# Carl Cooper > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Carl_Cooper > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Carl_Cooper.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carl_Cooper > Source revision: 1311417233 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) {{Short description|Welsh bishop}} {{Use dmy dates|date=March 2015}} {{Use British English|date=March 2015}} {{Infobox Christian leader | type = Bishop | honorific-prefix = [The Right Reverend](/source/The_Right_Reverend) | name = Carl Cooper | title = [Bishop of St David's](/source/Bishop_of_St_David's) | image = | imagesize = | alt = | caption = | church = [Church in Wales](/source/Church_in_Wales) | diocese = [St David's](/source/Diocese_of_St_David's) | term = 2002–2008 | predecessor = [Huw Jones](/source/Huw_Jones_(bishop)) | successor = [Wyn Evans](/source/Wyn_Evans) | ordination = | consecration = 2002 | birth_name = Carl Norman Cooper | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1960|8|4|df=yes}} | birth_place = | death_date = | death_place = | buried = | nationality = [British](/source/United_Kingdom) | religion = [Anglicanism](/source/Anglicanism) | residence = | parents = | spouse = Amanda Claire ({{abbr|m.|married}} {{circa|1983}}; {{abbr|sep.|separated}} 2008) | children = | occupation = | profession = | previous_post = [Archdeacon of Meirionnydd](/source/Archdeacon_of_Meirionnydd) | alma_mater = | signature = | other = }} '''Carl Norman Cooper''' (born 4 August 1960) is a Welsh former [Anglican](/source/Anglican) bishop who was the [Bishop of St David's](/source/Bishop_of_St_David's) from 2002 to 2008. ==Early life== Cooper was born on 4 August 1960 and grew up in [Wigan](/source/Wigan) in [Lancashire](/source/Lancashire). He first spent time in [Wales](/source/Wales) as an [undergraduate](/source/undergraduate) at the [University of Wales, Lampeter](/source/University_of_Wales%2C_Lampeter), where he took a degree in [French](/source/French_language) and joined [the 16' Club](/source/the_16'_Club), then studied [theology](/source/theology) at [Wycliffe Hall](/source/Wycliffe_Hall) in Oxford.''[Who's Who](/source/Who's_Who_(UK)) 2008'' London, [A & C Black](/source/A_%26_C_Black), 2007 {{ISBN|978-0-7136-8555-8}} Unusually for a non-native Welsh bishop, Cooper is a fluent [Welsh](/source/Welsh_(language))-speaker. He received a Master of Philosophy degree for a study in bilingualism in the [Church in Wales](/source/Church_in_Wales). ==Ordained ministry== He served as [curate](/source/curate) in [Llanelli](/source/Llanelli), then as the [Rector](/source/Rector_(ecclesiastical)) of [Ciliau Aeron](/source/Ciliau_Aeron), [Ceredigion](/source/Ceredigion).''[Crockford's clerical directory](/source/Crockford's_clerical_directory)1995'', (London, Church House 1994) {{ISBN|0-7151-8088-6}} He also served at [Dolgellau](/source/Dolgellau) and as [Archdeacon of Meirionnydd](/source/Archdeacon_of_Meirionnydd). He was elected and consecrated [Bishop of St David's](/source/Bishop_of_St_David's) in 2002. In his role as bishop, Cooper was invited to Uganda by the "old friend of west Wales", George Katwesigye,{{cite web |url=http://www.churchinwales.org.uk/press/display_press_release.php?prid=4461 |title=Yr Eglwys yng Nghymru | the Church in Wales |accessdate=2009-10-16 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110607060107/http://www.churchinwales.org.uk/press/display_press_release.php?prid=4461 |archivedate=7 June 2011 |df=dmy-all }} there he met MP and University of Wales graduate [David Bahati](/source/David_Bahati). At that meeting Cooper was quoted as saying, "Wales' influence often stretches further than we realise."{{cite web |url=http://www.churchinwales.org.uk/press/display_press_release.php?prid=4461 |title=Yr Eglwys yng Nghymru | the Church in Wales |accessdate=2009-10-16 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110607060107/http://www.churchinwales.org.uk/press/display_press_release.php?prid=4461 |archivedate=7 June 2011 |df=dmy-all }} David Bahati later tried to pass [an act through the Ugandan Parliament](/source/Uganda_Anti-Homosexuality_Bill) to have the death penalty applied to certain homosexual acts.{{Cite web |url=http://edmi.parliament.uk/EDMi/EDMDetails.aspx?EDMID=40483&Session=903 |title=UK Parliament - Early Day Motions by Details |access-date=18 February 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100423145348/http://edmi.parliament.uk/EDMi/EDMDetails.aspx?EDMID=40483&SESSION=903 |archive-date=23 April 2010 |url-status=dead }} Bishop George Katwesigye has accused "perpetrators" of homosexuality of "indirectly bringing back colonialism in Uganda".{{cite web |url=https://ssempanews.blogspot.com/ |title = Martin Ssempa ~ News}} In February 2008 it was announced that Cooper was separating from his wife of 25 years, Joy.''[The Daily Telegraph](/source/The_Daily_Telegraph)'', 22 February 2008, p7 There then followed press speculation linking Cooper with his [chaplain](/source/chaplain) and communications officer, Mandy Williams-Potter. After consultation with the [Archbishop of Wales](/source/Archbishop_of_Wales), Cooper took a leave of absence on 12 March 2008;{{cite web|url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/7290951.stm|title=Bishop given leave over rumours|publisher=BBC Wales News|date=12 March 2008|access-date=2008-04-29}} and then resigned his position on 29 April 2008.{{cite news|url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/wales/7372628.stm|title=Bishop resigns after speculation|publisher=BBC Wales News|date=29 April 2008|access-date=2008-04-29}}"Bishop and Vicar resign after gossip over 'love affair'", by Tom Peterkin in ''[The Daily Telegraph](/source/The_Daily_Telegraph)'', 30 April 2008.{{cite news|url=http://www.churchinwales.org.uk/press/display_press_release.php?prid=4584|title=Press Release - Bishop of St Davids resigns|publisher=Church in Wales|date=29 April 2008|accessdate=2008-04-29|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20080501075521/http://www.churchinwales.org.uk/press/display_press_release.php?prid=4584|archivedate=1 May 2008|df=dmy-all}} ==Later life== After standing down as a bishop of the Church in Wales, Cooper was in 2008 appointed Chief Executive of the Powys Association of Voluntary Organisations (PAVO).{{cite news|last=Williamson|first=David|title=First day in a new job for the ex-bishop who's now Mr Cooper|url=http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/first-day-new-job-ex-bishop-2173271|accessdate=17 May 2014|newspaper=The Western Mail|date=30 June 2008}} He left this role in 2022 to become Chair of [Powys Teaching Health Board](/source/Powys_Teaching_Health_Board).{{cite web | url=https://pthb.nhs.wales/news/health-board-news/carl-cooper-has-been-appointed-as-chair-of-powys-teaching-health-board/ | title=Carl Cooper has been appointed as Chair of Powys Teaching Health Board }} ==Personal life== Cooper was married to Joy and they have four children together. They separated in 2008 after 25 years of marriage.{{cite news|title=Bishop and wife are to separate|url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/wales/7256566.stm|access-date=26 November 2014|work=BBC News|date=21 February 2008}} In 2008, he stepped down as Bishop of St David's because of allegations that he had been having an affair with his chaplain, Mandy Williams-Potter. They both denied the affair.{{cite news|title=Bishop given leave over rumours|url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/7290951.stm|access-date=26 November 2014|work=BBC News|date=12 March 2008}}{{cite news|title=Chaplain denies bishop 'rumours'|url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/wales/7281400.stm|access-date=26 November 2014|work=BBC News|date=6 March 2008}} Williams-Potter had been married to her husband for 15 years and they had had two children together, before splitting in 2008.{{cite news|last1=Shipton|first1=Martin|title=Former bishop shares home with ex-chaplain|url=http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/former-bishop-shares-home-ex-chaplain-1911412|accessdate=26 November 2014|work=Wales Online|date=3 June 2010}} ==References== {{reflist|30em}} {{Archdeacons of Merioneth}} {{Bishops of St David's since 1908}} {{authority control}} {{DEFAULTSORT:Cooper, Carl}} Category:1960 births Category:Living people Category:People from Wigan Category:Alumni of the University of Wales, Lampeter Category:Bishops of St Davids Category:Alumni of Wycliffe Hall, Oxford Category:21st-century bishops of the Church in Wales --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Carl Cooper](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carl_Cooper) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carl_Cooper?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.