John Austin (bishop)

The Rt Revd John Austin OBE MA(Oxon)
Bishop of Aston
Diocese	Diocese of Birmingham
In office	1992 – July 2005 (retired)
Predecessor	Colin Buchanan (1985–1989)
Successor	Andrew Watson (2008–present)
Other posts	Honorary assistant bishop in Leicester (2005–2007)
Orders
Ordination	1964 at Southwark Cathedral by Mervyn Stockwood (deacon); 1965 (priest)
Consecration	1992
Personal details
Born	14 March 1939 Surbiton, Surrey
Died	17 August 2007 (aged 68)
Nationality	British
Denomination	Anglican
Parents	John & Margaret
Spouse	Rosemary King (m. 1971)
Children	2 sons: Fenner & Jacob; 1 daughter: Naomi
Alma mater	St Edmund Hall, Oxford

John Michael Austin OBE (14 March 1939 – 17 August 2007)^[1] was the Bishop of Aston from 1992 to 2005, filling a post which had been vacant since the previous incumbent Colin Ogilvie Buchanan resigned in 1989. After Austin the post again remained vacant for three years until the Diocese announced the appointment of Andrew Watson to fill the post^[2]

Austin was educated at Worksop College and St Edmund Hall, Oxford. He was ordained in 1965 and began his ordained ministry with a curacy at St John the Evangelist's East Dulwich.^[3] He then held positions in Chicago and Walworth before becoming the Social Responsibility Adviser to the Diocese of St Albans. Appointed the Director of the London Diocesan Board for Social Responsibility in 1984, he was a committed campaigner for social justice.^[4]

References

1. ‘AUSTIN, Rt Rev. John Michael’, Who Was Who, A & C Black, 2007; online edition, Oxford University Press, December 2007 , accessed 4 July 2012
2. Daily Telegraph "Appointments in the clergy" p28 Issue no 47,670 (dated Monday 8 September 2008)
3. Crockford's clerical directory, 1995 (London: Church House ISBN 0-7151-8088-6)
4. Birmingham Mail

Sources

• Guardian obituary
• Birmingham diocese obituary
• Telegraph obituary