffrey John
Jeffrey Philip Hywel John SCP is a Church of England priest and the current Dean of St Albans. He made headlines in 2003 when he was the first person to have openly been in a same-sex relationship to be nominated as a Church of England bishop...
as the Bishop of Reading in 2003. The others were the Bishops of Bradford, Carlisle, Chichester, Exeter, Liverpool, Rochester, Southwell and Winchester.
In 2009 Forster became a trustee of the newly formed Global Warming Policy Foundation
Global Warming Policy Foundation
The Global Warming Policy Foundation is a registered, educational charity and think tank in the United Kingdom, whose stated aims are to challenge "extremely damaging and harmful policies" envisaged by governments to mitigate anthropogenic global warming.-History:Established in November 2009,...
, an organisation based in the United Kingdom which promotes scepticism of policy measures envisaged by governments to mitigate anthropogenic global warming.
Forster's brother in law, Kenneth Stevenson, was also a bishop
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...
.
Styles
- Peter Forster Esq (1950–1980)
- The Revd Peter Forster (1980–1985)
- The Revd Dr Peter Forster (1985–1996)
- The Rt Revd Dr Peter Forster (1996—present)