James Lawton (Jim) Thompson (1936-2003) was an Anglican Bishop in the last decades of the 20th and the very start of the 21st centuries. Firstly the (Area) Bishop of Stepney (one of five Episcopal Areas of the Diocese of London in the Church of England) from 1978 to 1991 he was later translated to be (Diocesan) Bishop of Bath & Wells in succession to George Carey who had become Archbishop of Canterbury. He retired in 2001.

"Bishop Jim" (as he was known) was probably best known to many, in and outside of the Church, as a regular contributor to "Thought for the Day" on BBC Radio 4's Today programme. Following his untimely death in 2003, obituaries in the national press praised his deep humanity and lively sense of humour. One obituary referred to his gift of "conveying the warmth of his physical presence in his voice and in his words", adding that "his reflection on the events of 11 September 2001 was nominated for a Sony Broadcast Award, uniquely for religious broadcasting." He used his seat in the House of Lords to express his concerns for equality and education. The Telegraph described him as "the Church of England's best known commentator on social and political matters as well as a prominent advocate of religious and racial tolerance." Thompson famously wrote that "a bishop who doesn't give offense to anyone is probably not a good bishop." Bishop Thompson was also an important figure in interfaith relations in Britain, chairing the British Council of Churches advisory committee and co-chairing the Interfaith Network for the United Kingdom. He believed that when Christians helped to create opportunities for all faiths to participate in public and in institutional life (such as in educational and health care chaplaincy) they were being good neighbours in a multi-faith world.

The bishop was born in Birmingham August 11, 1936, and was a Cambridge theology graduate. He qualified as a Chartered Accountant (1959). National service saw him commissioned into the 3rd Royal Tank Regiment (1959-61) with the rank of Second Lieutenant, stationed mainly in Germany. before going to Emmanuel College, Cambridge and then Cuddesdon Theological College, Oxford. He was ordained deacon in 1966 and priest in 1967. He was a Curate in East Ham from 1966 to 1968 and became Chaplain to Cuddesdon Theological College under Robert Runcie (then Principal) in 1968. From 1971 he was Ecumenical Team Rector of Thamesmead. He became Bishop of Stepney in 1978 succeeding Trevor Huddleston. In 1991 he was translated to the historic see of Bath and Wells. He retired in 2001 although continued to minister as an honorary assistant bishop of Exeter