Nigel Simeon McCulloch

Nigel Simeon McCulloch (born January 17, 1942) is the Bishop of Manchester. He was named to the post in August 2002 [ [http://www.manchester.anglican.org/News/news.asp?ID=2 A new bishop for Manchester] , Diocese of Manchester, August 2002] , took up duties later that year, and was formally installed in February 2003 [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/2716067.stm City's 11th bishop sworn in] , BBC News Online, 1 February 2003] .

He was born and brought up in Crosby, Liverpool and was educated at Liverpool College and read theology at Selwyn College, Cambridge. He trained for the priesthood at Cuddesdon College, Oxford. He was ordained in Chester Cathedral in 1966, and served as a curate in the large urban parish of Ellesmere Port from 1966-70. He was appointed as Chaplain to Christ's College, Cambridge from 1970-1973 and was Director of Studies in Theology there until 1975. He also served as Diocesan Missioner in the Diocese of Norwich from 1973-1978.

He was appointed Archdeacon of Sarum and Rector of the city-centre church of St Thomas’s, Diocese of Salisbury, in 1978, and in 1986 was appointed Suffragan Bishop of Taunton in the Diocese of Bath and Wells. In 1992 he was appointed Diocesan Bishop of Wakefield.

He was appointed Lord High Almoner to The Queen in 1997 and took his seat in the House of Lords in 1997

He is also Chairman of the West Yorkshire Ecumenical Council and Chairman of the Police Standards Committee for West Yorkshire.

Bishop Nigel is National Chairman of the Council for Christians and Jews. He is the Chairman of the Legislative Group charged with bringing proposals to the Church of England’s General Synod that will enable women to be consecrated bishops, whilst at the same time enabling those opposed to retain an honoured place within the Church.

Elected Chair of the GM Faith & Community Leaders Group and also the elected representative of the Faith Communities on the Greater Manchester Forum. He has been active in the Scout Movement – latterly as a County Chairman in Somerset and County President in Yorkshire.

He has recently been a member of the Select Committee reviewing the BBC Charter.

Author of several books, former columnist for the Times, and regular broadcaster, he is the Church of England’s senior spokesman on communication issues.

Since 2002 he has been the National Chaplain to the Royal British Legion.

He is married to Celia, who is descended from eleven successive generations of Irish clergy. On Saturday 28th June 2008 she became the first member of the Church to be ordained a priest by her own husband ["Special honour" for Bishop as he ordains own wife- The Times Issue no 69,363, dated Monday 30th June 2008] They have two grown-up daughters (Kathleen and Lizzie) and a rescue dog called Tessa.

Sony game row

In June 2007 the bishop [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/manchester/6736809.stm objected] to the Sony Playstation game "". The game features detailed views of Manchester Cathedral, infested with aliens to be killed by the protagonist. Sony claimed the game was not based on reality.