Four candidates have been short-listed for the post of Bishop of St Andrews, Dunkeld & Dunblane which became vacant in July when Bishop Michael Henley retired after 9 years’ service.
The candidates have been selected by the Preparatory Committee, chaired by The Primus, of clergy and church members representing the Diocese of St Andrews, Dunkeld & Dunblane and the wider Church. The next stage in the selection process is a meeting of each of the candidates with members of an Electoral Synod (representatives of clergy and church members from the St Andrews, Dunkeld & Dunblane diocese only). That meeting will take place on 4 December, with the election of the successful candidate taking place on 11 December. The Service of Consecration and installation of the new Bishop is provisionally planned for 2 March 2005 in St Ninian’s Cathedral, Perth.
The candidates are :
- The Venerable David Chillingworth, Archdeacon of Dromore, County Armagh, Northern Ireland
- The Very Revd Graham Forbes, Provost, St Mary’s Cathedral, Edinburgh
- The Very Revd Canon Kevin Pearson, Dean of Edinburgh and Rector, St Michael & All Saints, Edinburgh
- The Revd Canon Dr Brian Russell, Bishop’s Director for Ministry, Diocese of Birmingham
Commenting on this stage of the selection process the Primus of the Scottish Episcopal Church, the Most Rev Bruce Cameron, says "I believe we have four very good candidates who have been chosen from a larger list of candidates of a high calibre. It is now the task of the Electoral Synod to meet with each of these candidates and then elect one to complete the electoral process.”
Biographical details of candidates (from Crockford's Clerical Directory):
The Venerable David Robert Chillingworth, b.1951. Trinity College Dublin BA73 Oriel College Oxford BA75 MA 81. Rippon College Cuddesdon 75. Deacon 76. Priest 77. Curate Belfast Holy Trinity 76-79. Church of Ireland Youth Officer 79-83. Curate Bangor Abbey 83-86. Incumbent Seagoe from 86. Dean Dromore 95-02. Archdeacon Dromore from 02.
The Very Revd Graham John Thompson Forbes, b 1951. Aberdeen University MA73. Edinburgh University BD 76. Edinburgh Theological College 73. Deacon 76. Priest 77. Curate Edinburgh Old St Paul 76-82. Canon St Ninian’s Cathedral, Perth 82-90. Rector Stanley 82-88. Provost St Ninian’s Cathedral, Perth 82-90. Provost St Mary’s Cathedral, Edinburgh from 90.
The Very Revd Kevin Pearson, b 54. Leeds University BA75. Edinburgh University BD79. Edinburgh Theological Collge 76. Deacon 79. Priest 80. Curate Horden, Durham 79-81. Chaplain Leeds University 81-87. Rector Edinburgh St Salvador 87-93. Chaplain Napier University 88-94. Diocesan Director of Ordinands 90-95. Provincial Director of Ordinands from 91. Associate Rector Edinburgh Old St Paul 93-94. Priest in charge Linlithgow 94-95. Rector Edinburgh St Michaal & All Saints from 95. Canon St Mary’s Cathedral from 03. Dean of Edinburgh from 2004.
The Revd Canon Dr Brian Kenneth Russell, b. 50. Trinity Hall Cambridge BA73 MA76 Birmingham University MA77 PhD83. Cuddesdon College 74. Deacon 76. Priest. 77. Curate Redhill St Matthew, Southwark 76-79.Director of Studies North East Ecumenical Course 79-83. Priest in charge Merrington, Durham 79-83. Dir of Studies and Lect Linc Theological College 83-86. Selection Sec and Sec Cttee for Theological Education Advisory Board of Ministry 86-93. Bishop’s Director for Ministry, Birmingham from 93. Honorary Canon Birmingham Cathedral from 99.
