Michael Bourke

The Rt Revd Michael Bourke MA(Cantab)
Bishop of Wolverhampton
Diocese	Diocese of Lichfield
In office	1993–2007
Predecessor	Christopher Mayfield
Successor	Clive Gregory
Other posts	Archdeacon of Bedford (1986–1993)
Orders
Ordination	c. 1967 (deacon); c. 1968 (priest)
Consecration	1993
Personal details
Born	(1941-11-28) 28 November 1941
Denomination	Anglican
Parents	Gordon & Hilda
Spouse	Elizabeth Bieler (m. 1968)
Children	1 son; 1 daughter
Alma mater	Corpus Christi College, Cambridge

Michael Gay Bourke (born 28 November 1941) was the second area and third overall Bishop of Wolverhampton from 1993 until 2007.^[1]

Education and career

Bourke studied Modern Languages at Corpus Christi College, Cambridge^[2] and then Theology at Cambridge and Tübingen before training for the ministry at Cuddesdon Theological College. He was ordained in 1967, and began his ordained ministry as a curate at St James’ Grimsby^[3] after which he spent 22 years in Hertfordshire and Bedfordshire in the Diocese of St Albans ^[4] rising to be Archdeacon of Bedford (1986–1993), until his ordination to the episcopate. From 1996 to 2006 he was Anglican Co-Chairman of the Meissen Commission, the body which oversees the relationship between the Church of England and the Protestant Church of Germany (EKD) Template:Since 2006, Bourke has lived in Hereford diocese, and is an honorary Assistant Bishop in that diocese (as retired bishops usually are).

Personal life

Bourke is a keen amateur astronomer, and counts star-gazing as amongst his chief spare-time pursuits. He has been an outspoken advocate of gay rights in both church and society, and has actively opposed institutional homophobia in all organisations, including the Church.^[5]

Awards

In 2008 Michael Bourke received the Cross of St Augustine, the second highest international award for outstanding service to the Anglican Church. This was awarded primarily for his services to ecumenism, although the citation also mentioned his work opposing racism and homophobia.

References

↑ Resignation details
↑ ‘BOURKE, Rt Rev. Michael Gay’, Who's Who 2012, A & C Black, 2012; online edition, Oxford University Press, December 2011 , accessed 2 July 2012
↑ Crockford's Clerical Directory2008/2009 Lambeth, Church House Publishing ISBN 9780715110300
↑ BCC website
↑ See this citation by the Archbishop of Canterbury.

Church of England titles
Preceded by Christopher Mayfield	Archdeacon of Bedford 1986–1993	Succeeded by Malcolm Lesiter
Preceded by Christopher Mayfield	Bishop of Wolverhampton 1993–2007	Succeeded by Clive Gregory

Bishops of Wolverhampton

Barry Rogerson Christopher Mayfield (became first area bishop}

Area bishops	Christopher Mayfield Michael Bourke Clive Gregory

Archdeacons of Bedford

High Medieval	Osbert Ralph Hugh Nicholas Alan Richard Geoffrey Alexander of Elstow John de Houton Amaury of Buckden John de Dyham John of Crakehall Peter de Audeham John de Maidenstan Nicholas de Hegham Richard de Bradewell John Hook

Late Medieval	Roger Rothwell/Rowell Thomas Neville Edmund London John Daubeny Philip Daubeny Thomas Cumpton John Irtlingburgh Thomas Stowe William Aghton Richard Caudray William Derby Robert Thornton Thomas Salisbury John Ruding John Collinson Henry Sharp Thomas Hutton

Early modern	William Cosyn John Chambre Gilbert Bourne John Pope Michael Dunning Richard Barber William Todd John Robinson Roger Parker George Eland John Hacket Francis Wilford Theophilus Dillingham John Skelton Thomas Frank John Dudley John Taylor Charles Jenner Richard Grey Hadley Cox William Done Richard Shepherd

Late modern	Samuel Vince Henry Bonney Henry Tattam Henry Rose Frederick Bathurst Noel Hodges Arthur Parnell Gerard Lander William Robins Donald Harris Basil Guy Basil Snell John Hare Robert Brown Christopher Mayfield Michael Bourke Malcolm Lesiter Paul Hughes

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