Keith Sinclair

Sir Keith Sinclair, CBE (5 December 1922 – 20 June 1993) was a poet and noted historian of New Zealand.

Born and raised in Auckland, Sinclair was a student at Auckland University College, which was then part of the University of New Zealand. He was awarded a Ph.D. at the College and was made a professor of history at the University of Auckland in 1963.

In 1966, Sinclair and fellow lecturer Bob Chapman established The University of Auckland Art Collection, beginning with the purchase of several paintings and drawings by Colin McCahon. The Collection is now managed by the Centre for Art Research, based at the Gus Fisher Gallery.

In the 1969 general election he was the Labour Party candidate for Eden. He won the electorate on the night, but was defeated 3 weeks later on the final count (including special votes) by only 67 votes.

Sinclair won widespread acclaim for his first book of history, The Origins of the Maori Wars (1957). His next book, A History of New Zealand (1959), is often regarded as a classic in New Zealand history. The book remains in print, being revised several times, the last, with additions by fellow academic Raewyn Dalziel, in 2000. In 1967 he founded the New Zealand Journal of History.

Keith Sinclair (bishop)

Gordon Keith Sinclair (born 3 December 1952) is the current Bishop of Birkenhead in the Church of England Diocese of Chester.

Education and career

Sinclair was educated at Christ Church, Oxford. After studies at Cranmer Hall he was ordained in 1984. His ordained ministry began with a curacy at Christ Church, Summerfield, in Birmingham, after which he was vicar of the Church of SS Peter & Paul, Aston and then, before his ordination to the episcopate, vicar of Holy Trinity, Coventry.

Sinclair was one of the bishops selected to be a member of the Church of England working group on human sexuality which in 2013 produced the Pilling Report. However, he did not agree with the majority of the group and wrote a dissenting statement and part of the appendix. His dissenting statement and the full appendix constitute a quarter of the published report.

Interests

Sinclair is on the council of reference of the True Freedom Trust, which supports people who choose to live by such "biblical principles" as the Trust chooses to interpret, believing that God 'allows' people to have 'gay feelings' because "we are living in a fallen world".