Episcopal Diocese of Chicago

Last updated
Diocese of Chicago

Diœcesis Chicagoensis
Location
Country United States
Ecclesiastical province Province V
Subdivisions11 deaneries
Statistics
Congregations120 (2023)
Members25,645 (2023)
Information
Denomination Episcopal Church
EstablishedMarch 9, 1835 (As Diocese of Illinois)
May 28, 1884 (As Diocese of Chicago)
Cathedral St. James Cathedral
Language English, Spanish
Current leadership
Bishop Paula Clark
Map
ECUSAchicago2013.png
Location of the Diocese of Chicago
Website
episcopalchicago.org

The Episcopal Diocese of Chicago is the official organization of the Episcopal Church in Chicago and Northern Illinois, USA. The diocese is served by The Right Reverend Paula Clark, who serves as Bishop of the diocese. The cathedral of the diocese is St. James Cathedral, which is the oldest Episcopal congregation in the city of Chicago.

Contents

The Diocese of Chicago covers twenty-two counties located in the northern third of the state of Illinois, stretching from the shores of Lake Michigan on the east, to the banks of the Mississippi River on the west. Its northern boundary is the state of Wisconsin; the southernmost city is Watseka, Illinois.

History

The diocese was formed in 1877 from the Diocese of Illinois, which was founded in 1835. Philander Chase, the retired bishop of Ohio, was the first bishop. He was succeeded in 1852 by Henry Whitehouse, previously a priest from New York. The final bishop of Illinois was William Edward McLaren, elected in 1875, who continued as bishop of Chicago. When the Diocese of Illinois was split into three in 1877, Chicago maintained the original succession of bishops as its own. Two other dioceses, Quincy and Springfield, elected their own bishops.

Present day

The Diocese of Chicago ranks among the twelve largest Episcopal dioceses in the United States, with 137 congregations, of which 36 are missions. However, in parallel with declining national memberships, the Diocese of Chicago has seen a decline in membership: 47,171 baptized members in 1994, but only 42,667 in 1996.

The diocese is far more ethnically diverse than the Episcopal Church at-large. There are four Hispanic congregations, one of which is located in the near western suburbs of Chicago. In addition, four congregations outside Chicago provide Spanish language services, and two others share their facilities with congregations of the Philippine Independent Church. There is one Korean American congregation, and the diocese also serves eight African-American congregations.

The 25th Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church, the Right Reverend Frank Tracy Griswold, was bishop of Chicago when he was elected in 1997.

Diocesan Bishops of Illinois and of Chicago

Bishops of Illinois
FromUntilIncumbentNotes
18351852 Philander Chase Translated from Ohio.
18521874 Henry John Whitehouse Coadjutor since 1851.
18751877 William Edward McLaren Called Edward (December 15, 1831, Geneva, NY – February 19, 1905, New York, NY); diocese split; became Bishop of Chicago.
Bishops of Chicago
18771905William Edward McLarenHitherto Bishop of Illinois.
19051930 Charles P. Anderson Coadjutor since 1900.
19301930 Sheldon Munson Griswold (January 8, 1861, Delhi, NY – November 28, 1930, Evanston, IL); previously missionary bishop of Salina.
19301940 George Craig Stewart (August 18, 1879, Saginaw, MI – May 2, 1940, Chicago, IL); coadjutor since 1930.
19411953 Wallace E. Conkling
19541971 Frank Burrill
19711987 James W. Montgomery James Winchester Montgomery (born May 29, 1921); coadjutor since 1965.
19871998 Frank T. Griswold Coadjutor since 1985.
19981999 Herbert A. Donovan, Jr. Herbert Alcorn "Herb" Donovan, Junior (born July 14, 1931); provisional bishop; retired Bishop of Arkansas.
19992008 William D. Persell
20082020 Jeffrey D. Lee Jeffrey Dean Lee
2022Present Paula Clark

Other bishops of the diocese

Bishops suffragan
FromUntilIncumbentNotes
19111915 William Edward Toll, suffragan bishop (died June 28, 1915)
19171917 Sheldon Munson Griswold, suffragan bishop
19391947 Edwin J. Randall, suffragan bishopEdwin Jarvis Randall (October 24, 1869, Oconomowoc, WI – June 13, 1962, Evanston, IL)
19491963 Charles L. Street, suffragan bishopCharles Larrabee Street
19621965 James W. Montgomery, suffragan bishop
19721984 Quintin E. Primo, Jr., suffragan bishopQuintin Ebenezer Primo, Junior (July 1, 1913, Freedom Grove, GA – January 14, 1998, Hockessin, DE); later interim bishop of Delaware.
19901997 William W. Wiedrich, suffragan bishopCalled Bill (born August 19, 1931)
Assistant bishops
20002011 Victor A. Scantlebury, assistant bishop Victor Alfonso Scantlebury (born March 31, 1945, Colón, Panama); previously suffragan in Panama.
20122015 C. Christopher Epting, assistant bishop(born November 26, 1946); previously bishop of Iowa, Deputy for Ecumenical and Interreligious Relations

List of Deaneries

See also


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