Martin Shaw (bishop)


Alexander Martin Shaw is a retired Anglican bishop who served in the Scottish Episcopal Church. He was the Bishop of Argyll and The Isles from 2004 to 2009.

Early life and education

Shaw studied theology at King's College London, and was awarded the Associateship of King's College in 1967. He trained for ordination at Warminster Theological College from 1967 to 1968. He studied at the University of Glasgow, from which he was awarded a Certificate in Social Psychology in 1970.

Ordained ministry

Shaw was ordained to the Anglican ministry as a deacon in 1968 and a priest in 1969. His first pastoral appointment was as curate at St Oswald's Church, Glasgow, then as a curate at Old Saint Paul's, Edinburgh. He served as the chaplain to King's College, Cambridge and the principal of the Institute of Christian Studies, All Saints, Margaret Street, London. He was then Rector of Dunoon and the succentor at Exeter Cathedral in 1981. His last appointment before being ordained to the episcopate was as precentor and a residentiary canon of St Edmundsbury Cathedral.

Episcopal ministry

Shaw was elected Bishop of Argyll and The Isles at a meeting of the electoral synod in Oban in March 2004. He was consecrated and installed at a service on 8 June 2004 at St John's Episcopal Cathedral, Oban. After serving as bishop of the Diocese of Argyll and The Isles for five years, he retired in September 2009.
Since 2010, Shaw had been an honorary assistant bishop in the Diocese of Exeter. On 11 February 2017, fourteen retired bishops signed an open letter to the then-serving bishops of the Church of England. In an unprecedented move, they expressed their opposition to the House of Bishops' report to General Synod on sexuality, which recommended no change to the Church's canons or practises around sexuality. By 13 February, a serving bishop and nine further retired bishops — including Shaw — had added their signatures; on 15 February, the report was rejected by synod.

Personal life

Shaw is married to Elspeth. Together, they have two children; Madeleine and Ben.