Donald Allister

Who is Donald Allister?

Donald Spargo Allister is a Church of England bishop. He was the Archdeacon of Chester from 2002 to 2010 and on 5 November 2009 was nominated as the next Bishop of Peterborough. He was installed on 17 April 2010.

Allister served in parish positions in Hyde, Greater Manchester; Sevenoaks, Kent; Birkenhead, Merseyside and Cheadle, Greater Manchester. While at Sevenoaks he also served as a consultant editor of the Church of England Newspaper and in Birkenhead he was also a part-time hospital chaplain. He has been a member of the General Synod of the Church of England since 2005 and was on the committee which drafted proposed legislation regarding the consecration of women bishops. He is also a member of the Council for Christian Unity.

In 2001 Allister attracted media attention after it was reported that he had refused to allow a couple to have the hymns "Jerusalem" and "I Vow to Thee, My Country" at their wedding. He has also spoken out about baptising the children of unmarried couples and also on sex outside of marriage more generally.