Peter Robert Forster (born 16 March 1950) is a British former Anglican bishop. He was Bishop of Chester in the Church of England from 1996 and a Lord Spiritual (member of the House of Lords) from 2001 until his retirement in 2019. He was received into the Roman Catholic Church in 2021.
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Early life and education
Born in Solihull, the son of Thomas Forster by his marriage to Edna Russell, Forster was educated at the town's Tudor Grange Grammar School. He stated in the House of Lords on 8 February 2016 that he had spent his gap year making Land Rover Defenders and was auto-enrolled into the TGWU. He studied at Merton College, Oxford, where he graduated with a Bachelor of Arts (BA) in chemistry, promoted to Master of Arts (MA Oxon) in 1973. At the University of Edinburgh, he graduated as a Bachelor of Divinity (BD) in theology in 1977 and as a Doctor of Philosophy in 1985.
Ordained ministry
Forster was ordained a deacon at Petertide (29 June) in 1980 and a priest the next Petertide (12 July 1981), both times by David Sheppard, Bishop of Liverpool, at Liverpool Cathedral. From 1980 to 1982, he was assistant curate of the Mossley Hill Parish Church in Liverpool. He was senior tutor at St John's College, Durham, from 1983 to 1991 and became the vicar of Beverley Minster in 1992.
Episcopal ministry
In 1996, Forster was appointed the 40th bishop of Chester. He was consecrated a bishop (alongside John Packer, Bishop of Warrington and later Bishop of Ripon and Leeds) during a service at York Minster, by David Hope, Archbishop of York, on 13 November 1996. He was enthroned on 11 January 1997 and in 2001 took his seat as a Lord Spiritual in the House of Lords.
From 1997 to 2005, Forster was the chair of the board of governors of University College, Chester, which was recognised by the University of Liverpool for the awarding of degrees. In 2005 he oversaw the emergence of the University of Chester, with full power to award its own degrees. From 2005 to 2019 he was president of the council of the university. On retirement, the university awarded him the degree of Doctor of Divinity.
In 2000, Forster represented the Church of England at the world-wide synod of Roman Catholic bishops, held in Rome in the month of October.
From 2001 to 2010 he was a member of the English Anglican–Roman Catholic Committee.
In 2003, Forster raised controversy when answering a journalist's question by stating that homosexual people could "reorientate themselves" with the help of psychiatrists. The police were satisfied that no offence had been committed.
In 2004, Forster was appointed as president of the (now Royal) Cheshire Show, the first bishop to receive this honour.
He was one of nine bishops who signed a letter disagreeing with the decision of Rowan Williams, Archbishop of Canterbury, not to block the appointment of Jeffrey John as Bishop of Reading in 2003.
In 2012, amid controversy over the amount of expenses claimed by bishops for attending the House of Lords, it was revealed that Forster had claimed more than any other bishop in 2010/11. In that year he was a member of two select committees. He had claimed £34,909 for travel and accommodation, and had attended on 97 days.
Roman Catholic Church
Forster was received into the Roman Catholic Church in 2021. Reports of his reception were widespread, but no mention was made of plans to ordain him to the Catholic priesthood or any prospective ministry for him in the Catholic Church.
Personal life
Forster married Elisabeth Anne Stevenson in 1978, and they have four children. His brother-in-law, Kenneth Stevenson, was also an Anglican bishop.
Styles
The Reverend Peter Forster (1980–1985)
The Reverend Dr Peter Forster (1985–1996)
The Right Reverend Doctor Peter Forster (1996–2021)
Dr Peter Forster (2021–present)