Gary Lillibridge

Last updated
The Right Reverend

Gary R. Lillibridge
Bishop of West Texas
Church Episcopal Church
Province Province VII
Diocese West Texas
ElectedOctober 11, 2003
In office2006-2017
Predecessor James E. Folts
Successor David M. Reed
Orders
OrdinationJune 1982 (deacon)
January 1983 (priest)
ConsecrationFebruary 21, 2004
by  Frank Griswold
Personal details
Born (1956-05-02) May 2, 1956 (age 66)
San Antonio, Texas, United States
Nationality American
Denomination Anglicanism
Spouse
Catherine
(m. 1985)
Children3
Previous post(s)Coadjutor Bishop of West Texas (2004–2006)

Gary Richard Lillibridge (born May 2, 1956) is an American Episcopal bishop. He was the ninth bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of West Texas.

Contents

Early life and education

Lillibridge was born on May 2, 1956, in San Antonio, Texas, United States. [1] He was raised as an Episcopalian. [2] He studied education at Southwest Texas State University, graduating with a Bachelor of Science (BSc) degree in 1978. [3] He trained for ordination at the Virginia Theological Seminary, and graduated in 1982 with a Master of Divinity (M.Div.) degree. [1]

Ordained ministry

Lillibridge was ordained in the Episcopal Church as a deacon in June 1982 and as a priest in January 1983. [3]

In October 2003, Lillibridge was elected as the ninth Bishop of West Texas. [3] On February 21, 2004, he was consecrated a bishop by Frank Griswold, the then Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church. [1] [4] He then served as coadjutor bishop to James E. Folts, the Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of West Texas. [4] He took up the appointment of diocesan bishop in 2006, upon the retirement of Bishop Folts. [1]

Lillibridge retired from full-time ministry in 2017. [2] [5]

Views

Lillibridge has been described as a traditionalist and a conservative. [2] [4] However, in April 2015, he granted three parishes in his diocese permission to "conduct same-sex blessings". [6]

Personal life

In 1985, Lillibridge married Catherine DeForrest. [1] [3] Together they have three children: Sarah, Amy, and Thomas. [3]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Homosexuality and the Anglican Communion</span> Gay and lesbian sexuality and the Anglican Communion

Since the 1990s, the Anglican Communion has struggled with controversy regarding homosexuality in the church. In 1998, the 13th Lambeth Conference of Anglican bishops passed a resolution "rejecting homosexual practice as incompatible with Scripture". However, this is not legally binding. "Like all Lambeth Conference resolutions, it is not legally binding on all provinces of the Communion, including the Church of England, though it commends an essential and persuasive view of the attitude of the Communion." "Anglican national churches in Brazil, South Africa, South India, New Zealand and Canada have taken steps toward approving and celebrating same-sex relationships amid strong resistance among other national churches within the 80 million-member global body. The Episcopal Church in the U.S. has allowed same-sex marriage since 2015, and the Scottish Episcopal Church has allowed same-sex marriage since 2017." "Church of England clergy have appeared to signal support for gay marriage after they rejected a bishops' report which said that only a man and woman could marry in church." The Church of England's 2019 General Synod was set to discuss a diocesan motion "to create a set of formal services and prayers to bless those who have had a same-sex marriage or civil partnership". At General Synod in 2019, the Church of England announced that same-gender couples may remain married and recognised as married after one spouse experiences a gender transition provided that the spouses identified as opposite genders at the time of the marriage.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Anglican Church of Australia</span> Church of the Anglican Communion

The Anglican Church of Australia, formerly known as the Church of England in Australia and Tasmania, is a Christian church in Australia and an autonomous church of the Anglican Communion. It is the second largest church in Australia after the Roman Catholic Church. According to the 2016 census, 3.1 million Australians identify as Anglicans. As of 2016, the Anglican Church of Australia had more than 3 million nominal members and 437,880 active baptised members. For much of Australian history the church was the largest religious denomination. It remains today one of the largest providers of social welfare services in Australia.

The Church of the Province of West Africa is a province of the Anglican Communion, covering 17 dioceses in eight countries of West Africa, specifically in Cameroon, Cape Verde, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Liberia, Senegal and Sierra Leone. Ghana is the country with most dioceses, now numbering 11.

The Anglican Church of Mexico, originally known as Church of Jesus is the Anglican province in Mexico and includes five dioceses. The interim primate is Enrique Treviño, Bishop of Cuernavaca. Although born in Mexico and not being the result of any foreign missionary effort, the shield of the denomination uses the colors representing Mexico as well as those of the United States-based Episcopal Church recognizing its historical connection with the US church since obtaining the apostolic succession from that church.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Anglican Catholic Church</span> Continuing Anglican denomination

The Anglican Catholic Church (ACC), also known as the Anglican Catholic Church , is a body of Christians in the continuing Anglican movement, which is separate from the Anglican Communion led by the Archbishop of Canterbury. This denomination is separate from the Anglican Catholic Church in Australia and the Anglican Catholic Church of Canada.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Anglican Province of America</span> American Continuing Anglican denomination

The Anglican Province of America (APA) is a Continuing Anglican church in the United States. The church was founded by former members of the Episcopal Church in the United States in order to follow what they consider to be a more truly Christian, Catholic, and Anglican tradition. It comprises two dioceses in the United States: Diocese of the Eastern United States (DEUS) and the Diocese of the Central and Western States (DCWS). The combined American dioceses total 50 congregations, with an estimated 4,000 members. Worldwide, the Church has an estimated 30,000 members.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Episcopal Diocese of West Virginia</span> Diocese of the Episcopal Church in the United States

The Episcopal Diocese of West Virginia is a diocese of the Episcopal Church in the United States of America (TEC). It encompasses all 55 counties of West Virginia. The diocese has 66 congregations, including 38 parishes, 26 missions, and 2 other churches. The diocese is headquartered in Charleston and led by The Rt. Rev. Matthew Davis Cowden who was consecrated as bishop coadjutor in March, 2022 and became bishop diocesan in October, 2022.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">William H. Love</span>

William Howard Love is an American prelate. Love was the ninth bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Albany, and he served in that role from 2007 until January 31, 2021. Beginning in April 2021, Love has served as Assistant Bishop of the Anglican Diocese of the Living Word.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Episcopal Diocese of West Texas</span> Diocese of the Episcopal Church in the United States

The Episcopal Diocese of West Texas is the diocese of the Episcopal Church in the United States of America whose territory comprises the southernmost part of the state of Texas.

The Anglican Diocese of Pittsburgh is a diocese of the Anglican Church in North America. It has parishes in the several counties of Western Pennsylvania. In addition, the diocese has oversight of several Anglican parishes that are not located within its geographical boundaries. The diocese has one or more parishes in the US states of Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, North Carolina, Ohio, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, and Wisconsin. Illinois and California are home to over 10 parishes each. The diocese also has a parish in Mexico.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">James M. Adams Jr.</span>

James Marshall Adams junior was the fourth Bishop of Western Kansas.

Scott Field Bailey was the 6th diocesan bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of West Texas in the Episcopal Church.

Terence Kelshaw was an English-born American Anglican bishop.

Edward Lloyd "Ed" Salmon, Junior was an American bishop in The Episcopal Church.

William Carl "Bill" Frey was an American Episcopal bishop. He served as missionary bishop of the Episcopal Church for the Episcopal Diocese of Guatemala and later as bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Colorado. He was an Evangelical and was considered a moderate theological conservative. He supported women's ordination but opposed active homosexuality.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lyman Ogilby</span>

Lyman Cunningham Ogilby was an Episcopal priest who became a missionary bishop in the Philippines, coadjutor bishop in the Episcopal Diocese of South Dakota and later the Episcopal Diocese of Pennsylvania, where he succeeded Bishop Robert L. DeWitt and became the 13th diocesan bishop until his retirement.

Raymond Stewart Wood Jr. is a bishop in the Episcopal Church in the United States of America. He served the Diocese of Michigan from 1990 to 2000 as its ninth diocesan bishop.

Roderick Charles Howell Thomas is a retired Church of England bishop. He was the Bishop of Maidstone, a provincial episcopal visitor for conservative evangelical members and parishes of the church, from 2015 until his retirement in 2022.

Jonathan H. Folts is an American prelate of the Episcopal Church who serves as the current and eleventh Bishop of South Dakota.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 "Quick Reference Manual: Gary Richard Lillibridge, DD" (pdf). dwtx.org. Episcopal Diocese of West Texas. May 2005. Retrieved 29 November 2016.
  2. 1 2 3 Levy, Abe (14 February 2014). "Episcopal bishop announces retirement in 3 years". mysanantonio.com. Hearst . Retrieved 29 November 2016.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 "The Rt. Rev. Gary Lillibridge". episcopalchurch.org. The Domestic and Foreign Missionary Society. Retrieved 29 November 2016.
  4. 1 2 3 Parker, J. Michael (22 February 2004). "WEST TEXAS: Orthodox priest becomes new bishop". virtueonline.org. VirtueOnline. Retrieved 29 November 2016.
  5. "Our Bishops: The Rt. Rev. Gary Lillibridge, Bishop of the Diocese". dwtx.org. The Episcopal Diocese of West Texas. Retrieved 29 November 2016.
  6. Conger, George (25 April 2015). "West Texas flips over gay blessings". anglican.ink. Anglican Ink. Retrieved 29 November 2016.