Colin James

Colin Clement Walter James (20 September 1926 – 10 December 2009) was an Anglican bishop in the Church of England, successively suffragan Bishop of Basingstoke, then the Bishop of Winchester.

Early life and education James was born on 20 September 1926. His father, Canon Charles Clement Hancock James, was also a Church of England clergyman. He was educated at Aldenham School, a private school in Hertfordshire, England. He studied modern history at King's College, Cambridge, and then trained for ordination at Cuddesdon Theological College. and priest a year later, both by William Wand, Bishop of London, at St Paul's Cathedral.

In 1959, he joined the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) as a producer of religious programmes. He was Religious Broadcasting Organizer for BBC South West from 1960 to 1967.

Episcopal ministry James was the first suffragan Bishop of Basingstoke in the Diocese of Winchester, beginning with his consecration as a bishop on 2 February 1973 at St Paul's Cathedral by Michael Ramsey, Archbishop of Canterbury. He held his suffragan bishopric with a residentiary canonry of Winchester Cathedral. and was enthroned at Wakefield Cathedral on 9 February 1977. He was returned to the Diocese of Winchester as the diocesan Bishop of Winchester; he was enthroned at Winchester Cathedral on 28 June 1985, having been elected two weeks prior

He died on 10 December 2009.

Views James was part of the Anglo-Catholic tradition of the Church of England, and was opposed to the ordination of women. He was not, however, a conservative in all matters, and supported the change to inclusive language in worship.