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Victoria Matthews

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For the American author, settlement worker, and activist, see Victoria Earle Matthews.

The Right Reverend

Victoria Matthews
Bishop of Christchurch
Matthews in 2012
ChurchAnglican Church in Aotearoa, New Zealand and Polynesia
In office2008–2018[1]
PredecessorDavid Coles
SuccessorPeter Carrell
Other post(s)Bishop of Edmonton (1997–2007)
Orders
Ordination1979 (deacon)
1980 (priest)
Consecration12 February 1994
Personal details
Born1954 (age 69–70)
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Alma mater

Victoria Matthews (born 1954) is a Canadian Anglican bishop. From 2008 until 2018, she served as Bishop of Christchurch in the Anglican Church in Aotearoa, New Zealand and Polynesia. In 1994, she became the first woman ordained bishop in the Anglican Church of Canada when she was made a suffragan bishop of the Diocese of Toronto. She then served as the Bishop of Edmonton from 1997 to 2007.

Education

Matthews was educated at Bishop Strachan School in Toronto, and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree with honours from Trinity College, University of Toronto, in 1976. She was the recipient of the North American Theological Fellowship from 1976 to 1979, and completed a Master of Divinity degree at Yale Divinity School and Berkeley Divinity School. She also holds a Master of Theology degree from Trinity College, Toronto, which she completed in 1987.[2] She was awarded an honorary doctorate from Yale Divinity School in 2017.[3]

Ordained ministry

Matthews upholds a generous orthodoxy (calling for a radical, Christ-centered orthodoxy expressed as missional faith and practice) and is on the Anglo-Catholic wing of the church.[4]

Matthews became a deacon in 1979 and was ordained to the priesthood in 1980. She served as an educator and a parish priest until 12 February 1994 when she was ordained to the episcopate. Mathews began chairing the Primate's Theological Commission in 1996[5] and was reelected in 2004. She also chaired the Task Force on Alternate Episcopal Oversight.[2]

Episcopal ministry

From 1994 to 1997 she was Suffragan (Assistant) Bishop of Toronto, for the Credit Valley area.[5] She became the first woman to be a bishop in the Anglican Church of Canada.[6]

She was elected Bishop of Edmonton in 1997, and held the position until her resignation in 2007.[5] In 2004, she was a nominee for the posts of Bishop of Toronto and Primate of the Anglican Church of Canada but had to withdraw from both slates in order to undergo treatment for breast cancer.[7]

She was bishop-in-residence at Wycliffe College, Toronto, from January to April 2008.[5] In February 2008, she was elected Bishop of Christchurch in the Anglican Church in Aotearoa, New Zealand and Polynesia,[4] and she was enthroned on 30 August 2008.[8][9]

During her time as the Bishop of Christchurch, there were over 12,000 earthquakes and aftershocks in the city and surrounding area. The Diocese had 220 buildings badly damaged or destroyed including the iconic ChristChurch Cathedral which is central to the history of the city and province. Recognising the length of time before a new Cathedral in Cathedral Square would be built, the Transitional Cathedral, also known as the 'Cardboard Cathedral,' was erected.[8]

In March 2018 she announced her resignation as diocesan bishop effective 1 May 2018.[10] She was a nominee in the election of coadjutor bishop of Toronto. The election was held on 9 June 2018.[11] Andrew Asbil, then Dean of Toronto, was elected.[12]

References

  1. ^ "Christchurch's Anglican Bishop steps down". Radio New Zealand. 19 March 2018. Retrieved 19 March 2018.
  2. ^ a b "The Right Reverend Victoria Matthews". Toronto: Anglican Church of Canada. 2007. Archived from the original on 14 November 2007. Retrieved 9 December 2015.
  3. ^ "Berkeley Announces 2017 Fall Convocation | Berkeley Divinity School". berkeleydivinity.yale.edu. Retrieved 18 April 2018.
  4. ^ a b Bates, Stephen (22 February 2008). "People". The Guardian. Retrieved 8 December 2011.
  5. ^ a b c d "Canadian Bishop for Christchurch". Anglican Communion News Service. Retrieved 9 December 2015.
  6. ^ "About the Church". Church of the Incarnation. Toronto. Retrieved 7 November 2015.
  7. ^ "Victoria Matthews withdraws as primatial candidate". Anglican Church of Canada. 20 May 2004. Retrieved 25 January 2024.
  8. ^ a b "Our Bishop". Anglican Diocese of Christchurch. Retrieved 8 December 2011.
  9. ^ "Bishop Victoria Matthews Bishop elect for Christchurch, New Zealand". Wycliffe College. 19 March 2008. Archived from the original on 12 December 2010. Retrieved 9 December 2015.
  10. ^ Gates, Charlie (19 March 2018). "Anglican bishop Victoria Matthews resigns". Stuff. Retrieved 19 March 2018.
  11. ^ "Electoral Synod June 9 2018 – The Nominees". Anglican Diocese of Toronto. 10 May 2018. Retrieved 15 May 2018.
  12. ^ "Andrew Asbil elected diocese's coadjutor bishop". Anglican Diocese of Toronto. 10 May 2018. Retrieved 9 June 2018.
Anglican Communion titles
Preceded by Bishop of Edmonton, Canada
1997–2007 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Bishop of Christchurch
2008–2018 		Succeeded by
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