Donald Allister

Donald Spargo Allister (born 27 August 1952) is a retired Church of England bishop who served as the Archdeacon of Chester from 2002 to 2010 and the Bishop of Peterborough from 2010 to 2023.

Allister served in parish positions in Hyde, Greater Manchester; Sevenoaks, Kent; Birkenhead, Merseyside and Cheadle, Greater Manchester. While at Sevenoaks he also served as a consultant editor of the Church of England Newspaper and was also a part-time hospital chaplain in Birkenhead. Allister has been a member of the General Synod of the Church of England since 2005 and was on the committee which drafted proposed legislation regarding the consecration of women as bishops. He is also a member of the Council for Christian Unity.

In 2001, Allister attracted media attention after it was reported that he had refused to allow a couple to have the hymns "Jerusalem" and "I Vow to Thee, My Country" at their wedding. He has also spoken out about baptising the children of unmarried couples and also on sex outside of marriage more generally.

Early life Allister was born on 27 August 1952 in Liverpool, the son of a manager of the Mersey Docks and Harbour Company and a nursing sister. The family soon moved across the Mersey to Birkenhead on the Wirral peninsula.

Allister then went up to Peterhouse, Cambridge to study medicine, later changing to theology. After graduation, he undertook further theological studies at Trinity College, Bristol.

Ministry Allister was made a deacon at Petertide 1976 (27 June) and ordained a priest the next Petertide (26 June 1977), both times by Victor Whitsey, Bishop of Chester, at Chester Cathedral. After ordination Allister served as a curate at St George's Church, Hyde from 1976 to 1979 and at St Nicholas' Church, Sevenoaks from 1979 to 1983. During this period he was also a consultant editor of the Church of England Newspaper. He was then appointed vicar of Christ Church, Birkenhead in 1983, also working as a part-time hospital chaplain. In addition to his parish role, he became rural dean of the Cheadle deanery in 1999. In 2001 he received media coverage when it was reported that he had refused to allow a couple to have the hymns "Jerusalem" and "I Vow to Thee, My Country" sung at their wedding. He later said:

In 2002 Allister was appointed as the Archdeacon of Chester. In this position he chaired the diocesan committees on education, houses and glebe. He also acted as the bishop's adviser on healthcare chaplaincy. He became a member of General Synod in 2005 and was appointed to the commission drafting legislation relating to the possible consecration of women as bishops in 2006, serving until it delivered its proposals in 2008.

On 5 November 2009 it was announced from 10 Downing Street that Allister had been nominated as the next Bishop of Peterborough. The see had become vacant with the death of Ian Cundy in May 2009. He was consecrated as a bishop in St Paul's Cathedral on 25 March 2010 and was enthroned as Bishop of Peterborough in Peterborough Cathedral on 17 April 2010.

On 4 November 2011, he was awarded an honorary doctorate in theology by the University of Chester "in recognition of his outstanding contribution to the promotion of Christian education".

On 3 July 2022, Allister announced his intention to retire (resigning his see) in January 2023. He officially retired on 8 January 2023.

Views Allister had previously refused to baptise the children of unmarried parents and condemned sex outside marriage. He attributed the fire at York Minster in 1984, the fire at Windsor Castle in 1992, and "the disastrous royal marriage saga of last year" (a reference to the separation of Charles, Prince of Wales from Diana, Princess of Wales in 1992), to the judgment of God.

Allister later changed his mind about the ordination of women. In 2009, following the announcement that he would be the next Bishop of Peterborough, he stated that he "would ordain women as priests" and "would happily serve with or under a woman bishop". However, he also called for those who object to the ordination of women to be "treated in a way that allows them to stay in the Church with integrity.” He was quoted saying "Today, I'm happy to attend and lead worship in churches of all traditions, from Anglo-Catholic to New Wine ... I love the Church of England in all its variety".

Personal life Allister is married to Janice, a general practitioner and they have three children: their son, John, is now a vicar in Nottingham.

Styles The Reverend Donald Allister (1976–2002) The Venerable Donald Allister (2002–2010) The Right Reverend Donald Allister (2010–present)