Gordon Scruton
Gordon Paul Scruton (born March 8, 1947) was the Bishop of Western Massachusetts from 1996 till 2012.
The Right Reverend Gordon Paul Scruton . | |
|---|---|
| Bishop of Western Massachusetts | |
| Church | Episcopal Church |
| Diocese | Western Massachusetts |
| Elected | June 29, 1996 |
| In office | 1996–2012 |
| Predecessor | Robert S. Denig |
| Successor | Douglas John Fisher |
| Orders | |
| Ordination | 1972 |
| Consecration | October 12, 1996 by Edmond L. Browning |
| Personal details | |
| Born | March 8, 1947 |
| Nationality | American |
| Denomination | Anglican |
| Spouse | Rebecca Scruton |
| Children | 2 |
Early life, education and career
Scruton was born in 1947 in Rochester, New Hampshire.[1] According to his official biography he received a master's degree in English, magna cum laude, from Barrington College, then studied at the Boston University School of Theology, receiving a master's degree in theology in 1971. Scruton married Rebecca S. Polley in 1968.[1] He was ordained a deacon in 1971, a priest in 1972,[2] and served as an assistant rector at St. Mark's Church in Riverside, Rhode Island and at St. Paul's Church in Kingston, Rhode Island in the mid-1970s.[1] Scruton was rector of Grace Church in Dalton, Massachusetts from 1977 to 1981, and St. Francis Church in Holden, Massachusetts thereafter.[1]
Bishop of Western Massachusetts
Scruton was elected the eighth Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Western Massachusetts on June 29, 1996.[1] He was consecrated bishop on October 12, 1996, in Springfield, Massachusetts.[1][2] He was consecrated by the following current or retired bishops: Alexander Doig Stewart (American bishop)|Alexander Stewart]], Andrew Wissemann, M. Thomas Shaw, Barbara Clementine Harris, and Emmanuel Kolini (Bishop of the Diocese of Shaba in Zaire).[1] Presiding Bishop Edmond Lee Browning was also a consecrator.[2]
Likewise, Scruton was a co-consecrator of George Edward Councell as eleventh bishop of New Jersey.[3][4]
He has been very active in the House of Bishops since 2001.[5] Scruton has been on the court for the trial of a bishop.[6][7][8] He has acted as a mediator in the dispute between the Bishop of Connecticut and some priests in that state in 2007.[9] In 2009, he also served on a committee to assist the Diocese of Southern Virginia in their internal conflicts.[10] He retired on December 1, 2012.[11]
References
- Diocese of Western Massachusetts Official website Bishop Gordon Paul Scruton Biography. Accessed March 10, 2009.
- ECUSA Church Publishing website Official Listing. Accessed March 10, 2009.
- Ship of Fools website. Accessed March 10, 2009.
- Official Booklet of the Consecration, found at New Jersey Diocese website (.pdf). Accessed March 10, 2009.
- Church Publishing website Archived 2007-09-27 at the Wayback Machine. Accessed March 10, 2009.
- Diocese of Pennsylvania website Archived 2008-05-11 at archive.today. Accessed March 10, 2009.
- Episcopal Cafe website. Accessed March 10, 2009.
- Outside the Doors website Archived 2011-07-15 at the Wayback Machine. Accessed March 10, 2009.
- "Episcopal priests opposed to Robinson's election to meet with Bishop Smith," The Advocate, April 19, 2005, found at The Advocate website. Accessed March 10, 2009.
- Lisa Hamilton, "SOUTHERN VIRGINIA: New bishop proclaims diocese has 'come a very long way'," Episcopal Life, February 17, 2009, found at Episcopal Life Online website Archived 2009-02-21 at the Wayback Machine. Accessed March 10, 2009.
- Mirabelli, Manon (October 7, 2012). "Worshipers offer heartfelt goodbye as Springfield Episcopal Bishop Gordon P. Scruton retires". masslive.com. Retrieved January 11, 2013.