Warner was
ordained in the
Church of England as a
deacon in 1984 and as a
priest in 1985. • Assistant curate at St Peter's,
Plymouth (1984–1988) • Team vicar of the Parish of the Resurrection,
Leicester (1988–1993) • Administrator of the
Anglican Shrine of Our Lady of Walsingham (1993–2002) • Priest in charge of
Hempton with
Pudding Norton (1998–2000) • Honorary canon of
Norwich Cathedral (2000–?) • Associate vicar at
St Andrew, Holborn (2002–2003)
Episcopal ministry Warner was
consecrated as
Bishop of Whitby in the
Church of England at
York Minster on 26 January 2010 and then
welcomed on 30 January 2010 at
St Hilda's Church, Whitby. He suffered a cardiac arrest on 23 August 2010 while on holiday in Florence, but returned to work. From 2008 to 2011, Warner wrote the weekly "Sunday's Readings" column for the
Church Times. On 3 May 2012, Warner's appointment as the next diocesan
Bishop of Chichester was announced, his election was confirmed on 2 July and his enthronement took place in
Chichester Cathedral on 25 November. In a compromise by
John Sentamu,
Archbishop of York, to whom the candidate professed canonical obedience, Warner officiated as principal celebrant in the laying-on of hands and Eucharist for the episcopal consecration of
Philip North as suffragan
Bishop of Burnley at
York Minster on 2 February 2015 (Feast of Candlemas). He was introduced to the
House of Lords as a
Lord Spiritual on 15 January 2018. In February 2026, it was announce that he would be retiring as Bishop of Chichester in May 2026.
Views On 20 November 2012, Warner was one of three bishops (and one of the two diocesans) in the
General Synod who voted against a motion to allow the
ordination of women as bishops in the Church of England. His position on the issue has been criticised by some local clergy and parishioners across the Chichester diocese. He is a member of the Council of Bishops of
The Society, an association of traditionalist Anglo-Catholics. In 2023, following the news that the House of Bishops of the Church of England was to introduce proposals for blessing same-sex relationships, he signed an open letter which stated: He voted against introducing "standalone services for same-sex couples" on a trial basis during a meeting of the General Synod in November 2023; the motion passed. ==Styles==