Early Life

Bishop Christopher was born in Lydney in the Forest of Dean in 1944. His father helped run the family road haulage business, but was also very proud of his roots as a foundryman in a local iron works.

Bishop Christopher was educated at Monmouth School and went on to read Biblical Studies and Philosophy at the University of Wales, Lampeter. He graduated in 1965 and went straight to Wells Theological College, and, at the same time, obtained a Postgraduate Certificate of Education at the University of Bristol.

Hereford

He was ordained in 1967 and served as assistant curate at St Paul’s, Tupsley, Hereford. During this time he taught Religious Education (RE) and Social Studies in a local secondary school, and was a youth leader. In 1971 he became RE Adviser for the Diocese of Hereford and then, in 1976, Diocesan Director of Education, where he was responsible for developing a residential education centre as well as creating new church schools. He was made Prebendary of Hereford Cathedral in 1977.

Surrey

From 1981-1990 he was Vicar of The Bourne, near Farnham, Surrey. He was appointed Director of Post-Ordination Training and made a Canon of Guildford Cathedral, before becoming Archdeacon of Dorking in 1990.

St Albans

He became Bishop of St Albans in 1995. Nationally, he is Chairman of the Hospital Chaplaincies Council. He is also a member of the House of Lords, which he entered in early December 1999 and where he has established himself as a speaker in the areas of health and medical ethics. He recently served as a member of the Select Committee concerned with the Assisted Dying and the Terminally Ill Bill.

Bishop Christopher has declared a commitment to building links between the Church and civic society, including links with industry and commerce. His words have been matched by an itinerary of visits to local authorities, large and small companies, schools, prisons community projects and hospitals.

He has continued his predecessor’s links with the Church in the West Indies and has also taken a lead in developing links with three Roman Catholic dioceses in Italy. In Autumn 2003 he was the guest lecturer at a conference in Rome for all the Ministers of the Interior throughout Europe where he spoke on 'Inter-faith relations'.

Bishop Christopher has an interest in, and love for all forms of literature. He is a prolific author in his own right. Much of his writing is based on the themes of prayer and spirituality, for both children and adults. Among his best-known books are Ways into Prayer (Church House Publishing, 1987), Pocket Prayers (Church House Publishing, 1993), Pocket Prayers for Children, (1999, republished 2004), and Words of Comfort, all of which have been reprinted many times. In 2002 he completed a major piece of research into 'The Image of the Resurrection of Jesus in 15th Century Northern European Art', for which he was awarded an MPhil by the University of Leicester. He is currently involved in doctoral research, also at the University of Leicester, on 'The Origins of the Easter Sepulchre in Pre-Reformation England'. He was awarded an honorary D.Litt by the University of Hertfordshire in November 2003.

He was awarded a PhD on the Easter Sepulchre in England from the University of Leicester in January 2008. He retired on 7 January 2009.

Writing, publications and lectures
As well as various papers and very frequent publication and coverage in the media, Bishop Christopher has written the following books:
The New Creation. 1971. REP .LoC catalog no: 72-160249
A Place to Dream. 1976. Hereford Diocesan Council for Education
St Paul's: A Place to Dream. Co-author. Friends of St Paul's. ISBN 0902566016
The Edge of Wonder. 1981. CIO. ISBN 0715147501
Listening to Children. 1983. Co-author. ISBN 0715104128
Beginnings - On the Road. 1984. Bible Society. ISBN 056407053
Be Thou My Vision. 1985. CHP. ISBN: 0715148168
This Most Amazing Day. 1986. CHP. ISBN 0715104314
The Question of Jesus. 1987. Co-author. CHP. ISBN 0715104349
Alive to God. 1987. Collins. ISBN 0005999987
Ways Into Prayer. 1987. CHP. ISBN 0715104454
Help in Your Bereavement. 1988. Colins. ISBN 0005999715
Prayers for Children. 1993. CHP.
Pocket Prayers. 1993. CHP. ISBN: 0715148257
The Prayer Garden. 1994. Harper Collins. ISBN 0551028122
Words of Comfort. 1994, 200, 2004. NS/CHP. ISBN: 0715140434
A Little Prayer Diary. 1996. Harper Collins. ISBN 0006280196
Pocket Prayers for Children. 1999, 2004. CHP. ISBN: 0715149113
He has also contributed articles to Anglican Theological Review and to Christian Archaeology.
The Bishop has recently developed a range of lectures in the field of art history, illustrated with PowerPoint presentations. Topics include:
• The Image of the Resurrection in Medieval European Art
• The Isenheim altarpiece
• The Three Kings: The image of the Magi
• The Easter Sepulchre in mediaeval England
• The image of the Cross
Work is progressing on converting the lectures to electronic formats.
He has been a guest lecturer at the National Gallery, Westminster Abbey and the Courtauld Institute, as well as at the University of Leicester and in other locations in England. He has also lectured in Australia, Hong Kong and Italy, and was the guest lecturer at the International education conference of colleges and universities of the Anglican Communion held in Japan in March 2002. In September 2004 he led an art history retreat to Ravenna, Urbino and Fonte Avellana.
His most recent work is entitled 'Visual Prayer’ in which he has created a CD that explores the history of a number of images of Christ and includes meditations on each image. For more information on this unique project, visit www.visualprayer.org.uk.