John Yates (bishop)

John Yates (17 April 1925–26 February 2008) was an Anglican clergyman. He was a bishop for 22 years, serving as Bishop of Whitby from 1972 to 1975, then Bishop of Gloucester ["The Times", Tuesday, November 18, 1975; pg. 17; Issue 59555; col B "New Bishop of Gloucester enthroned"] until 1992, and finally Bishop at Lambeth until 1994.

Early life

Yates was born in Burslem, Staffordshire on 17 April 1925cite news|url=http://www.independent.co.uk/news/obituaries/the-right-rev-john-yates-reforming-bishop-of-gloucester-790033.html|title=The Right Rev John Yates: Reforming Bishop of Gloucester|first=Alan|last=Webster|work=The Independent|date=1 March 2008|accessdate=2008-03-22] (some sources say South Londoncite news| url = http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2008/03/03/db0302.xml | title = The Right Reverend John Yates | accessdate = 2008-03-04 | date = 2008-03-03|work=Telegraph.co.uk|publisher=The Daily Telegraph|page=Issue 47,508] ). He was educated first at Battersea Grammar School, then after his evacuation as a result of the outbreak of the Second World War he completed his schooling at Blackpool Grammar School.cite web|title=Obituary—The Rt Rev John Yates—Cleric with bold views on homosexuality|first=Richard|last=Eyre|url=http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2008/mar/14/religion.gayrights|date=14 March 2008|work=The Guardian|publisher=Guardian Media Group|page=p42|accessdate=2008-03-14]

He undertook war service in the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve becoming a bomb-aimer. Following the war, he went up to Jesus College, Cambridge as a Scholar, taking a first-class degree in theology (some reports say history).

Church career

He then trained for ordination at Lincoln Theological College and was ordained deacon at St Paul's Cathedral, before embarking on his ecclesiastical career with a curacy at Christ Church, Southgate, in north London. He married Jean Dover in 1954. They had one son and two daughters.

He had a second spell at Lincoln Theological College as Chaplain, (1954–59) [The Times Obituary p54 Issue no 69,292 (dated 8th April 2008) [http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/obituaries/article3699674.ece] ] and after a six years spent as a parish priest at Bottesford-with-Ashby on the outskirts of Scunthorpe he was appointed as principal of Lichfield Theological College (1966–72). [Who's Who 2005 London, A & C Black , 2004ISBN: 3598219059] He also held the position of Prebendary of Flixton at Lichfield Cathedral. The Lincoln college was threatened with closure, and Archbishop of York Donald Coggan invited him to become Bishop of Whitby (a suffragan bishop in the Diocese of York) in 1972. [LondonGazette|issue=45577|startpage=751|date=20 January 1972|accessdate=2008-03-17] [Crockford's clerical directory 1975:Lambeth, Church House, 1975 ISBN 0108153674] In 1975, he was nominated as Bishop of Gloucester, [LondonGazette|issue=46658|startpage=1026|date=12 August 1975|accessdate=2008-03-17] one of the early appointments of the new Crown Appointments Commission. He and his first wife carried on a practical ministry, daily distributing tea and sandwiches to homeless callers.

In 1979, he chaired a group of 12 scholars appointed by the General Synod's Board for Social Responsibility which produced a report on homosexual relationships. The Gloucester Report controversially contemplated homosexual relationships "involving a physical expression of sexual love". He was also involved in peace efforts in central America in 1987 and 1988. He led the UK delegation to a conference of the World Council of Churches in Basle. He was chair of the General Synod Board for Social Responsibility from 1987 to 1991.

After 17 years as Bishop of Gloucester, he became the right hand man of newly appointed Archbishop of Canterbury, George Carey, with the title Bishop at Lambeth. He retired to Winchester in 1994.

His first wife died in 1995. He remarried in in 1998, to the Reverend Beryl Wensley. His second wife died in 2006 (some reports say 2007). He died in Winchester.

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