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Anglican Diocese of Brisbane facts for kids

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Diocese of Brisbane
Coat of arms
Coat of arms
Location
Country Australia
Territory
Ecclesiastical province Queensland
Metropolitan Archbishop of Brisbane
Headquarters
  • St Martins House
  • 373 Ann Street
  • Brisbane
Information
Denomination Anglican
Rite
  • Book of Common Prayer
  • An Australian Prayer Book
  • A Prayer Book for Australia
Established 1858 (1858)
Cathedral St John's Cathedral, Brisbane
Language English
Current leadership
Parent church Anglican Church of Australia
Archbishop Jeremy Greaves
Dean
  • Peter Catt
  • (since 2008)

The Anglican Diocese of Brisbane, also known as Anglican Church Southern Queensland, is a large church area in Queensland, Australia. It is part of the Anglican Church of Australia. The main church for the bishop is St John's Cathedral, Brisbane.

This diocese covers a big area. It goes from the south-eastern coast of Queensland. It stretches down to the New South Wales border. It also reaches west to the Northern Territory and South Australian borders. The church often calls itself "Anglican Church Southern Queensland" (ACSQ). It also promotes its charity arm, "Anglicare Southern Queensland".

The main leader of the diocese is the Archbishop of Brisbane. The current Archbishop is Jeremy Greaves. He was chosen as archbishop on 1 September 2023. He officially started his role on 16 December 2023.

The diocese also has several assistant bishops. These bishops help the Archbishop with different parts of the region. Currently, they include Cameron Venables (for the Western Region since 2014), John Roundhill (for the Southern Region since 2018), and Sarah Plowman (for the Northern Region from 2024).

History of the Brisbane Diocese

How the Diocese Started

The Brisbane diocese was created in 1858. Before this, the area was part of the Diocese of Newcastle. William Tyrrell was the Bishop of Newcastle at that time.

In 1859, Queen Victoria chose the first bishop for Brisbane. His name was Edward Tufnell (1814–1896). Bishop Tufnell made St John's Cathedral in Brisbane the main church. He also gave the beautiful stained glass windows in the church's apse.

Bishops' Homes: Bishopsbourne

A special house for the bishops was built around 1865. It was called Bishopsbourne (now Old Bishopsbourne). This house was in Milton. Many bishops and archbishops lived there.

In 1964, Archbishop Philip Strong bought a new house. It was in Hamilton and he also named it Bishopsbourne. Later, in 2007, Archbishop Phillip Aspinall sold this house. He moved to a new home in Ascot, which was also named Bishopsbourne.

Becoming a Metropolitan See

In 1905, the Province of Queensland was formed. This made the Diocese of Brisbane the main church area (metropolitan see). Its bishop became the metropolitan archbishop.

Leaders of the Diocese

Archbishops of Brisbane

Anglican Archbishop of Brisbane

Assistant Bishops

The first assistant bishop for Brisbane was John Francis Stretch. He became a bishop in 1895. He was the first Australian to be made a bishop for ministry in Australia.

Many other assistant bishops have served the diocese over the years. These include Henry Le Fanu, De Witt Batty, and Horace Henry Dixon. More recently, bishops like Cameron Venables, John Roundhill, and Sarah Plowman serve in this role.

Bishops Coadjutor and Diocesan-wide Assistant Bishops
From Until Incumbent Notes
1889 1892 Nathaniel Dawes Assistant Bishop for Brisbane; Later moved to Rockhampton.
1895 1900 John Francis Stretch Assistant Bishop for Brisbane; Later moved to Newcastle.
1915 1929 Henry Le Fanu Assistant Bishop for Brisbane; Later moved to Perth. He also became the main leader of the Anglican Church in Australia.
1930 1931 Francis De Witt Batty Assistant Bishop for Brisbane; Also the main priest of St John's Cathedral from 1925 to 1931; Later moved to Newcastle.
1930 1961 Horace Henry Dixon Assistant Bishop for Brisbane.
1961 1973 Wilfred John Hudson Assistant Bishop for Brisbane. Moved from Carpentaria.
1973 1978 Ralph Edwin Wicks Assistant Bishop for Brisbane. Later served in Southern and Western Regions.
Assistant bishops (Northern Region)
From Until Incumbent Notes
1983 1985 Bruce Schultz Later moved to Grafton.
1985 1993 George Browning Later moved to Canberra & Goulburn.
1993 1999 John Noble Also Director of Ministry Education, 1999–2002; Later Bishop of North Queensland (2002–2007).
1999 2006 Richard Appleby Moved from the Northern Territory. Later helped the main leader of the Anglican Church in Australia.
2006 2016 Jonathan Holland Also Director of Ministry Education from 2016.
2017 Jeremy Greaves Previously the main priest of Darwin.
2024 present Sarah Plowman Served as Mission Chaplain, Director of Discernment and Formation and Honorary Canon, St John’s Cathedral from 2021.
Assistant bishops (Southern Region)
From Until Incumbent Notes
2013 2017 Alison Taylor The first female bishop in the diocese.
Assistant bishops (Western Region)
From Until Incumbent Notes

Saint John's Cathedral

St John's Cathedral, Brisbane

The Cathedral of Saint John is a very important church in Brisbane. Its construction was finished in 2005. This was after about 100 years of building work.

In 2015, new statues were added to the outside of the cathedral. Archbishop Aspinall blessed these statues.

Training for Church Leaders

Theological Colleges

People who want to become priests or other church leaders get special training. They attend colleges and seminaries. In the Brisbane diocese, many leaders train at Saint Francis' Theological College. This college is connected to Charles Sturt University. Bishop Jonathan Holland is the principal of this college.

Church Style and Beliefs

Anglo-Catholic Ethos

The Brisbane diocese often follows a style called liberal Anglo-Catholic. This means it has some traditions similar to the Roman Catholic Church. For example, priests usually wear special robes (a stole over a cassock or alb) during church services.

Some religious groups, like the Society of Saint Francis, have their main Australian base in Brisbane. The Society of the Sacred Advent also started in the city.

While Anglo-Catholic is the main style, there are a few parishes that follow a "low church" style. This means their services are simpler.

Community Groups in the Diocese

Lobby Groups

The diocese has groups that speak out on important issues. For example, the dean of the cathedral, Peter Catt, started a group called A Progressive Christian Voice. He also leads the diocese's social responsibilities committee.

Another important group is Angligreen. This group focuses on environmental issues.

Important Issues and Discussions

Understanding the Bible

Archbishop Aspinall has noted that many Anglicans in Brisbane do not know the Bible very well. He observed that few people read or study the Bible regularly.

Church and Government Links

Connections to the Military

Church leaders sometimes have different views on big issues. For example, Archbishop Philip Strong had different ideas about Australia's involvement in the Vietnam War. He believed that conflict could sometimes lead to peace. Other bishops disagreed with him.

Connections to the Legal Community

The diocese has strong connections with legal professionals in Brisbane. This has sometimes led to discussions about potential conflicts of interest.

Working with Other Churches (Ecumenism)

The diocese works closely with other Christian churches. It has a strong relationship with the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Brisbane.

The Anglican, Roman Catholic, and Uniting churches sometimes work together. The Lutheran Church of Australia has also had discussions with them. However, the diocese mainly recognizes churches that have a similar leadership structure, with bishops.

Church Membership Numbers

Changes in Parishioners

Between 2011 and 2016, the number of people attending churches in the diocese decreased. A church report showed a 7% decline in parishioners during this time.

See also

  • Anglicare

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