John Taylor (bishop of St Albans)

John Bernard Taylor (6 May 1929 – 1 June 2016)[1] was a British bishop and theologian who served as Bishop of St Albans.[2]

John Taylor
Bishop of St Albans
Diocese	Diocese of St Albans
In office	1980–1995
Predecessor	Robert Runcie
Successor	Christopher Herbert
Other posts	Honorary assistant bishop in Ely (1995–2016) and in Europe (1997–2016) Lord High Almoner (1988–1997)
Orders
Ordination	1956 (priest)
Consecration	1 May 1980
Personal details
Born	6 May 1929
Died	1 June 2016 (aged 87)
Denomination	Anglican
Parents	George & Gwendoline
Spouse	Linda Barnes (m. 1956)
Children	1 son; 2 daughters
Profession	Academic & writer (theologian)
Alma mater	Christ's College, Cambridge Jesus College & Ridley Hall

Education

Taylor was educated at Watford Grammar School for Boys and Christ's College, Cambridge (graduating Bachelor of Arts with first class honours {BA Hons} in Classics), and trained for the ministry at Ridley Hall and Jesus College, Cambridge (as Lady Kay scholar);[3] he proceeded Cambridge Master of Arts (MA Cantab).[2]

Priestly ministry

He was made deacon (presumably c. Michaelmas 1956 at Southwark), and ordained priest at Michaelmas 1957 (22 September), by Bertram Simpson, Bishop of Southwark, at Southwark Cathedral.[4] After a curacy at St Lawrence Church, Morden,[3] he served as Vicar of Henham and Elsenham from 1959 to 1964. During that time he was appointed an examining chaplain to John Tiarks (and later John Trillo), Bishop of Chelmsford in 1962, continuing until 1980.[2]

He was Vice-Principal of Oak Hill Theological College from 1964 to 1972. He was appointed Vicar of All Saints', Woodford Wells and Diocesan Director of Ordinands in 1972; he departed Woodford (but remained DDO) in 1975 to become Archdeacon of West Ham.[2]

Episcopal ministry

In 1980, Taylor was chosen to succeed Robert Runcie (the new Archbishop of Canterbury) as Bishop of St Albans;[5] he was consecrated a bishop on 1 May, by Runcie, at Westminster Abbey).[6] He was enthroned at St Albans Abbey on 14 June 1980, took his seat (as a Lord Spiritual) in the House of Lords in 1985[2] and retired in August 1995;[7] his successor was Christopher Herbert.[8] Taylor succeeded David Say, Bishop of Rochester as Lord High Almoner in 1988[9] and stepped down in 1997: his successor in that post was Nigel McCulloch, Bishop of Wakefield.[10] He retired to Cambridge, where he served as an honorary assistant bishop in the Diocese of Ely until his death; he was also licensed to the same role in the Diocese in Europe from 1997 onwards.[2]

Other work

Taylor authored a number of religious books.[11][12] He became a Knight Commander of the Royal Victorian Order (KCVO) in 1997.[2]

Books

• Taylor, John B. (1966). Prime, Derek (ed.). A Christian's Guide to the Old Testament. The Christian's Guide Series. 10. London: Hodder & Stoughton.
• ——— (1967). Evangelism Among Children and Young People. London: Scripture Union. OCLC 9518176.
• ——— (1969). Ezekiel: An introduction and commentary. Tyndale Old Testament Commentaries. 26. London: Tyndale Press. OCLC 915290814.
• ——— (1970). The Minor Prophets. Bible Study Books. Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans. OCLC 97379.
• ——— (1978). Understanding the Old Testament. Bible Study Books. London: Scripture Union. ISBN 978-0-854-21638-3. OCLC 85083690. — republishing of The Minor Prophets
• ——— (1983). Preaching through the Prophets. London ; St Louis, MO: Mowbray Publishing ; CBP Press. ISBN 978-0-264-66554-2. OCLC 900943658.
• ——— (1983). Thinking about Islam. World Religions. Guildford, Surrey: Lutterworth Educational. ISBN 978-0-718-82583-6. OCLC 47982418.
• ——— (1989). Going On: guidelines for the newly confirmed. London: Daybreak. ISBN 978-0-232-51859-7. OCLC 20420052.
• ——— (1994). Preaching on God's Justice. Mowbray Preaching Series. London: Mowbray Publishing. ISBN 978-0-264-67338-7. OCLC 31739180.
• ——— (2009). Ezekiel. Tyndale Old Testament Commentaries. 26 (Reissue ed.). Leicester: Inter-Varsity Press. ISBN 978-1-844-74336-0. — recent edition of Ezekiel: An introduction and commentary

Articles

• ——— (1995). "William Tyndale: Bible Translator". Anvil. 12 (1): 35–43.
• ——— (1998). "And He Shall Purify: an Exposition of Malachi Chapters Two and Three". Anvil. 15 (1): 6–12.
• ——— (1997). "Purple Reflections: Life as an Evangelical Bishop". Anvil. 14 (3): 183–88.

References

1. "Former Bishop of St Albans John Taylor dies". Retrieved 3 June 2016.
2. "Taylor, John Bernard". Who's Who. ukwhoswho.com. A & C Black, an imprint of Bloomsbury Publishing plc. doi:10.1093/ww/9780199540884.013.U37119. (subscription or UK public library membership required)
3. Daily Telegraph Issue no 50,086 (dated Saturday 4 June 2016) p25 "Scholarly Bishop of St Albans who preferred cocoa to claret"
4. "Michaelmas Ordinations". Church Times (#4937). 27 September 1957. p. 15. ISSN 0009-658X. Retrieved 17 June 2019 – via UK Press Online archives.
5. New bishop: The successor to the Right Rev. Robert Runcie, Archbishop-Elect of Canterbury The Times (London, England), Wednesday, Jan 30, 1980; pg. 4; Issue 60537
6. "picture caption". Church Times (#6117). 9 May 1980. p. 1. ISSN 0009-658X. Retrieved 16 June 2019 – via UK Press Online archives.
7. Diocese of St Albans – Bishops of St Albans
8. Country cleric chosen as Bishop of St Albans. Ruth Gledhill. The Times (London, England), Wednesday, May 24, 1995; pg. 8; Issue 65275
9. Appointments. The Times (London, England), Wednesday, May 25, 1988; pg. 17; Issue 63090 to 1997
10. Lord High Almoner. The Times (London, England), Friday, May 09, 1997; pg. 22; Issue 65885
11. John Bernard Taylor, Open Library.
12. Books by John Bernard Taylor, Alibris.