Background
He was born at Linshart, Longside, Aberdeenshire on 17 May 1744, the second son of the Reverend John Skinner, Incumbent of Lerwick and Grissel Hunter.
He was born at Linshart, Longside, Aberdeenshire on 17 May 1744, the second son of the Reverend John Skinner, Incumbent of Lerwick and Grissel Hunter.
He was educated at Marischal College, Aberdeen. Obtaining a Master of Arts degree in 1761.
He was ordained a deacon in 1763 and a priest in 1764. His first pastoral appointment was as the Incumbent of Ellon and Udny (1764–1775), and then the Incumbent of Aberdeen (1775–1816), a post he held until his death. Skinner was appointed coadjutor bishop of Aberdeen and consecrated on 25 September 1782 by bishops Kilgour, Rose and Petrie.
He was one of the three bishops to consecrate Samuel Seabury, an American Episcopal priest as a bishop in 1784.
On the resignation of Bishop Robert Kilgour, Skinner became Bishop of Aberdeen in October 1786. He died in office in Aberdeen on 13 July 1816, aged 72, and was buried at Spital, Old Aberdeen.