More than forty people heard Bishop Colin Buchanan, the former Bishop of Woolwich and an honorary assistant bishop in the diocese, deliver a tour de force on Saturday September 6th as he reflected on his 50 years of ordained ministry as parish priest, college principal, bishop, author and liturgist.
Bishop Colin, who lives in north Leeds, was born in 1934 and began his ministry in Cheadle, Manchester, but spent much of his ministry as first a member of staff and then principal of St John’s Theological College Nottingham. Married with two children he went on to become Bishop of Aston and later Bishop of Woolwich retiring in 2004.
Bishop Colin is well known nationally for his work on liturgy and has published extensively on this subject and others. He founded the Grove Booklet Series and owned the business until 1985. He still writes booklets for this series and edits the semi-official Anglican monthly News of Liturgy. He was a member of the General Synod's Liturgical Commission (1964-86) and was one of the architects of the Alternative Service Book. He drafted the Church of England report on the Charismatic Movement (1981) and served on the Doctrine Commission (1986-91). He was one of those responsible for the Report ‘We believe in the Holy Spirit’ (1991). He is a passionate advocate of the disestablishment of the Church of England. In 1994 he published his book Cut the Connection and sponsored the General Synod debate on the subject. In 1998 he produced his book on ecclesiology, ‘Is the Church of England Biblical?’
Steve Allen, one of those there to join Bishop Colin in the celebration said afterwards, “With typical humour and insight he reflected on all the major streams and many of the crucial events that have helped shaped the Church of England today. Colin also provided a grand cake and invited everyone to share in his 80th birthday - we didn't take much persuading!”