Anglican Diocese of the Free State
Encyclopedia
The Anglican Diocese of the Free State is a diocese in the Anglican Church of Southern Africa.
to be taken by an Anglican clergyman was conducted in 1850 by Robert Gray, the first Bishop of Cape Town. In 1863, Edward Twells
was consecrated the first Bishop of the Orange Free State and the Diocese was born. This new Diocese covered the area North of the Orange River
, West of the Drakensberg
and as far as the Zambezi River in the North.
The Bishop arrived in Bloemfontein on 1 October 1863, with three priests and two teachers. The Revd George Mitchell, was the first priest ordained in the Diocese, in 1865. The Cathedral was completed and consecrated in 1866. The Brotherhood of St Augustine of Hippo
was established in the diocese a year later with Canon Beckett and seven members. Together they built the first Anglican church in Thaba Nchu
, completed in 1868. This pioneering community established the Church’s work in Thaba Nchu and in places as far apart as Wepener
and Harrismith
and continued faithfully from their house at Modderpoort
until their work was taken over by the Society of the Sacred Mission
in 1902.
The first Diocesan Synod met in 1872 and a good foundation was laid for the organizational side of the Church’s work. Two years later the need for Sisters for nursing, teaching and visiting was recognised and the Community of St Michael and All Angels was founded in Bloemfontein. Furthermore, the Transvaal became no longer the responsibility of Bloemfontein when the Anglican Diocese of Pretoria
was formed in 1878. Then in 1891 the scope of the diocese again changed with the formation of the Anglican Diocese of Mashonaland
.
In 1899, the year the Anglo Boer war broke out (Boer Wars), the diocesan bishop, Bishop Hicks, died. Bishop Webb resigned the See of Grahamstown in the Anglican Diocese of Grahamstown and came back to look after his old diocese until a new bishop could be elected.
The first missionary conference was held in the Cathedral in 1904. Some years later, to aid the mission work of the church and oversight, the Anglican Diocese of Kimberley and Kuruman was established in 1911. This was repeated again in 1950 with the formation of the Anglican Diocese of Lesotho
(then, Basutoland) and in 1952, with the founding of the Anglican Diocese of Matabeleland
. In 2003 the diocese changed its name to the Diocese of the Free State.
The seat of the diocese is in Bloemfontein
in South Africa
.
History
The first service North of the Orange RiverOrange River
The Orange River , Gariep River, Groote River or Senqu River is the longest river in South Africa. It rises in the Drakensberg mountains in Lesotho, flowing westwards through South Africa to the Atlantic Ocean...
to be taken by an Anglican clergyman was conducted in 1850 by Robert Gray, the first Bishop of Cape Town. In 1863, Edward Twells
Edward Twells
Edward Twells was the first Bishop of Bloemfontein in South Africa from 1863 to 1869.Twells was consecrated Bishop of the Orange Free State in Westminster Abbey in 1863 under the Jerusalem Act, and went out to the colony, in the interior of South Africa, with three priests and two schoolmasters.In...
was consecrated the first Bishop of the Orange Free State and the Diocese was born. This new Diocese covered the area North of the Orange River
Orange River
The Orange River , Gariep River, Groote River or Senqu River is the longest river in South Africa. It rises in the Drakensberg mountains in Lesotho, flowing westwards through South Africa to the Atlantic Ocean...
, West of the Drakensberg
Drakensberg
The Drakensberg is the highest mountain range in Southern Africa, rising to in height. In Zulu, it is referred to as uKhahlamba , and in Sesotho as Maluti...
and as far as the Zambezi River in the North.
The Bishop arrived in Bloemfontein on 1 October 1863, with three priests and two teachers. The Revd George Mitchell, was the first priest ordained in the Diocese, in 1865. The Cathedral was completed and consecrated in 1866. The Brotherhood of St Augustine of Hippo
Brotherhood of St Augustine of Hippo
The Brotherhood of St Augustine of Hippo was an Anglican Brotherhood founded in the Free State, South Africa, in 1867, and based at Modderpoort from 1869, in the Diocese of Bloemfontein....
was established in the diocese a year later with Canon Beckett and seven members. Together they built the first Anglican church in Thaba Nchu
Thaba Nchu
Thaba Nchu is a town in Free State, South Africa, located 60 km east of Bloemfontein. Its population is largely made up of Tswana and Sotho people. The town was settled in the 1830s and officially established in 1873...
, completed in 1868. This pioneering community established the Church’s work in Thaba Nchu and in places as far apart as Wepener
Wepener
Wepener is a village in the Free State, South Africa, located on the border with Lesotho. The town is named after Louw Wepener, the leader of the Boers in their war with the Basotho chief Moshoeshoe I in 1865. It was founded in 1867 on the banks of Jammersbergspruit, a tributary of the Caledon...
and Harrismith
Harrismith
Harrismith, named after Sir Harry Smith, is a large town in the Free State province of South Africa, situated on the N3 highway approximately midway between Johannesburg, about 300 km north-east, and Durban. The town is at the junction with the N5 highway, which continues west towards the...
and continued faithfully from their house at Modderpoort
Modderpoort
Modderpoort, also known as Lekhalong la Bo Tau or ‘The Pass of the Lions’, is the site in the eastern Free State, South Africa, where the Anglican Missionary Brotherhood, the Brotherhood of St Augustine of Hippo, was established by Bishop Edward Twells in the late 1860s...
until their work was taken over by the Society of the Sacred Mission
Society of the Sacred Mission
The Society of the Sacred Mission is an Anglican religious order founded in 1893 by Father Herbert Kelly, envisaged such that "members of the Society share a common life of prayer and fellowship in a variety of educational, pastoral and community activities in England, Australia, Japan, Lesotho,...
in 1902.
The first Diocesan Synod met in 1872 and a good foundation was laid for the organizational side of the Church’s work. Two years later the need for Sisters for nursing, teaching and visiting was recognised and the Community of St Michael and All Angels was founded in Bloemfontein. Furthermore, the Transvaal became no longer the responsibility of Bloemfontein when the Anglican Diocese of Pretoria
Anglican Diocese of Pretoria
-History:The diocese originally covered the whole of the South African Republic, which later became the Transvaal province of South Africa. In 1922 the Diocese of Johannesburg, covering the Southern Transvaal, was formed. In the 1980s and 1990s several new dioceses were formed.The northernmost part...
was formed in 1878. Then in 1891 the scope of the diocese again changed with the formation of the Anglican Diocese of Mashonaland
Anglican Diocese of Mashonaland
The Anglican Diocese of Mashonaland was formed in 1891 and its first Bishop was The Rt Rev George Wyndham Hamilton Knight-Bruce. He was succeeded by the Rt Revd William Thomas Gaul , formerly Rector of St Cyprian's Church in Kimberley...
.
In 1899, the year the Anglo Boer war broke out (Boer Wars), the diocesan bishop, Bishop Hicks, died. Bishop Webb resigned the See of Grahamstown in the Anglican Diocese of Grahamstown and came back to look after his old diocese until a new bishop could be elected.
The first missionary conference was held in the Cathedral in 1904. Some years later, to aid the mission work of the church and oversight, the Anglican Diocese of Kimberley and Kuruman was established in 1911. This was repeated again in 1950 with the formation of the Anglican Diocese of Lesotho
Anglican Diocese of Lesotho
The Anglican Diocese of Lesotho is a diocese in the Anglican Church of Southern Africa.Lesotho was originally included in the Anglican Diocese of the Free State but became an independent diocese in 1950....
(then, Basutoland) and in 1952, with the founding of the Anglican Diocese of Matabeleland
Diocese of Matabeleland
The Diocese of Matabeleland is one of 15 dioceses within the Province of Central Africa . The current Bishop is the Rt Rev Cleophas Lunga....
. In 2003 the diocese changed its name to the Diocese of the Free State.
The seat of the diocese is in Bloemfontein
Bloemfontein
Bloemfontein is the capital city of the Free State Province of South Africa; and, as the judicial capital of the nation, one of South Africa's three national capitals – the other two being Cape Town, the legislative capital, and Pretoria, the administrative capital.Bloemfontein is popularly and...
in South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
.
List of bishops
| Bishops of Bloemfontein | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| From | Until | Incumbent | Notes |
| 1863 | 1869 | Edward Twells Edward Twells Edward Twells was the first Bishop of Bloemfontein in South Africa from 1863 to 1869.Twells was consecrated Bishop of the Orange Free State in Westminster Abbey in 1863 under the Jerusalem Act, and went out to the colony, in the interior of South Africa, with three priests and two schoolmasters.In... |
Resigned among public allegations. |
| 1870 | 1883 | Alan Webb Alan Webb Alan Webb may refer to:* Alan Webb , , English actor* Alan Webb , , American track athlete* Alan Webb , retired English association football player* Allan Webb , Anglican bishop... |
Translated Translation (ecclesiastical) Translation is the technical term when a Bishop is transferred from one diocese to another.This can be* From Suffragan Bishop status to Diocesan Bishop*From Coadjutor bishop to Diocesan Bishop*From one country's Episcopate to another... to Grahamstown Bishop of Grahamstown The Bishop of Grahamstown is the bishop of the Anglican Church of Southern Africa in the Diocese of Grahamstown, which encompasses the area around Grahamstown, South Africa and is located in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa. The seat of the Bishop is St. Michael and St. George... ; later Dean of Salisbury Dean of Salisbury The Dean of Salisbury is the Head of the Chapter of Salisbury Cathedral in the Church of England. The current Dean is The Very Revd June Osborne, who was installed in 2004.-Selected office-holders:*Walter 1102*Osbert 1105*Robert 1111*Serlo 1122... . |
| 1886 | 1891 | George Knight-Bruce | Translated to Mashonaland Anglican Diocese of Mashonaland The Anglican Diocese of Mashonaland was formed in 1891 and its first Bishop was The Rt Rev George Wyndham Hamilton Knight-Bruce. He was succeeded by the Rt Revd William Thomas Gaul , formerly Rector of St Cyprian's Church in Kimberley... . |
| 1892 | 1899 | Wale Hicks | Died in office. |
| 1899 | 1902 | sede vacante: The Very Revd Ranulph Vincent, Dean of Bloemfontein was vicar general Vicar general A vicar general is the principal deputy of the bishop of a diocese for the exercise of administrative authority. As vicar of the bishop, the vicar general exercises the bishop's ordinary executive power over the entire diocese and, thus, is the highest official in a diocese or other particular... . |
|
| 1902 | 1920 | Arthur Chandler Arthur Chandler (bishop) The Right Reverend Arthur Chandler MA was Bishop of Bloemfontein from 1902 until 1920.Born in 1860, he was educated at Marlborough and University College, Oxford, and ordained in 1883. He began his career as Chaplain to Brasenose College, Oxford and then the Bishop of Salisbury. He was Rector of... |
Retired to the United Kingdom United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages... . |
| 1921 | 1935 | Walter Carey | Resigned due to ill health and returned to the UK. |
| 1935 | 1951 | Arthur Howe-Browne | |
| 1951 | 1957 | Cecil Alderson | Translated from Damaraland Anglican Diocese of Namibia The Anglican Diocese of Namibia is part of the Anglican Church of Southern Africa, which is itself part of the Anglican Communion.The diocese, which covers the whole country of Namibia, was originally known as the Diocese of Damaraland.... ; translated to Mashonaland Anglican Diocese of Mashonaland The Anglican Diocese of Mashonaland was formed in 1891 and its first Bishop was The Rt Rev George Wyndham Hamilton Knight-Bruce. He was succeeded by the Rt Revd William Thomas Gaul , formerly Rector of St Cyprian's Church in Kimberley... . |
| 1957 | 1967 | Bill Burnett | Translated to Grahamstown Bishop of Grahamstown The Bishop of Grahamstown is the bishop of the Anglican Church of Southern Africa in the Diocese of Grahamstown, which encompasses the area around Grahamstown, South Africa and is located in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa. The seat of the Bishop is St. Michael and St. George... , then Cape Town Archbishop of Cape Town The Archbishop of Cape Town is the Primate / Metropolitan of the Anglican Church of Southern Africa.The current Archbishop is the Most Reverend Thabo MakgobaRobert Gray was the first Anglican Bishop of Cape Town.-List of Bishops and Archbishops:... . |
| 1967 | 1982 | Frederick Amoore | |
| 1982 | 1997 | Thomas Stanage Thomas Stanage Thomas Shaun Stanage was Bishop of Bloemfontein in the Anglican Church of Southern Africa from 1982 to 1997.-Biography:Stanage was born in Ireland in 1932 and was educated at Pembroke College, Oxford and Cuddesdon College .He was ordained deacon in 1958, priest in 1959 and bishop in 1978 and went... |
Previously Suffragan bishop Suffragan bishop A suffragan bishop is a bishop subordinate to a metropolitan bishop or diocesan bishop. He or she may be assigned to an area which does not have a cathedral of its own.-Anglican Communion:... in Johannesburg Anglican Diocese of Johannesburg The Anglican Diocese of Johannesburg is part of the Anglican Church of Southern Africa. It was formed in 1922 from the southern part of the Diocese of Pretoria, and at that time included the whole of the southern Transvaal... since 1978. |
| 1997 | 2003 | Patrick Glover Patrick Glover Patrick Glover is the current Bishop of the Free State, a post he has held since 1997.He was educated at Keble College, Oxford, and ordained in 1969. He began his career with curacies at St Peter’s Church, Krugersdorp, and St Martin’s-in-Veld, Johannesburg... |
Previously suffragan bishop in the diocese since 1994. |
| Bishops of the Free State | |||
| 2003 | present | Patrick Glover | Name of diocese & see changed. |