The Most Revd Alan Edwin Thomas Harper, OBE, is the Church of Ireland's Archbishop of Armagh and Primate of All Ireland. He assumed office on 2 February 2007, with a more ceremonial enthronement scheduled for 16 March 2007. He is the first English-born Irish primate since the Disestablishment of the Church of Ireland in 1869. He and his wife Helen have four children. Church of Ireland The Church of Ireland (Irish: Eaglais na hÉireann) is an autonomous province of the Anglican Communion, operating seamlessly across the border between the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland. ... Primate of All Ireland is the title held by the Archbishop of Armagh. ... The Most Reverend and Right Honourable Robin Henry Alexander Eames, Baron Eames (born April 27, 1937) is the Church of Ireland Archbishop of Armagh. ... The Church of Irelands diocesan system is based on the 900-year-old system set up by the Synod of Rathbreasail. ... March 20 is the 79th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (80th in leap years). ... Year 1944 (MCMXLIV) was a leap year starting on Saturday. ... Tamworth town centre Tamworth is a historic town and local government district in Staffordshire, UK, located 27 km (17 miles) northeast of Birmingham and 198 km (123 miles) northwest of London. ... Staffordshire (abbreviated Staffs) is a landlocked county in the West Midlands region of England. ... OBE can mean several things, Officer of the Order of the British Empire, distinction of honour. ... Church of Ireland The Church of Ireland (Irish: Eaglais na hÉireann) is an autonomous province of the Anglican Communion, operating seamlessly across the border between the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland. ... The Church of Ireland Archbishop of Armagh is the senior cleric of the Church of Ireland, the oldest and most wide-spread non-roman episcopal denomination in the island of Ireland. ... Primate of All Ireland is the title held by the Archbishop of Armagh. ... Families 15, See classification A primate (L. prima, first) is any member of the biological order Primates, the group that contains all the species commonly related to the lemurs, monkeys, and apes, with the latter category including humans. ...

Education and employment

Born in Staffordshire, Alan Harper was educated at Moorgate County Primary School, Tamworth, Staffordshire, The Grammar School of Elizabeth, Queen of England in Tamworth, and studied Geography at Leeds University. Following graduation (B.A.), he worked as University Map Curator and Departmental Librarian in the Department of Geography. He moved to Northern Ireland in July 1966, when he was appointed a member of the Archaeological Survey of Northern Ireland. He married Helen in 1967, and the couple have four children, Catherine, Richard, and twins Emma and Ann. In 1974 he returned to England as Principal Assistant Planning Officer with Staffordshire County Council. In 1980 Bishop Harper was appointed a member of the Historic Monuments Council for Northern Ireland and was Chairman from 1988-1995. In 1996 he was awarded an OBE for Services to Conservation in Northern Ireland. Staffordshire (abbreviated Staffs) is a landlocked county in the West Midlands region of England. ... University Tower, University of Leeds The University of Leeds (United Kingdom) is amongst the largest of British universities and the most popular by applicants, with 52,444 applicants in 2003 for 7,228 places (UCAS). ... A Bachelor of Arts (B.A. or A.B.) is an undergraduate academic degree awarded for a course or program in the arts and/or sciences. ... Motto:  (Latin for Who will separate us?)[1] Anthem: UK: God Save the Queen Regional: (de facto) Londonderry Air Capital Belfast Largest city Belfast Official language(s) English (de facto), Ulster Scots, Irish3, Northern Ireland Sign Language, Irish Sign Language Government Constitutional monarchy  - Queen Queen Elizabeth II  - Prime Minister of... OBE can mean several things, Officer of the Order of the British Empire, distinction of honour. ... Conservation may refer to the following: Politics and policy Conservation movement, movement seeking to protect plant and animal species as well as the habitats they live in Conservation ethic in relation to preserving ecosystems Energy conservation, reducing non-renewable energy consumption Water conservation Wildlife conservation Conservation authority Culture Art conservation...

Ordination and ministry

Pursuing a vocation to the ministry, Alan Harper entered the Church of Ireland Theological College in Dublin in 1975 and was ordained a deacon in 1978 in St Anne’s Cathedral, Belfast. A year later, he became a priest. His first curacy was in the Ballywillan in Connor diocese; he then served as vicar of Moville, followed by a tenure as rector of Christ Church, Londonderry from 1982-1986. Returning to Connor diocese, Alan Harper became rector of Malone from 1986-2002, and served as Archdeacon of Connor and Precentor of St Anne’s Cathedral, Belfast, from 1996-2002. A vocation is an occupation, either professional or voluntary, that is seen to those who carry it out as offering more than simply financial reward. ... WGS-84 (GPS) Coordinates: 53. ... St Annes Cathedral is a cathedral of the Church of Ireland in Belfast, Northern Ireland. ...

Bishop and Archbishop

On 17 December 2001, Alan Harper was elected Bishop of Connor by the Episcopal Electoral College. He was consecrated on 18 March 2002 in St Anne’s Cathedral, Belfast, and enthroned in Christ Church Cathedral, Lisburn, on 25 April 2002. On Wednesday 10 January 2007, the eleven bishops of the Church of Ireland elected him the 104th Archbishop of Armagh and Primate of All Ireland, in succession to Archbishop Robin Eames. The Most Reverend and Right Honourable Robin Henry Alexander Eames, Baron Eames (born April 27, 1937) is the Church of Ireland Archbishop of Armagh. ...

Views on sexuality

Since issues of sexuality (particularly homosexuality) are the topic of endless debate and simmering acrimony in the Anglican communion at present, Harper's election to the primacy immediately drew media interest to his views on these questions; previous interviews were given new scrutiny. Several commentators ([1], [2]) concluded that he is personally liberal but willing to be bound by more traditional views as long as the Church of Ireland has not as a whole signalled a desire to move on from them. This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... Homosexuality refers to sexual interaction and / or romantic attraction between individuals of the same sex. ... The Anglican Communion uses the compass rose as its symbol, signifying its worldwide reach and decentralized nature. ...

Heterosexual cohabitation

"That form of cohabitation in which couples commit themselves to each other in a loving, consenting, exclusive, permanent relationship is a form of commitment less complete than marriage, and therefore not the same as marriage, but is, nevertheless, a state of life which may be chosen in good conscience and is deserving of respect." (Address to Connot Diocesan Synod, 2003)

Same-sex relationships

"If a relationship between homosexual males is creative of love as well as being permanent and lifelong I don’t think that I am able to say that it is intrinsically disordered. What I am very much concerned about is the problem of promiscuity which is a totally different issue. I’m not entering now into the question of whether or not a homosexual lifestyle as we see it is intrinsically more promiscuous than what we call a straight lifestyle. But I am concerned about faithfulness." (Interviewed on BBC Radio Ulster's Sunday Sequence programme, September 2003) BBC Northern Irelands award-winning Sunday morning speech radio programme has a magazine format and a focus on religion, ethics and current affairs. ...

Speaking shortly after his election as Archbishop of Armagh, Alan Harper addressed the debate about homosexuality within Anglicanism. He argued that gay people are "born with their sexuality" and that same-sex relationships are not sinful as long as they are "chaste" (i.e., faithful and monogamous). He also criticised Church of Ireland bishops for "not doing enough" to meet their commitment to listen to the experience of gay and lesbian persons, as required under Lambeth (1998) Resolution 1.10. (Interviewed on BBC Radio Ulster's Sunday Sequence programme, 14 January 2007)

Gay priests

"I could not and would not ordain to the diaconate or the priesthood any person whom I knew to be engaged in an active homosexual relationship. I believe that such an action would be in conflict with the mind and the accepted practice of the Church of Ireland. I also believe that such a deacon or priest living openly in an active relationship might well be vulnerable to an action brought in a church court for the offence of 'conduct unbecoming'." (Address to Connor Diocese, 2003)

Blessing civil partnerships

"The Church of Ireland has not considered, provided or authorised any order of service for the Blessing of a Registered Civil partnership. I consider that the devising of such a liturgy by any member of the clergy at this time [...] would be likely to constitute a variation 'of substantial importance' in any form of service prescribed in the Book of Common Prayer or elsewhere. It might also be deemed or interpreted by some to be indicative of a 'departure from the doctrine of the Church.'" (Letter to clergy, Diocese of Connor, 2005)

External links

• The bishop's webpage, from the Connor Diocesan site
• Announcement and biography from the Church of Ireland press office