Carolyn Tanner Irish
Encyclopedia
Carolyn Tanner Irish is the 10th Bishop
of the Episcopal Diocese of Utah
. At the time of her election and consecration in 1996 she became the fourth woman in the Episcopal Church to hold the office of bishop.
in 1962 after having transferred from Stanford University
where she began her studies in 1958. Also at Michigan she was granted membership in the Phi Kappa Phi
Honorary Society.
In 1968, she earned a Master of Letters (M.Litt) degree in moral philosophy from Oxford University.
Having enrolled in seminary in 1979, Bishop Irish received a Master of Divinity (M.Div) degree, cum laude, from the Virginia Theological Seminary
in 1983.
She holds honorary doctoral degrees from Virginia Theological Seminary, Westminster College in Salt Lake City
, the University of Utah
, The Church Divinity School of the Pacific, the Salt Lake Community College
, and Utah State University
.
, daughter of Utah businessman, philanthropist, and University of Utah philosophy professor Obert Clark Tanner
. During her upbringing, her family was active in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, but she stopped attending church after she left home for college. In 1960, while at Stanford University, she married Leon E. Irish, another Stanford student, who later earned a law degree from the University of Michigan and a D.Phil. from Oxford University. Together they have four children; Stephen, Jessica, Thomas, and Emily.
Because of her children, Irish began attending church again in 1975 and said of the Episcopal Church "I was surprised when I realized that this was my home." By 1977 she was considering entering the ordained ministry and two years later began seminary. Having been raised and baptized in LDS Church, there has been debate in some circles over the validity of her baptism
and subsequent ordination because of differences in theology
between the two churches. However, at the time of her confirmation into the Episcopal Church, her baptism was recognized as valid. The sacraments of baptism and confirmation are both prerequisites of ordination in the Episcopal Church.
In 1983, Irish was ordained
to the diaconate
, followed in 1984 by her ordination to the priest
hood in the Episcopal Diocese of Washington, D.C.
As a priest, she served congregations in the dioceses of Washington, D.C., Virginia
, and Michigan
. She was appointed archdeacon
in the Diocese of Michigan in 1986, and later served on the staff of the Shalem Institute for Spiritual Formation
, and the Washington National Cathedral
.
Throughout her service, the Bishop led a program called Project Jubilee. All 22 churches and a number of ministries have benefited from Project Jubilee grants and loans that purchased land, paid mortgages, assisted construction, and made the very existence of several parishes a reality. Most recently, Project Jubilee funds were used for a portion of the new Episcopal Church Center of Utah. The funds came from the Perpetual Trust of Sts. Peter and Paul, which resulted from the sale of St. Mark's Hospital under her predecessor, Bishop George Bates' leadership. Bishop Irish was originally elected as Bishop Coadjutor near the end of Bishop Bates' service. The Rt. Rev. Carolyn Tanner Irish also followed a policy of financial transparency, so all could see the monetary blessings the diocese has had to enrich its work and outreach.
In addition to her episcopal duties, she also currently serves as Chair of the Board of O.C. Tanner Co.
, the employee recognition company founded by her father. Bishop Irish also serves on the Standing Committee on Ecumenical Relations for the National Episcopal Church, and the Advisory Board of the Shalem Institute for Spiritual Formation as well as the boards of directors of the Tanner Lectures on Human Values
and the Nature Conservancy of Utah. The Carolyn Tanner Irish Humanities Building at the University of Utah bears her name. The Bishop also established a reputation as a community leader. Outspoken from the start of her service, she supported minorities and opposed allowing guns in churches. She also fought political movements to make English the only language that could be used in governmental laws and information. She holds honorary doctorates from the University of Utah
, Utah State University
, Salt Lake Community College
, Westminster
and Weber State University
.
In 1988, she was divorced from Dr. Irish after 28 years of marriage. In 1999, she took a leave of absence to cope with her alcoholism. In 2001, Irish married the Rev. Dr. Frederick Quinn, a retired foreign service officer and author.
In early 2009 she announced her retirement from her Episcopal church position to take place in mid 2010. She will continue her Utah ties, but expects to live much of the time in Washington D.C. She and her husband, the Rev. Fred Quinn, have six adult children between them, with most of them living in the eastern United States.
Bishop
A bishop is an ordained or consecrated member of the Christian clergy who is generally entrusted with a position of authority and oversight. Within the Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox Churches, in the Assyrian Church of the East, in the Independent Catholic Churches, and in the...
of the Episcopal Diocese of Utah
Episcopal Diocese of Utah
The Episcopal Diocese of Utah is a diocese of the Episcopal Church in the United States, encompassing the state of Utah, less that part of the Four Corners region which is in the Navajoland Area Mission. It includes a small part of northern Arizona. In 1867, the Episcopal Church was the first...
. At the time of her election and consecration in 1996 she became the fourth woman in the Episcopal Church to hold the office of bishop.
Education
Irish received a B.A. degree with high honors in philosophy from the University of MichiganUniversity of Michigan
The University of Michigan is a public research university located in Ann Arbor, Michigan in the United States. It is the state's oldest university and the flagship campus of the University of Michigan...
in 1962 after having transferred from Stanford University
Stanford University
The Leland Stanford Junior University, commonly referred to as Stanford University or Stanford, is a private research university on an campus located near Palo Alto, California. It is situated in the northwestern Santa Clara Valley on the San Francisco Peninsula, approximately northwest of San...
where she began her studies in 1958. Also at Michigan she was granted membership in the Phi Kappa Phi
Phi Kappa Phi
The Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi is an honor society established 1897 to recognize and encourage superior scholarship without restriction as to area of study and to promote the "unity and democracy of education"...
Honorary Society.
In 1968, she earned a Master of Letters (M.Litt) degree in moral philosophy from Oxford University.
Having enrolled in seminary in 1979, Bishop Irish received a Master of Divinity (M.Div) degree, cum laude, from the Virginia Theological Seminary
Virginia Theological Seminary
Virginia Theological Seminary , formally called the Protestant Episcopal Theological Seminary in Virginia, is the largest accredited Episcopal seminary in the United States. Founded in 1818, VTS is situated on an campus in Alexandria, Virginia, just a few miles from downtown Washington, DC. VTS...
in 1983.
She holds honorary doctoral degrees from Virginia Theological Seminary, Westminster College in Salt Lake City
Westminster College, Salt Lake City
Westminster College is a private liberal arts college located in the Sugar House neighborhood of Salt Lake City, Utah. The college comprises four schools: the School of Arts and Sciences, the Bill and Vieve Gore School of Business, the School of Education, and the School of Nursing and Health...
, the University of Utah
University of Utah
The University of Utah, also known as the U or the U of U, is a public, coeducational research university in Salt Lake City, Utah, United States. The university was established in 1850 as the University of Deseret by the General Assembly of the provisional State of Deseret, making it Utah's oldest...
, The Church Divinity School of the Pacific, the Salt Lake Community College
Salt Lake Community College
Salt Lake Community College is the largest higher education institution with the most diverse student body in Utah . The College offers and operates throughout the Salt Lake valley. Even with its large student body, the College maintains a student to faculty ratio of just 20 to 1...
, and Utah State University
Utah State University
Utah State University is a public university located in Logan, Utah. It is a land-grant and space-grant institution and is accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities....
.
Background
Irish was born in 1940 and raised in Salt Lake City, UtahUtah
Utah is a state in the Western United States. It was the 45th state to join the Union, on January 4, 1896. Approximately 80% of Utah's 2,763,885 people live along the Wasatch Front, centering on Salt Lake City. This leaves vast expanses of the state nearly uninhabited, making the population the...
, daughter of Utah businessman, philanthropist, and University of Utah philosophy professor Obert Clark Tanner
O.C. Tanner (person)
Obert Clark Tanner was a University of Utah professor of philosophy, philanthropist, and founder of O.C. Tanner Co.-Early life and education:...
. During her upbringing, her family was active in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, but she stopped attending church after she left home for college. In 1960, while at Stanford University, she married Leon E. Irish, another Stanford student, who later earned a law degree from the University of Michigan and a D.Phil. from Oxford University. Together they have four children; Stephen, Jessica, Thomas, and Emily.
Because of her children, Irish began attending church again in 1975 and said of the Episcopal Church "I was surprised when I realized that this was my home." By 1977 she was considering entering the ordained ministry and two years later began seminary. Having been raised and baptized in LDS Church, there has been debate in some circles over the validity of her baptism
Baptism
In Christianity, baptism is for the majority the rite of admission , almost invariably with the use of water, into the Christian Church generally and also membership of a particular church tradition...
and subsequent ordination because of differences in theology
Theology
Theology is the systematic and rational study of religion and its influences and of the nature of religious truths, or the learned profession acquired by completing specialized training in religious studies, usually at a university or school of divinity or seminary.-Definition:Augustine of Hippo...
between the two churches. However, at the time of her confirmation into the Episcopal Church, her baptism was recognized as valid. The sacraments of baptism and confirmation are both prerequisites of ordination in the Episcopal Church.
In 1983, Irish was ordained
Ordination
In general religious use, ordination is the process by which individuals are consecrated, that is, set apart as clergy to perform various religious rites and ceremonies. The process and ceremonies of ordination itself varies by religion and denomination. One who is in preparation for, or who is...
to the diaconate
Deacon
Deacon is a ministry in the Christian Church that is generally associated with service of some kind, but which varies among theological and denominational traditions...
, followed in 1984 by her ordination to the priest
Priest
A priest is a person authorized to perform the sacred rites of a religion, especially as a mediatory agent between humans and deities. They also have the authority or power to administer religious rites; in particular, rites of sacrifice to, and propitiation of, a deity or deities...
hood in the Episcopal Diocese of Washington, D.C.
Episcopal Diocese of Washington
The Episcopal Diocese of Washington is the ecclesiastical territory or diocese of the Episcopal Bishop of Washington in the United States. The territory comprises the District of Columbia and the Maryland counties of Charles, St. Mary's, Prince George's and Montgomery...
As a priest, she served congregations in the dioceses of Washington, D.C., Virginia
Episcopal Diocese of Virginia
The Diocese of Virginia is a diocese of the Episcopal Church in the United States of America encompassing 38 counties in the northern and central parts of the state of Virginia. The diocese was organized in 1785 and is one of the Episcopal Church's nine original dioceses. However, the diocese has...
, and Michigan
Episcopal Diocese of Michigan
The Episcopal Diocese of Michigan is the Episcopal diocese in the southeast part of Michigan.The diocese traces its roots to the founding of St. Paul's, Detroit in 1824. It became a diocese of the Episcopal Church in 1836, one year before the State of Michigan entered the Union. It covered the...
. She was appointed archdeacon
Archdeacon
An archdeacon is a senior clergy position in Anglicanism, Syrian Malabar Nasrani, Chaldean Catholic, and some other Christian denominations, above that of most clergy and below a bishop. In the High Middle Ages it was the most senior diocesan position below a bishop in the Roman Catholic Church...
in the Diocese of Michigan in 1986, and later served on the staff of the Shalem Institute for Spiritual Formation
Shalem Institute for Spiritual Formation
The Shalem Institute for Spiritual Formation is a Christian educational organization that offers programs with the stated goal of providing "in-depth support for contemplative living and leadership." The institute was incorporated in 1979 having grown out of a group that began meeting in 1973 in...
, and the Washington National Cathedral
Washington National Cathedral
The Washington National Cathedral, officially named the Cathedral Church of Saint Peter and Saint Paul, is a cathedral of the Episcopal Church located in Washington, D.C., the capital of the United States. Of neogothic design, it is the sixth-largest cathedral in the world, the second-largest in...
.
Throughout her service, the Bishop led a program called Project Jubilee. All 22 churches and a number of ministries have benefited from Project Jubilee grants and loans that purchased land, paid mortgages, assisted construction, and made the very existence of several parishes a reality. Most recently, Project Jubilee funds were used for a portion of the new Episcopal Church Center of Utah. The funds came from the Perpetual Trust of Sts. Peter and Paul, which resulted from the sale of St. Mark's Hospital under her predecessor, Bishop George Bates' leadership. Bishop Irish was originally elected as Bishop Coadjutor near the end of Bishop Bates' service. The Rt. Rev. Carolyn Tanner Irish also followed a policy of financial transparency, so all could see the monetary blessings the diocese has had to enrich its work and outreach.
In addition to her episcopal duties, she also currently serves as Chair of the Board of O.C. Tanner Co.
O.C. Tanner (company)
O.C. Tanner Co., named after founder Obert C. Tanner, is a human resource consulting and services company that designs and helps implement employee recognition programs for clients in the U.S., Canada, and Europe...
, the employee recognition company founded by her father. Bishop Irish also serves on the Standing Committee on Ecumenical Relations for the National Episcopal Church, and the Advisory Board of the Shalem Institute for Spiritual Formation as well as the boards of directors of the Tanner Lectures on Human Values
Tanner Lectures on Human Values
The Tanner Lectures on Human Values is a multi-university lecture series in the humanities, founded on July 1, 1978, at Clare Hall, Cambridge University, by the American scholar Obert Clark Tanner...
and the Nature Conservancy of Utah. The Carolyn Tanner Irish Humanities Building at the University of Utah bears her name. The Bishop also established a reputation as a community leader. Outspoken from the start of her service, she supported minorities and opposed allowing guns in churches. She also fought political movements to make English the only language that could be used in governmental laws and information. She holds honorary doctorates from the University of Utah
University of Utah
The University of Utah, also known as the U or the U of U, is a public, coeducational research university in Salt Lake City, Utah, United States. The university was established in 1850 as the University of Deseret by the General Assembly of the provisional State of Deseret, making it Utah's oldest...
, Utah State University
Utah State University
Utah State University is a public university located in Logan, Utah. It is a land-grant and space-grant institution and is accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities....
, Salt Lake Community College
Salt Lake Community College
Salt Lake Community College is the largest higher education institution with the most diverse student body in Utah . The College offers and operates throughout the Salt Lake valley. Even with its large student body, the College maintains a student to faculty ratio of just 20 to 1...
, Westminster
Westminster
Westminster is an area of central London, within the City of Westminster, England. It lies on the north bank of the River Thames, southwest of the City of London and southwest of Charing Cross...
and Weber State University
Weber State University
Weber State University is a public university located in the city of Ogden in Weber County, Utah, USA. It was founded in 1889 and is a coeducational, publicly supported university offering professional, liberal arts and technical certificates, as well as associate, bachelor's and master's degrees...
.
In 1988, she was divorced from Dr. Irish after 28 years of marriage. In 1999, she took a leave of absence to cope with her alcoholism. In 2001, Irish married the Rev. Dr. Frederick Quinn, a retired foreign service officer and author.
In early 2009 she announced her retirement from her Episcopal church position to take place in mid 2010. She will continue her Utah ties, but expects to live much of the time in Washington D.C. She and her husband, the Rev. Fred Quinn, have six adult children between them, with most of them living in the eastern United States.
See also
- Episcopal Church in the United States of America
- Succession of Bishops of the Episcopal Church in the United StatesSuccession of Bishops of the Episcopal Church in the United StatesThis list consists of the bishops in the Episcopal Church in the United States of America, an independent province of the Anglican Communion. This shows the historic succession of the episcopate within this denomination.-Key to chart:...