William Skinner, was bishop of Aberdeen in the Scottish Episcopal Church.
Background
Skinner, second son of John Skinner (1744–1816), bishop of Saint Andrews, was born at Aberdeen on 24 October 1778, and educated at Marischal College, University of Aberdeen and at Oxford, where he matriculated from Wadham College on 3 March 1798, graduating Bachelor of Arts in 1801, and Master of Arts, Bachelor of Divinity, and Doctor of Divinity in 1819.
Career
Ordination & consecration
Skinner was ordained by Bishop Samuel Horsley of Saint Asaph"s in March 1802. On 11 September 1816 he was elected by the clergy of the diocese as successor to his father in the see of Aberdeen, and was consecrated at Stirling on 27 October. George Gleig, primus of the church, sent a severe but fruitless reproof to the dean and clergy of Aberdeen for electing the son of their late bishop.
Elected primus
Skinner was one of the bishops who attended the synod held at Laurencekirk on 18 June 1828 to revise the canons of 1811.
Thirty canons were adopted and duly signed on 20 June. In 1832 he confirmed as many as four hundred and sixty-two persons, and a first effort was made in the same year to circulate religious works in the Gaelic language.
On 29 August 1838 he attended another synod held in Saint Paul"s Church, Edinburgh, when the canons were again revised. Upon the death of Bishop James Walker, Skinner was unanimously elected primus by an episcopal synod held in Saint Andrew"s Church, Aberdeen, on 2 June 1841.
During his rule Glenalmond College, near Perth, was founded in 1844, and developed by the episcopalians in Scotland, as a place of education for young men studying for the church.
In the previous year a serious controversy had sprung out of the refusal of Sir William Dunbar, priest of Saint Paul"s Chapel, Aberdeen, to receive or to administer the sacrament in accordance with the Scottish ritual. Acting with the concurrence of his synod, Skinner excommunicated Dunbar on 13 August 1843. The bishop was – according to the Dictionary of National – assiduous and exemplary in the discharge of his duties, and did much during his primacy to consolidate the episcopal party in Scotland.
He died at 1 Golden Square, Aberdeen, on 15 April 1857, and was buried in the Spital cemetery on 22 April.