David Court (bishop)

David Eric Court (born 16 October 1958)[1] is a British Anglican bishop. He has been the Bishop suffragan of Grimsby in the Church of England Diocese of Lincoln since 2014.[2]

The Right Reverend

David Court
Bishop of Grimsby
ChurchChurch of England
DioceseDiocese of Lincoln
In office2014–present
PredecessorDavid Rossdale
Other post(s)Rural dean of Repps and an honorary canon of Norwich Cathedral (2010–2014)
Vicar of Cromer (2003–2014)
Orders
Ordination7 July 1991 (deacon)
by Paul Barber
5 July 1992 (priest)
by Bill Westwood
Consecration25 July 2014
by Justin Welby
Personal details
Born (1958-10-16) 16 October 1958
Norwich, Norfolk, United Kingdom
NationalityBritish
DenominationAnglican
SpouseAnn
Children3
Professionformer teacher
Alma materUniversity of Southampton

Early life

Court was born on 16 October 1958 in Norwich, England.[3] He was educated at a comprehensive school in Norwich.[2] He went on to study electrochemistry at the University of Southampton,[2] graduating with a Bachelor of Science (BSc) degree in 1980 and a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degree in 1983.[4] His doctoral thesis was titled "Some electrochemical studies in large molecules",[5] and related to the medicinal opportunities of sugar.[2] He then remained Southampton to undertake teacher training, and completed his Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) in 1984.[4]

From 1984 to 1988, Court taught chemistry and physics at Prince William School, a secondary school in Oundle, Northamptonshire.[2][6] Having become a committed Christian while at university, he left teaching and entered Oak Hill Theological College, a conservative evangelical theological college in London.[2] He graduated with a Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree in 1991.[4]

Ordained ministry

Court was made a deacon at Petertide 1991 (7 July) by Paul Barber, Bishop of Brixworth;[7] and ordained a priest the following Petertide (5 July 1992) by Bill Westwood, Bishop of Peterborough — both times at Peterborough Cathedral.[8] Court served his title (curacy) in Barton Seagrave; from 1994 to 1997, he served a second curacy in Kinson before moving to become Vicar of Mile Cross, Norwich. He then moved to become Vicar of Cromer in 2003; while remaining in which post, he became Rural Dean of Repps and an honorary canon of Norwich Cathedral in 2010.[4]

Episcopal ministry

On 9 May 2014, it was announced that Court had been appointed Bishop of Grimsby in the Diocese of Lincoln. He was duly consecrated by Justin Welby, Archbishop of Canterbury on 25 July 2014 at St Paul's Cathedral, London[2] and installed at Lincoln Cathedral on 27 July 2014.

Between May 2019 and February 2021, during the suspension of the Bishop of Lincoln (Christopher Lowson), Court was served as acting diocesan bishop of the Diocese of Lincoln.[9][10] He has once more been acting Bishop of Lincoln since 1 May 2023, during the interregnum, in succession to Stephen Conway who had been acting bishop since Lowson retired in December 2021.[11]

Views

In reaction to the Living in Love and Faith process and the proposed introduction of the blessing of same-sex relationships, he stated: "I am hugely grateful to all those whose honesty and vulnerability have helped shape my own thinking on these issues of human identity and sexuality. I have had much to learn and have been changed."[12]

Personal life

Court is married to Ann, and they have three children.[2]

Styles
  • Doctor David Court (1983–1991)
  • The Reverend Doctor David Court (1991–2010)
  • The Reverend Canon Doctor David Court (2010–2014)
  • The Right Reverend Doctor David Court (2014–present)

References
  1. "Court, David Eric". Who's Who. Vol. 2016 (November 2015 online ed.). A & C Black. Retrieved 24 July 2016. (Subscription or UK public library membership required.)
  2. Diocese of Lincoln – New Bishop of Grimsby is announced Archived 2014-05-12 at the Wayback Machine (Accessed 9 May 2014)
  3. "Grimsby, Bishop Suffragan of, (Rt Rev. Dr David Court) (born 16 Oct. 1958)". Who's Who 2021. Oxford University Press. 1 December 2020. Retrieved 2 February 2021.
  4. "David Eric Court". Crockford's Clerical Directory (online ed.). Church House Publishing. Retrieved 23 June 2018.
  5. Court, D. E. (1984). "Some electrochemical studies in large molecules". E-Thesis Online Service. The British Library. Retrieved 2 February 2021.
  6. "The Rt Revd Dr David Eric COURT PhD, BSc, BA". The Church of England Year Book. Church House Publishing. Retrieved 2 February 2021.
  7. "Ordinations". Church Times. No. 6700. 12 July 1991. p. 6. ISSN 0009-658X. Retrieved 2 July 2022 – via UK Press Online archives.
  8. "Petertide ordinations". Church Times. No. 6754. 24 July 1992. p. 5. ISSN 0009-658X. Retrieved 2 July 2022 – via UK Press Online archives.
  9. "Bishop of Lincoln suspended from office". BBC News. 16 May 2019. Retrieved 16 May 2019.
  10. "Bishop of Lincoln can return to duty after 20-month safeguarding investigation".
  11. "Bishop of Grimsby to be Acting Bishop of Lincoln". Diocese of Lincoln. 28 April 2023. Archived from the original on 28 April 2023. Retrieved 21 May 2023.
  12. "Pastoral Letter to the Diocese". Diocese of Lincoln. Lincoln Diocesan Trust and Board of Finance. Retrieved 22 January 2023.
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