David Edward Jenkins (born January 26, 1925) is best known as the Bishop of Durham, a post he held from 1984 until 1994. Born in Bromley, Kent, Jenkins had been a lecturer in theology at the University of Oxford, Chaplain and Fellow of the Queen's College, Oxford and had worked for the World Council of Churches and the William Temple Foundation before his controversial appointment. He had written numerous books on Christian theology, and had been Professor at the University of Leeds from 1979 until 1984. January 26 is the 26th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1925 (MCMXXV) was a common year starting on Thursday (link will take you to calendar). ... Arms of the Bishop of Durham The Bishop of Durham is the officer of the Church of England responsible for the diocese of Durham, one of the oldest in the country. ... 1984 (MCMLXXXIV) was a leap year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... 1994 (MCMXCIV) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar, and was designated the International year of the Family. ... Bromley is the principal town in the London Borough of Bromley. ... Kent is a county in England, south-east of London. ... The University of Oxford, located in the city of Oxford, England, is the oldest university in the English-speaking world. ... The Queens College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom. ... The World Council of Churches (WCC) is the principal international Christian ecumenical organization. ... William Temple (1881 - 1944), Archbishop of Canterbury (1942 - 1944) was the second son of Archbishop Frederick Temple (1821-1902). ... Theology is reasoned discourse concerning God (Greek θεος, theos, God, + λογος, logos, word or reason). It can also refer to the study of other religious topics. ... Parkinson Building, University of Leeds The University of Leeds, England, is one of the largest universities in the United Kingdom and the most popular by applicants, with 52,444 applicants in 2003 for 7,228 places (UCAS). ... This page refers to the year 1979. ...

The controversy over his selection as Bishop of Durham centred on his alleged unconventional beliefs and his misquoted statement that the Resurrection was "not just a conjuring trick with bones". Three days after his consecration as bishop on 6 July 1984, York Minster was struck by lightning, resulting in a disastrous fire seen by some as a sign of divine displeasure at his theological beliefs. These were reaffirmed a couple of months later by his remarks on the resurrection, broadcast on a BBC Radio 4 programme in October 1984. It has been suggested that Resurrection of the dead be merged into this article or section. ... July 6 is the 187th day of the year (188th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 178 days remaining. ... York Minster Close The southwest tower of York Minster Inside York Minster The interior of the tower York Minster is an imposing Gothic cathedral in York, northern England. ... BBC Radio 4 is a British domestic radio station which broadcasts a wide variety of chiefly spoken-word programmes including news, drama, comedy, science and history. ... Look up October in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ...

In his role as Bishop, Jenkins was famed for his willingness to speak his mind and was regarded by many as a 'breath of fresh air' among fellow men of the cloth. In 2005, he became one of the first clergymen in the Church of England to bless a civil partnership between two gay men, one of whom was a vicar. The Church of England is the officially established Christian church in England, and acts as the mother and senior branch of the worldwide Anglican Communion, as well as a founding member of the Porvoo Communion. ... In modern society, gay is a word which can be used as either a noun or adjective. ... In the broadest sense, a vicar (from the Latin vicarius) is anyone acting as a substitute or agent for a superior (compare vicarious). In this sense, the title is comparable to lieutenant. ...

See also

• Dr Spacely-Trellis, Bishop of Bevindon.