A Jacksonville priest who led thousands from the Episcopal Church has been elected the first bishop of a new diocese that will oversee about 5,000 conservative Anglicans in North Florida and South Georgia.
The Rev. Neil Lebhar was elected Saturday by clergy and lay leaders in what will be called the Gulf Atlantic Diocese of the Anglican Church in North America.
The Anglican Church in North America itself is a new American denomination, having been formed in June largely by those who left the Episcopal Church after an openly gay priest became bishop in New Hampshire in 2003.
Lebhar said he’s eager to lead but also glad the position has a seven-year term limit.
“I think the greatest impact for the kingdom takes place through the ministry of local Christian communities,” Lebhar said. “So my heart has been, and always will be, for the parish.”
Seven year term limit? So what happens at the end of 7 years? Is he still a bishop?
Term limit for a bishop? Did the reporter get that quote right? Sounds kind of … Lutheran. (Although I do like the idea that a bishop can also be a rector.)
The time limit does sound odd. I thought it was because he’s 59 years old, and may expect to retire, but he’s quoted as if it’s a rotating bishopric with a time limit.
Yes, term limits…quite Lutheran…for us…but in the AC most Primates/Archbishops have term limits…so it is not uncommon as we might think…and it might be good…
What a tough choice! Neil Lebhar or Jim Hobby! Both are solid gospel men, mission minded who exemplify what Christian fathers and husbands should be. Thanks be to God Jim is also from the same diocese as Neil as the leadership of both men will be needed to grow the diocese.
The time limit is correct. It’s safe to assume he’ll remain a Bishop, just not Bishop of the Diocese.
Neil is exactly the sort of guy who should be elected bishop in our generation…if TEC had been faithful to its own requirements for who is qualified to serve as a bishop we wouldn’t have the Gulicks, O’Neills, Hendersons, and Robinsons who have written a new gospel to accomodate their sins, or for that matter the Stantons, Lillibridges, Loves, and Doyles who go missing when its time to stand firm…but we would have Minns, Guernsey, Anderson, and Lehbar who would have firmly keep the ship on course and protected God’s people from the false and destructive gospel of Schori and company.
2. Fr Dan Martins wrote:
[blockquote]Although I do like the idea that a bishop can also be a rector.[/blockquote]
In the early years of the PECUSA that was quite common. The Presiding Bishop was also an active diocesan until quite recently. Some of us think it’s still a good idea–it gives bishops something useful to do.
It should be noted that even the Primate of the Church of England is also the diocesan of the Diocese of Canterbury and technically what we would call “rector” of the cathedral parish, it is fairly common in the Anglican Communion and even the Pope is a diocesan bishop. Why TEC needs a full time “Presiding Bishop” with nothing to do but preside over meetings of the House of Bishops, consecrate other bishops and otherwise cause mischief isn’t exactly clear.
I was glad to hear the news. I respect Neil. He did great work here in Virginia before going to Florida years ago.
As for time limits for bishops, I suspect this is mostly a matter of financial necessity dictating it. You know, necessity is the mother of invention, and so on. That’s why Neil will be spending only one third of his time serving the diocese, and two thirds serving his thriving parish in Jacksonville.
Will this system work? Only time will tell. But like much else in the ACNA, how bishops actually function will doubtless continue to evolve over the years to come as the new denomination grows, matures, and consolidates itself.
And again, about term limits, while it’s true that the ELCA and the UMC elect what they call “bishops” (yet make no pretense of thinking they stand in the apostolic succession), it’s worth remembering that since Vatican II, cardinals and RC bishops also have a mandatory retirement age (75), just as in TEC (72). Which is rather like a term limit actually. So I think there’s nothing inherently unCatholic about it.
May Neil Lebhar’s ministry bear much fruit, more than ever before. To me, one of the most promising things about the ACNA is the tremendous quality of its initial leaders. They are generally outstanding. Men I can and will gladly follow.
David Handy+
#8 [blockquote]It should be noted that even the Primate of the Church of England is also the diocesan of the Diocese of Canterbury and technically what we would call “rector†of the cathedral parish, it is fairly common in the Anglican Communion and even the Pope is a diocesan bishop.[/blockquote]
Yes, the ABC is the diocesan of the Diocese of Canterbury. However, he has very little involvement in the day-to-day running of the diocese, and lives most of the time outside the diocese – in Lambeth. He is only ‘in residence’ a few times a year. The oversight of the diocese is mainly in the hands of the Suffragan Bishop of Dover, who is titled ‘Bishop in Canterbury’ and can act almost as if he were diocesan. And the ABC is not ‘Rector’ of the Cathedral – the Dean of Canterbury is.
While it is not unusual for primates/presiding bishops to have a fixed term, most would remain/return to being a diocesan bishop afterwards, if they did not retire. What is not usual in Anglicanism is for a DIOCESAN bishop to be on a fixed term. When his term is up he presumably remains/ returns to being a Rector – which means every seven years another ACNA bishop is floating around, only adding to the unease felt by some at the sheer number of ACNA bishops.
Unless, that is, they’ve decided that ‘bishop’ is not a separate order, merely a position held for a period while remaining a presbyter. Which is definitely not Anglican.
David+ … not just upper levels of leadership, either. In that particular diocese I think of David Allaire+, once of St. Cyprian (a mission parish in St Augustine) and now of Christ the King, meeting in rented facilities in the same part of town.
If David Allaire+ is even a bit typical of pastors in the Gulf Atlantic diocese … we’re in fine shape.
Bart Hall
David Allert is a good friend and seminary chum. We served as seminarians together at Church of the Savior, Ambridge. I had the same thought about him and the episcopacy. He’d be fine bishop.
David Wilson
David is quite young so with term limits he could get that opportunity.
Nothing personal about any of the bishops in ACNA but is anyone else concerned about the continuing church attitude of a dispropotionate number of bishops compared to priests and parishes?
Most of the ACNA dioceses are on a growth trajectory unlike the TEC dioceses that are rapidly shrinking. And all of the recently consecrated ACNA/CANA/AMiA are mission minded men committed to evangelism and church planting.