David Walker (bishop of Manchester)

David Stuart Walker, TSSF (born 30 May 1957) is a British Anglican bishop. Since 2013, he has been the Bishop of Manchester. He had previously been the Bishop of Dudley, a suffragan bishop in the Diocese of Worcester, from 2000 to 2013.

Early life

Walker was born on 30 May 1957. He was educated at Manchester Grammar School, then an all-boys direct grant grammar school in Manchester. He competed in the International Mathematical Olympiad in 1975. He studied at King's College, Cambridge. He trained for ministry at Queen's College, Edgbaston.

Ordained ministry

Walker was ordained in the Church of England as a deacon in 1983 and as a priest in 1984. His career began with a curacy at St Mary Handsworth, after which he was Team Vicar at Maltby, then Bramley before ordination to the episcopate.

Walker was consecrated as a bishop in 2000. During his time as Bishop of Dudley, Walker was Acting Bishop of Worcester (as the sole suffragan of the diocese) during the 2007 interregnum between the retirement of Peter Selby and confirmation of John Inge.

His nomination to be the next Bishop of Manchester was announced on 5 June 2013; his canonical election to the See was confirmed on 7 October 2013; and he was enthroned at Manchester Cathedral on 30 November 2013. He was awarded a doctorate in 2014 after research, at Warwick University, on how people belong to their churches, particularly in rural Anglicanism.

Since 2014, Walker has been Vice President of Affirming Catholicism. He is a member of the Third Order of the Society of St Francis (TSSF).

Personal life

Walker is keen hill walker. He is married to Sue and together they have two children.

Styles

• The Reverend David Walker (1983–2000)
• The Right Reverend David Walker (2000–2014)
• The Right Reverend Doctor David Walker (2014–present)