Thomas Frederick Butler

Thomas Frederick Butler (born 1940) is the ninth Bishop of Southwark [ [http://www.southwark.anglican.org Southwark Diocese] ] .

Born in Birmingham, Thomas Butler attended King Edward VI Five Ways school in Birmingham and the University of Leeds, where he obtained a first class honours Bachelor of Science degree and subsequently a Masters and Doctorate in electronics. He trained for ordination with the Mirfield Fathers at the College of the Resurrection in Yorkshire.

After ordination in 1964 ["Crockfords" On-line- accessed 19:12 19 May 2008] , he served three years as a curate in the Ely and Canterbury Dioceses, before spending twelve years as a lecturer in electronics and as chaplain at the University of Zambia and then at the University of Kent at Canterbury [ "Who's Who" 2008: London, A & C Black, 2008 ISBN 9780713672576] . During this period he was on the staff of Lusaka and Canterbury Cathedrals respectively.

Dr Butler was the Archdeacon of Northolt from 1980 to 1985 , then became Area Bishop of Willesden (both in the Diocese of London) [ Debrett's People of Today London, Debrett's, 2008 ISBN 9781870520959] He was appointed Bishop of Leicester in 1991 and Bishop of Southwark in 1998.

He is married to Barbara, who is the Executive Secretary of Christians Aware, a charity that is involved in education and development. They have two grown-up children and four grandchildren.

Dr Butler has been active at national and international level. Until 1995 he chaired the follow-up to "Faith in the City", which published the controversial "Staying in the City" report. He chaired the General Synod's Board of Mission from 1995 until 2001 and is now Vice Chair Public Affairs of the Mission and Public Affairs Council. He is also Chair of the Governors of Ripon College, Cuddesdon. He served as the General Synod representative on the Inner Cities Religious Council, an initiative set up by the Department of the Environment, until 2001. Since mid-2003 the Bishop has represented the Church of England on the central committee of the World Council of Churches. He entered the House of Lords in 1997.

Dr Butler is a regular contributor to BBC Radio 4's "Thought for the Day" and has taken part in many other national and local TV and radio programmes. He has also co-authored two books with his wife Barbara: "Just Mission" and "Just Spirituality in a World of Faiths".

He was enthroned in Southwark Cathedral on 12 September 1998. He is styled "the Rt Revd Dr Thomas Butler".

Controversy

On 5 December 2006, Dr Butler returned home from a function at the Irish embassy in London with a head injury, which he claimed to be unable to remember sustaining [ [http://www.guardian.co.uk/religion/Story/0,,1968882,00.html "Guardian" coverage of public drunkenness allegations] ] . He contacted the police claiming that he had been mugged. However, it was subsequently suggested in the media that Butler, apparently under the influence of alcohol, had sustained the injury while being removed from a stranger's car into which he had apparently climbed and had begun throwing out the children's toys from the back seats [ [http://www.guardian.co.uk/religion/Story/0,,1968882,00.html Erratic behaviour described] ] . On being questioned about this seemingly eccentric behaviour, he is alleged to have responded, "I'm the Bishop of Southwark, it's what I do". [ [http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/tm_headline=bished-as-a-newt%26method=full%26objectid=18235855%26siteid=94762-name_page.html "Bished" as a Newt] ] .

In an interview with John Humphrys on BBC Radio 4's "Today Programme" on Tuesday, 19 December 2006, Dr Butler reiterated his statement that he had not been drinking heavily, and contended that someone who was greatly intoxicated could not have negotiated the complex tube route to his home from the reception location. He also stated that he was very worried that he still could not account for three hours of the evening in question, and was undergoing medical tests. Dr Butler gave the "Thought for the Day" on the same date [ [http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/today/listenagain/ram/today2_bishop_20061219.ram BBC TFTD] ] .

tyles

* Mr Thomas Butler (1940-?)
* Dr Thomas Butler (?-1964)
* The Revd. Dr Thomas Butler (1964-1980)
* The Ven. Dr Thomas Butler (1980-1985)
* The Rt. Revd. Dr Thomas Butler (1985-)

Notes