Barbara Harris Ordained as Anglican Bishop - Timeline Event
Time Period
1989
Description
In 1988, the once-a-decade meeting of the Worldwide Anglican Communion, known as the Lambeth Conference, decided it was up to each autonomous province whether to ordain women as bishops. In September of that same year, the U.S. Episcopal Church elected a 58-year-old civil rights advocate and African-American priest, Barbara Harris, as Anglican’s first female bishop.
Bishop Harris was consecrated suffragan bishop of Massachusetts in February 1989 in a highly controversial election. Some conservative priests left the church in protest. However, by the 1998 Lambeth Conference, there were 11 Anglican female bishops in attendance.
Bishop Harris officially retired in 2002.
Bishop Harris was consecrated suffragan bishop of Massachusetts in February 1989 in a highly controversial election. Some conservative priests left the church in protest. However, by the 1998 Lambeth Conference, there were 11 Anglican female bishops in attendance.
Bishop Harris officially retired in 2002.
Interactive Timeline(s)
Browse Related Timeline Entries
Religious Groups
Timeline Entries for the same religious group: Anglicanism FamilyAnglicanism Family: Other ARDA Links
Anglicanism Family: Religious Family Tree
Related Dictionary Terms
Anglican Family, Bishop, Ordination, PriestPhotographs
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Bishop Barbara Harris preaching- Flickr- photo by GC Media Hub 09 (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)
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Barbara Harris speaking- Flickr- photo by GC Media Hub 09 (CC BY-NC-SA 2.0)
Book/Journal Source(s)
Melton, J. Gordon, 2009. Melton's Encyclopedia of American Religions, Eighth Edition Farmington Hills, MI: Gale.Web Source(s)
https://web.archive.org/web/20190814091225/https://episcopalarchives.org/church-awakens/exhibits/show/leadership/clergy/harrisThe Archives of the Episcopal Church (Link updated [7.26.2023] to archived copy, original is no longer online.)
https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1989-02-12-mn-2828-story.html
The Los Angeles Times, "Harris Consecrated in Episcopal Rites: Cheers, Protests Greet 1st Woman Bishop" (Feb. 12, 1989)
https://www.upi.com/Archives/1989/01/03/The-Rev-Barbara-Harris-the-first-elected-woman-bishop/5869690005896/
UPI archives, "The Rev. Barbara Harris, the first elected woman bishop" (Jan. 3, 1989)
Web Page Contributor
Sandi DolbeeAffliated with: Former Religion and Ethics Editor, The San Diego Union-Tribune
