Jump to content

John Baker (bishop)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
(Redirected from John Austin Baker)


John Baker
Bishop of Salisbury
ChurchChurch of England
DioceseDiocese of Salisbury
In office1982–1993
PredecessorGeorge Reindorp
SuccessorDavid Stancliffe
Other post(s)Honorary assistant bishop in Winchester (1994–2014)[1]
Orders
Ordinationc. 1954 (deacon); 1955 (priest)
Consecration1982
Personal details
Born(1928-01-11)11 January 1928[1]
Died4 June 2014(2014-06-04) (aged 86)[1]
DenominationAnglican
ParentsGeorge and Grace Austin Baker[1]
SpouseGillian Leach (m. 1974)[1]
ProfessionAuthor (theology & church)
Alma materOriel College, Oxford[1]

John Austin Baker (11 January 1928 – 4 June 2014) was a Church of England bishop, Bishop of Salisbury from 1982 until his retirement in 1993.[2]

Early life

[edit]

He was the only child born to George Austin Baker and his wife Grace Baker.[3] Though his father was a company secretary, three uncles and an aunt had taken holy orders.[1] He was educated at Marlborough College and Oriel College, Oxford.[4] He was awarded the degrees Oxford Master of Arts (MA Oxon) and Master of Letters (MLitt).

Religious life

[edit]

Made a deacon at Michaelmas 1954 (19 September), by Robert Hay, Bishop of Buckingham, at High Wycombe parish church,[5] and ordained priest in 1955, he began his ministry with curacies at All Saint's Cuddesdon and St Anselm's Hatch End, after which he was a fellow and lecturer at Corpus Christi College, Oxford until 1973. From then until his ordination to the episcopate he was a residential canon at Westminster Abbey and also for some years chaplain to the Speaker of the House of Commons.[4] He was consecrated a bishop on 2 February 1982, by Robert Runcie, Archbishop of Canterbury, at Westminster Abbey.[6]

A keen musician,[7] Baker was a prominent author.[8] In retirement he continued to serve as an assistant bishop in the Diocese of Winchester.

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b c d e f g "The Rt Rev John Baker - obituary". The Daily Telegraph. 5 June 2014. Retrieved 5 September 2014.
  2. ^ Crockford's Clerical Directory 2008/2009 Lambeth, Church House Publishing ISBN 978-0-7151-1030-0
  3. ^ "The Right Rev John Austin Baker". The Times. 27 August 2014. Retrieved 5 September 2014.
  4. ^ a b Who's Who 2008, London, A & C Black, ISBN 978-0-7136-8555-8
  5. ^ "Michaelmas ordinations". Church Times. No. 4781. 24 September 1954. p. 723. ISSN 0009-658X. Retrieved 13 June 2019 – via UK Press Online archives.
  6. ^ "picture caption". Church Times. No. 6208. 5 February 1982. p. 1. ISSN 0009-658X. Retrieved 13 June 2019 – via UK Press Online archives.
  7. ^ Debrett's People of Today London,2008 Debrett's, ISBN 978-1-870520-95-9
  8. ^ Amongst others he wrote The Foolishness of God (1970); Prophecy in the Church (1976); and The Whole Family of God (1981), British Library Catalogue accessed 27 August 2008 17:54
Church of England titles
Preceded by Bishop of Salisbury
1982–1993
Succeeded by