Episcopal Diocese of Kentucky
| Diocese of Kentucky | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Location | |
| Ecclesiastical province | Province IV |
| Statistics | |
| Members | 9,761 |
| Information | |
| Rite | Episcopal |
| Cathedral | Christ Church Cathedral |
| Current leadership | |
| Bishop | Rt. Rev. Terry Allen White |
| Map | |
 Location of the Diocese of Kentucky | |
| Website | |
| www.episcopalky.org | |
The Episcopal Diocese of Kentucky is a diocese of the Episcopal Church in the United States of America, encompassing the western half of the state of Kentucky.
History
The diocese, which originally comprised all of Kentucky, consecrated its first bishop, the Rt. Rev. Benjamin Bosworth Smith, in 1832. He served until 1884, and became the ninth presiding bishop in 1868 after which time he was permanently resident in New York (though he had been partly resident there since 1866), episcopal duties in the Diocese of Kentucky being allocated to an assistant bishop.[1]
During the episcopate of the second bishop, Thomas Underwood Dudley, the diocese was divided to form the Diocese of Kentucky covering the western half of the state and the Diocese of Lexington covering the eastern half. The establishment of the new diocese took effect in 1895, when Bishop Dudley, who continued as Bishop of Kentucky, took Christ Church Cathedral in Louisville as the episcopal seat.[2]
In spite of its history of nearly 180 years, the Diocese has had only seven diocesan bishops, including Bishop Smith's immensely long episcopate of 52 years, which is thought to be the longest single episcopate in Anglican history.
There are 36 parishes in the diocese, with about 10,500 baptized members. A majority of the members live in the Louisville area, with the remainder scattered throughout southern and western Kentucky, primarily in communities with more than 10,000 residents.
The Episcopal Theological Seminary in Kentucky, the fourth seminary of the Episcopal Church, was established in 1834. Among the diocese's other major institutions, All Saints Retreat and Conference Center was founded in 1957 on Rough River Lake in Grayson County.
The Rt. Rev. Edwin F. (Ted) Gulick Jr., was consecrated and installed as 7th Bishop of Kentucky on April 17, 1994. In October 2008, Bishop Gulick announced his retirement plans and called for the election of his successor. On June 5, 2010, The Very Rev. Terry Allen White, Dean of Grace and Holy Trinity Cathedral in Kansas City, Missouri, in the Diocese of West Missouri, was elected on the second ballot. His consecration as the 8th Bishop of Kentucky occurred on September 25, 2010. He was seated at Christ Church Cathedral on September 26, 2010.[3]
Bishops of Kentucky
| Honorific & Name | Dates | |
|---|---|---|
| 1st | The Rt. Rev. Benjamin Bosworth Smith | 1832-1884 (Presiding Bishop 1868-1884) |
| 2nd | The Rt. Rev. Thomas Underwood Dudley | 1884-1904 (Coadjutor Bishop, 1875-1884) |
| 3rd | The Rt. Rev. Charles Edward Woodcock | 1905-1935 |
| 4th | The Rt. Rev. Charles Clingman | 1936-1954 |
| 5th | The Rt. Rev. Charles G. Marmion | 1954-1974 |
| 6th | The Rt. Rev. David Benson Reed | 1974-1994 (Coadjutor Bishop, 1972-1974) |
| 7th | The Rt. Rev. Edwin F. (Ted) Gulick Jr. | 1994-2010 |
| 8th | The Rt. Rev. Terry Allen White | 2010–present |
Suffragan and Assisting Bishops
- The Right Rev. George David Cummins, Assistant Bishop, 1866-1873
See also
- List of Succession of Bishops for the Episcopal Church, USA
References
- ↑ The Rt. Rev. Aldred Lee, Memorial Discourse to the 56th Annual Council of the Diocese of Kentucky September 24, 1884
- ↑ 'Episcopal Church' in The Kentucky Encyclopedia, University Press of Kentucky, 1992, pp.295-296.
- ↑ Episcopal Life Online item, January 25, 2010
External links
- Official Web site of the Diocese of Kentucky
- Christ Church Cathedral, Louisville, Kentucky
- Journal of the Annual Convention, Diocese of Kentucky
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