Gary Nelson | |
---|---|
Bishop of North West Australia | |
Church | Anglican Church of Australia |
Province | Province of Western Australia |
Diocese | Diocese of North West Australia |
Installed | 26 May 2012 [1] |
Term ended | 15 May 2022 |
Predecessor | David Mulready |
Successor | Darrell Parker |
Orders | |
Ordination | 1983 (as priest) [2] |
Consecration | 14 April 2012 (St Andrew's Cathedral, Sydney) [3] by Roger Herft [3] |
Personal details | |
Born | Gary Neville Nelson 15 May 1952 |
Nationality | Australian |
Denomination | Anglicanism |
Spouse | Christine [3] |
Alma mater | University of Sydney University of New South Wales Moore Theological College [4] |
Gary Neville Nelson (born 15 May 1952) [4] is an Australian Anglican bishop who served as Bishop of North West Australia (the largest diocese in geographical size in the Anglican Church of Australia, covering approximately a quarter of the Australian continent) from 26 May 2012 [5] to 15 May 2022. [6]
He grew up in Western Sydney and trained as a teacher at Sydney University. He spent two years with his wife in Papua New Guinea as missionary teachers.
He was assistant curate in Dapto and later rector of Panania.
Nelson served as Director of External Studies at Moore Theological College from 2006 until his appointment as Bishop of North West Australia in 2012. [5] [7]
Nelson stated that in the event that same-sex marriage was legalised in Australia, if he believes that religious freedom is not adequately protected, he will refuse to register any marriages. [8] [9]
Nelson retired from the role of bishop on 15 May 2022, on reaching the retirement age of 70 years. [6]
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." At General Synod in 2019, the Church of England announced that same-gender couples may remain recognised as married after one spouse experiences a gender transition. In 2023, the Church of England announced that it would authorise "prayers of thanksgiving, dedication and for God's blessing for same-sex couples."
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