James Samuel Thomas

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For other persons of the same name, see James Thomas.

James Samuel Thomas (born 1919) is a retired American Bishop in The Methodist Church (now The United Methodist Church). When elected in 1964, he was the youngest Methodist Bishop to date.

James Samuel Thomas
Senior posting

Denomination	United Methodist Church
See	Ohio East Episcopal Area
Title	Resident Bishop
Period in office	1976 — 1988
Predecessor	Francis Enmer Kearns
Successor	Edwin Charles Boulton
Religious career
Previous bishoprics	Resident Bishop, Iowa Area,
Previous post	Bishop
Personal
Date of birth	1919
Place of birth	South Carolina

He first appointment as Bishop was in Iowa, where he served 1964-76, becoming the first black bishop of the North Central Jurisdiction of The Methodist Church. He last served as the Resident Bishop of the Ohio East Episcopal Area of The United Methodist Church from 1976 until 1988, retiring in 1988.

In 2002, the Iowa Senate passed a resolution honoring Bishop Thomas. In its citation, the Senate extended

"its thanks and congratulations to Bishop James S. Thomas and his family for their service to The United Methodist Church and to the State of Iowa, and acknowledges the work of Bishop James S. Thomas for the advancement of civil rights in Iowa and in the nation."

The resolution was presented to Bishop Thomas on his birthday in the same year.^[1]