Editing Joseph Butler (section)

===Church career===
Butler was ordained a deacon on 26 October 1718 by [[William Talbot (bishop)|William Talbot]], [[Bishop of Salisbury]], in his Bishop's Palace, Salisbury, his palace chapel<ref>{{CCEd |type=ordination |id=26955 |name=Butler, Joseph |accessed=5 September 2014 }}</ref> and a priest on 21 December 1718 by Talbot at [[St James's Church, Piccadilly]].<ref name="ODNB"/> After holding various other high positions, he became [[Rector (ecclesiastical)|rector]] of the rich living of [[Stanhope, County Durham]].

In 1736 Butler became the [[Clerk of the Closet|head chaplain]] of [[George II of Great Britain|George II]]'s wife [[Caroline of Ansbach|Caroline]], on the advice of [[Lancelot Blackburne]]. He was nominated [[Bishop of Bristol]] on 19 October 1738 and consecrated a bishop on 3 December 1738 at [[Lambeth Palace]] chapel. Remaining Bishop of Bristol, Butler was installed [[Dean of St Paul's]] on 24 May 1740, keeping the office until his translation to Durham.<ref name="ODNB"/> He is said apocryphally to have declined an offer to become [[Archbishop of Canterbury]] in 1747, but he served as [[Clerk of the Closet]] to the king in 1746–1752. He was translated to Durham by the [[Confirmation of bishops|confirmation]] of his [[Canonical election|election]] in October 1750; he was then enthroned by proxy on 9 November 1750.<ref name="ODNB"/> He is buried in Bristol Cathedral.