Diocese of Perth
Coat of arms of the Diocese
Coat of arms
Location
CountryAustralia
Territory
Ecclesiastical provinceWestern Australia
MetropolitanArchbishop of Perth
Headquarters
  • Church House
  • Level 5
  • 3 Pier Street
  • Perth WA 6000
Coordinates31°57′21″S 115°51′41″E / 31.9558°S 115.8613°E / -31.9558; 115.8613
Information
DenominationAnglicanism
Rite
Established11 January 1856 (1856-01-11)
CathedralSt George's Cathedral, Perth
LanguageEnglish
Current leadership
Parent churchAnglican Church of Australia
Archbishop
Assistant bishops
Dean
Website
Diocese of Perth
Logo of the Diocese
Logo of the Diocese

The Anglican Diocese of Perth is one of the 23 dioceses of the Anglican Church of Australia. The constitution of the Diocese of Perth was passed and adopted in 1872 at the first synod held in Western Australia. In 1914, the Province of Western Australia was created and the diocesan bishop of Perth became ex officio metropolitan bishop of the new province and therefore also an archbishop.

The diocese incorporates the southern part of the state of Western Australia and includes the Christmas and Cocos Islands. The other dioceses in the Anglican Province of Western Australia are the Diocese of Bunbury and the Diocese of North West Australia.

The cathedral church of the diocese is St George's Cathedral, Perth.

History

The diocese is one of the 23 dioceses of the Anglican Church of Australia. The constitution of the diocese adopted in 1872 at the first synod held in Western Australia. In 1914, the Province of Western Australia was created and the diocesan bishop of Perth became ex officio metropolitan bishop of the new province and therefore also an archbishop.

The diocese incorporates the southern part of the state of Western Australia and includes the Christmas and Cocos Islands. It absorbed the Diocese of Kalgoorlie in 1972. The other dioceses in the Anglican Province of Western Australia are the Diocese of Bunbury and the Diocese of North West Australia.

Wollaston College is authorised by the Archbishop of Perth as the principal provider for theological education in the Diocese. It offers degree-level programs through its partnership with the University of Divinity.[1]

Churchmanship

The diocese has traditionally had a variety of churchmanship and in recent years has largely moved toward a more liberal and moderate Catholic style.[citation needed] There are, however, parishes and clergy representative of all the main Anglican traditions.

On 10 February 2018, Kay Goldsworthy became the first female archbishop in the Anglican Communion on her installation to the archdiocese.

Administrative history

The Perth diocese, like all Australian dioceses, has had administrative procedures dealt with by the diocesan trustees. A range of other sub-committees of the diocese handle broader issues. The trustees were known in earlier times as the Trustees of Church Property.[2]

The relationship of the church and government is not just from the proximity of the cathedral to government house. The land ownership and provision of favourable conditions for the diocese has occurred since establishment of the colony.[3] The Diocesan Trustees and Diocesan Council are regularly observed to deal with significant land and building projects in the history of Perth.[4]

In 1866, there were two archdeaconries: James Brown was Archdeacon of Perth and H. B. Thornhill of Geraldton.[5]

Issues

In the early 2000s the diocese had a large group of Anglo-Catholics from the parish of St Patricks Mt Lawley under the leadership of the then parish priest and high-ranking member of the diocesan clergy, Harry Entwistle, leave to join with another community of the Traditional Anglican Communion which later entered into the Catholic Church as a community of the Personal Ordinariate of Our Lady of the Southern Cross,[6] St Ninians and St Chads based in Mt Lawley. The Personal Ordinariates were created for Anglicans to enter into the Catholic Church and retain many elements of Anglican worship and spirituality, while accepting all doctrines of the Catholic Church. The group cited persecution and on going doctrinal issues for their leaving.

In 2013 the synod voted to recognise diversity of sexuality within the diocese, note many Anglicans support registration of same-sex civil unions, and acknowledge legal recognition of committed same-sex unions could co-exist with legal recognition of heterosexual marriage. Archbishop Roger Herft vetoed the motion, saying that "what we have in the Diocese of course is a number of people in same-sex relationships amongst the clergy and amongst the laity and we have always said that people of all forms of sexuality and orientation are welcome."[7] In a statement on human sexuality, Archbishop Herft confirmed that "there are gay and lesbian clergy serving in the priesthood. They are licensed by me and are honoured and respected as priests..."[8] In April 2016, a priest in St Andrew's Church within the diocese blessed a same-sex couple's relationship.[9] In 2022, Archbishop Kay Goldsworthy ordained as deacon a man in a same-sex civil partnership and appointed as precentor to the cathedral another man in a same-sex civil union.[10]

List of Bishops and Archbishops of Perth

Bishops of Perth
No From Until Incumbent Notes
1 1857 1875 Mathew Hale Translated to Brisbane.
2 1876 1893 Henry Parry Died in office.
3 1894 1914 Charles Riley Became Archbishop of Perth.
Archbishops of Perth
1 1914 1929 Charles Riley Previously Bishop of Perth; died in office.
2 1929 1946 Henry Le Fanu Previously coadjutor bishop in Brisbane; elected Primate of Australia in 1935; died in office.
3 1947 1962 Robert Moline MC
4 1963 1969 George Appleton CMG, MBE Translated to Jerusalem.
5 1969 1980 Geoffrey Sambell CMG Previously coadjutor bishop in Melbourne; died in office.
6 1981 2004 Peter Carnley AC Elected Primate of Australia in 1999.
7 2005 2017 Roger Herft AM Previously Bishop of Waikato and then of Newcastle.
8 2018 present Kay Goldsworthy AO Previously Assistant Bishop of Perth and then Bishop of Gippsland.
Source(s):[11]

Assistant bishops

Assistant bishops of Perth
From Until Incumbent Notes
1957 1963 Robert Freeth, Assistant Bishop of Perth [12]
1964 aft. 1977 Brian Macdonald, bishop coadjutor [13] Thomas Brian Macdonald; previously Dean of Perth (1959–1961)[14] and Archdeacon of Perth, 1961 to 1967[15]
1972 1978 Alfred Holland, Assistant Bishop of Perth Translated to Newcastle
1974 1975 Denis Bryant, Assistant Bishop of Perth Archdeacon of Northam;[16] former Bishop of Kalgoorlie
1978 1999 Michael Challen, Assistant Bishop of Perth [17] Previously archdeacon.
1979 1981/2 Vernon Cornish, Assistant Bishop of Perth see Bishop of Tasmania § Vernon Cornish
1982 1993 Brian Kyme, Assistant Bishop of Perth [18]
1988 1992 Ben Wright, Assistant Bishop of Perth, Goldfields Country Region [19] Subsequently, Bishop of Bendigo 1992-1993
1991 2006 David Murray, Bishop of the Southern Region[20]
1995 1998 Philip Huggins, regional bishop Became Bishop of Grafton
1998[21] 2005[22] Brian Farran, Assistant Bishop of Perth, Goldfields Country Region Became Bishop of the Northern Region;[23] translated to Newcastle.
1998 2003 Gerald Beaumont, Assistant Bishop of Perth, Goldfields Country Region Subsequently, Vicar of St John's, Camberwell, VIC[24]
2004 2006 Tom Wilmot, Assistant Bishop of Perth, Goldfields Country Region Translated between regions
2007 2016[25] Tom Wilmot, Assistant Bishop of Perth, Eastern and Rural Region
2006 2008 Mark Burton, Bishop of the Northern Region [26] Became Dean of St Paul's Cathedral, Melbourne
2008 2015 Kay Goldsworthy, Assistant Bishop of Perth Became Bishop of Gippsland 2015–2017; elected Archbishop of Perth, August 2017.[27]
2014 2022 Jeremy James, Assistant Bishop of Perth Translated to Willochra
2015 current Kate Wilmot, Assistant Bishop of Perth Also Assistant Bishop of the South Episcopate

See also

References

  1. ^ "Theological Education". Wollaston Theological College. Retrieved 14 September 2023.
  2. ^ "Perth Diocesan Synod". The Daily News. Vol. III, no. 287. Perth, Western Australia. 18 September 1884. p. 3. Retrieved 18 March 2017 – via National Library of Australia.
  3. ^ "Diocesan Trustees Land Bill". Western Argus. Vol. 23, no. 5066. Western Australia. 10 December 1918. p. 13. Retrieved 18 March 2017 – via National Library of Australia.
  4. ^ Melville, William Ian; University of Western Australia. Graduate School of Education (2006), An historical analysis of the structures established for the provision of Anglican schools in the diocese of Perth, Western Australia between 1917 and 1992, retrieved 18 March 2017
  5. ^ The Clergy List for 1866 (London: George Cox, 1866) p. 465
  6. ^ "About Us – Our People". The Personal Ordinariate of Our Lady of the Southern Cross. Retrieved 14 September 2023.
  7. ^ "Archbishop rejects formal recognition of same-sex relationships". ABC News. 29 October 2013. Retrieved 10 December 2016.
  8. ^ Herft, Roger (8 October 2010). "Synod Motion - Human Sexuality" (PDF). perth.anglican.org. Anglican Diocese of Perth. Retrieved 10 December 2016.
  9. ^ "Anglican priest running LGBTI parish service in Perth". ABC News. 8 October 2016. Retrieved 28 October 2016.
  10. ^ "Same-sex relationships to be debated at next Australian General Synod". www.churchtimes.co.uk. Retrieved 26 August 2022.
  11. ^ "Archbishop of Perth". Anglican Diocese of Perth. Archived from the original on 28 March 2021. Retrieved 28 March 2021.
  12. ^ "Freeth Notes : Robert Freeth 1886". freethnotes.net. 10 June 2010. Retrieved 14 September 2023.
  13. ^ "Presidential Address to the Second General Synod, 1966" (PDF). Anglican Church of Australia. n.d. [Delivered on 20 September 1966]. Archived from the original (PDF) on 27 September 2011. Retrieved 14 September 2023 – via Wayback Machine.
  14. ^ "Anglican Church, Western Australia records, 1834-2003 [manuscript]" (PDF). State Library of Western Australia. MN 614. Retrieved 14 September 2023.
  15. ^ Crockford's Clerical Directory: 1980-82. London: Oxford University Press. March 1983. p. 636. ISBN 0-19-200010-1.
  16. ^ "deaths: Bryant". Church Times. No. 7431. 12 August 2005. p. 24. ISSN 0009-658X. Retrieved 29 August 2019 – via UK Press Online archives.
  17. ^ "Michael Challen biography" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 30 March 2012. Retrieved 15 August 2011.
  18. ^ Anglican Diocese of Bunbury – John Ramsdon Archived August 21, 2011, at the Wayback Machine (contemporary of ++Peter Perth, +Michael Challen and +Gerald NW Australia)
  19. ^ "Bidding Farewell to Bishop Ben". 4 February 2010. Archived from the original on 23 March 2012. Retrieved 14 September 2023.
  20. ^ "Religious Communites". Anglican Communites. Archived from the original on 8 June 2023. Retrieved 14 September 2023.
  21. ^ "The Right Reverend Dr Brian Farran". Anglican Diocese of Perth – Northern Region. 25 June 2005. Archived from the original on 30 March 2012. Retrieved 14 September 2023.
  22. ^ "The Right Reverend Dr Brian Farran". Anglican Diocese of Newcastle. Archived from the original on 7 October 2011. Retrieved 14 September 2023.
  23. ^ Chislett, David (n.d.). "Letter from Australia – Yesterday's Men". Archived from the original on 21 January 2022. Retrieved 14 September 2023.
  24. ^ The Australian Anglican Directory[verification needed]
  25. ^ Wilmot, Kate (29 October 2016). "The President's Address: Second Session of the Forty-Ninth Synod of the Diocese of Perth" (PDF). Anglican Diocese of Perth. Retrieved 29 March 2020.
  26. ^ Zwartz, Barney (10 October 2008). "Bishop to lead Melbourne Cathedral". Anglican Taonga. Archived from the original on 14 September 2023. Retrieved 14 September 2023.
  27. ^ Piesse, Emily (29 August 2017). "Anglican Church elects Australia's first female Archbishop". ABC News. Archived from the original on 14 September 2023. Retrieved 14 September 2023.

Further reading

External links

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