David Andrew Urquhart

Infobox Bishop
honorific-prefix = The Right Reverend

name = David Andrew Urquart
honorific-suffix =
bishop_of = Bishop of Birmingham


caption =
province = Church of England
diocese =
see = Birmingham
enthroned = 2006
ended = Incumbent
predecessor = The Rt. Revd. Dr John Sentamu
successor =
ordination = 1984
consecration = 2006
other_post = Bishop of Birkenhead
(2000-2006)
Vicar of Holy Trinity, Coventry
(1992-2000)
birth_name =
birth_date = 1952
birthplace =
death_date =
deathplace =
buried =
nationality =
religion =
residence =
parents =
spouse =
children =
ocupation =
profession =
alma_mater =

David Andrew Urquhart (born 1952) is the ninth Bishop of Birmingham.

Urquhart was educated at Rugby School and Ealing College Business School (BA 1970). After a career in commercial management with British Petroleum, Urquhart trained for the ministry at Wycliffe Hall, Oxford. He was ordained in 1984 and served in Hull before becoming Vicar of Holy Trinity Church in Coventry in 1992. He was appointed Suffragan Bishop of Birkenhead in the Diocese of Chester in 2000. His appointment as Bishop of Birmingham was announced in 2006, [LondonGazette|issue=58024|startpage=8460|date=21 June 2006|accessdate=2008-04-18] and he was enthroned on November 11, 2006, succeeding John Sentamu after his appointment as Archbishop of York. 800 people witnessed his enthronement in Birmingham Cathedral, while some of those unable to attend the service watched on television in a local pub. [cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/west_midlands/5008588.stm|title="Birmingham's new bishop is named", BBC News, 23 May 2006]

At his enthronement the bishop was presented with a cope which incorporated various images related to his life and the city of Birmingham. These included a bagpiper, signifying his birth and upbringing in Scotland, a motorcycle which represents one of his hobbies and the emblems of Aston Villa and Birmingham City FC, the two most successful football teams from the city. The cope also features a passage from the bible, which reads "You shall be called the repairer of the breach, the restorer of the streets to dwell in." (Isaiah 58:12). The passage was written in English, Mandarin, Hebrew and Lugandan. During the ceremony in Birmingham Cathedral, the bishop smashed a large clay pot with a mallet to signify the fragility of human life and our world. [cite web|url=http://www.birmingham.anglican.org/content/content_yourchurch_news_story.asp?id=23#|title="A cope of Many Languages for the Ninth Bishop of Birmingham", 17 November 2006, Diocese of Birmingham website]

In a message to his new diocese shortly after his enthronement, Bishop David thanked the people of Birmingham for the warm welcome he had received. He cited his desire for the diocese to engage in "worship, making disciples and prophetic witness". [cite web|url=http://www.birmingham.anglican.org/content/content_yourchurch_bishop.asp|title="Bishop of Birmingham Inaugurated", Diocese of Birmingham, 17 November 2006]

He acts as the Archbishop of Canterbury's envoy to China and accompanied the Archbishop on a visit to China in October 2006. [cite web|url=http://www.archbishopofcanterbury.org/releases/061019.htm|title="Notes from China", Archbishop of Canterbury official site, October 2006] Urquhart was appointed Prelate of The Most Distinguished Order of St Michael and St George in 2005. [LondonGazette|issue=57654|startpage=7053|date=31 May 2005|accessdate=2008-04-18] [cite web|url=http://www.number-10.gov.uk/output/page9514.asp|title="New Bishop of Birmingham appointed", Office of the Prime Minister, 23 May 2006] and holds the Freedom of the Borough of Wirral. [cite web|url=http://www.wirral.gov.uk/events/PRshow.asp?PRId=1791&type=Press|title="Wirral honours civic leaders", Wirral Council press release, 6 November 2006] Bishop Urquhart is unmarried and enjoys walking in his native Scottish Highlands, playing fives and watching films. [cite web|url=http://www.number-10.gov.uk/output/page9514.asp|title="New Bishop of Birmingham appointed", Office of the Prime Minister, 23 May 2006]

Notes

External links

* [http://www.birmingham.anglican.org/content/content_yourchurch_bishop.asp Bishop David Urquhart, Diocese of Birmingham official site]