Katharine Jefferts Schori facts for kids
Quick facts for kids The Most Reverend Katharine Jefferts Schori |
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| 26th Presiding Bishop and Primate of the Episcopal Church | |
Jefferts Schori during her term as Presiding Bishop (2010)
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| Church | Episcopal Church |
| In Office | 2006–2015 |
| Predecessor | Frank Griswold |
| Successor | Michael Curry |
| Other posts | Bishop Assisting of Los Angeles Diocese(2019-2024) Assistant Bishop of Wyoming (2024) |
| Orders | |
| Ordination | 1994 (priest) |
| Consecration | February 24, 2001 by Jerry Lamb |
| Personal details | |
| Born | March 26, 1954 Pensacola, Florida, United States |
| Denomination | Episcopal |
| Parents | Keith Jefferts Elaine Ryan |
| Spouse | Richard Schori |
| Children | Katharine |
| Previous post | Bishop of Nevada (2001-2006) |
| Alma mater | Stanford University Oregon State University Pacific Church Divinity School |
Katharine Jefferts Schori (born March 26, 1954) is an important leader in the Episcopal Church in the United States. She served as the Presiding Bishop and Primate of the church. This means she was the main leader of the Episcopal Church in the U.S.
Before this, she was the Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Nevada. She made history by becoming the first woman to be elected as a primate in the worldwide Anglican Communion. She was chosen for this role on June 18, 2006, and started her term on November 4, 2006. She served until November 1, 2015, when Michael Bruce Curry took over.
As of July 2024, she is serving as an Assistant Bishop in Wyoming.
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Early Life and Family
Katharine Jefferts Schori was born in Pensacola, Florida. Her father, Keith Jefferts, was a scientist who studied atoms. Her mother, Elaine Ryan, was a scientist who studied tiny living things like bacteria.
She was first raised in the Catholic Church. When she was eight years old, in 1963, her parents decided to join the Episcopal Church. A few years later, her mother became part of the Eastern Orthodox Church.
Jefferts Schori went to school in New Jersey. She then studied biology at Stanford University, earning a degree in 1974. She continued her studies at Oregon State University, getting a master's degree in oceanography in 1977 and a PhD in oceanography in 1983. She is also a trained pilot, just like her parents.
In 1979, she married Richard Schori, who was a professor at Oregon State. They have one daughter.
Early Career in the Church
Katharine Jefferts Schori earned another degree, a Master of Divinity, in 1994 from the Church Divinity School of the Pacific. In the same year, she became a priest.
She worked as an assistant rector (a type of church leader) at the Church of the Good Samaritan in Corvallis, Oregon. She was especially good at helping the Hispanic community because she speaks fluent Spanish. She also led adult education programs.
In 2001, she was elected and became the Bishop of Nevada. This was a very important leadership position.
She has also received special honorary degrees from several theological schools for her contributions.
Becoming Presiding Bishop
In June 2006, the Episcopal Church held a big meeting called the General Convention in Columbus, Ohio. During this meeting, leaders chose the next Presiding Bishop.
Katharine Jefferts Schori was elected for a nine-year term on June 18. She was chosen by the House of Bishops (a group of church leaders) after five rounds of voting. Later that day, another group, the House of Deputies (made up of deacons, priests, and regular church members), also approved her election.
Her election was a historic moment because she was the first woman to become a primate in the entire Anglican Communion worldwide. She was the 26th Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church.
At a press conference on the day she was elected, she said she wanted to work with everyone in the church. She talked about her hope to lead the church in helping people, especially by working to end poverty and hunger. She spoke about helping those who are struggling and bringing good news to all.
Jefferts Schori officially became Presiding Bishop on November 1, 2006. A special ceremony to mark her new role was held on November 4 at Washington National Cathedral.
As Presiding Bishop
During her time as Presiding Bishop, some groups from four dioceses (church regions) decided to leave the Episcopal Church. These groups joined another church called the Anglican Church in North America. Jefferts Schori supported legal actions to keep church properties.
She also supported the idea of blessing same-sex relationships and marriages within the church. This was a topic that caused some disagreement among different Anglican churches around the world.
In 2009, some people questioned her statements about salvation, and she later clarified her views. In 2013, a sermon she gave in Curaçao also drew some discussion for her interpretation of a Bible story.
End of Her Term
On September 23, 2014, Katharine Jefferts Schori announced that she would not seek another term as Presiding Bishop.
On June 27, 2015, the General Convention elected Bishop Michael Curry of North Carolina to be the 27th Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church.
After her term ended, Jefferts Schori continued to serve the church. From 2017 to 2019, she was an assisting bishop in the Episcopal Diocese of San Diego. Since 2019, she has been one of the assisting bishops in the Episcopal Diocese of Los Angeles.
See also
In Spanish: Katharine Jefferts para niños
- List of presiding bishops of the Episcopal Church in the United States of America
- List of Episcopal bishops of the United States
- Historical list of the Episcopal bishops of the United States
