THE funeral of former Bishop of Durham, the Right Reverend Dr David Jenkins has been held at Durham Cathedral.

Dr Jenkins, who was Bishop of Durham between 1984 and 1994, died on September 4 at the age of 91.

Family, friends and admirers of the often controversial and thought-provoking figure filled the cathedral to remember the cleric, theologian, lecturer and author.

A known wordsmith, some of Dr Jenkins’ own phrases peppered the sermon delivered by the Right Reverend James Bell, Bishop of Ripon, who paid tribute to the man who “got people talking about the resurrection in the pubs of Glasgow”.

Seeking to "knock on the head" the myth of the unbelieving bishop, he said: “It has been suggested that David was sometimes carried away with his facility with words. He was very precise with his words and used them knowingly.

"He was determined to get people to think about spirituality as he experienced it – something real, something vivid with direct application to everyday life. David wanted to let reason thrive and provoke thought and help people explore and make sense of faith.”

He added: “There was of course a risk in seeking to provoke thought including that of being misquoted, misunderstood and misrepresented. At least God was on the agenda, David would say.”

Dr Jenkins, who had been living with Alzheimer’s disease for many years, was known as friend to the miners of County Durham during the 1984/5 strike.

Banners were displayed and paraded through the cathedral while the Durham Miners’ Association band played during the service, including a rendition of Gresford, the miners’ hymn.

George Robson, a retired financial officer of the Durham Miners’ Union said: “I remember him during the strike and going out into communities and speaking to those who believed and those who did not believe. He was always hugely sympathetic.

“He was highly respected by the miners, loved by the miners I would say and certainly made a difference in very difficult years.”

Recalling a meeting in 1992 between the bishop and strike leader Arthur Scargill, he added: "The craic was unbelievable. The verbal fencing was amazing."

Speaking after the service, Archbishop of York, the Most Revd Dr John Sentamu, said: “He was the common man's or woman’s bishop. He wanted them to think they had a contribution to make, not just those in ivory towers.”

Dr Jenkins had four children, Christopher, Timothy, Deborah and Rebecca. His wife Mollie died in 2008.