The Episcopal Diocese of Missouri elected the Rev. Deon K. Johnson as its 11th diocesan bishop today at Christ Church Cathedral in St. Louis. He was elected on the first ballot during an election that involved 164 voting delegates. He received 71 votes from lay delegates and 42 votes from clergy.
A veteran Episcopal priest with deep experience in social justice issues and ministry to gay and lesbian communities, Johnson, who lives in Michigan with his husband and two children, has been rector of St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Brighton, MI, since 2006.
Johnson was elected to lead a community of more than 10,000 worshipers in the Episcopal Diocese of Missouri. Church delegates and clergy members chose their 11th bishop on Saturday during the 180th diocesan convention.
“I am overwhelmed with joy, humility, and gratitude,” said Bishop-Elect Johnson from his home in Michigan to the people of the Diocese of Missouri. “The Holy Spirit has brought us to this day, for such a time as this. I am looking forward to walking with you as we share the liberating love of Jesus. My husband and our family are looking forward to being with you in the new year.”
Johnson will assume the post upon the retirement of the 10th bishop of Missouri, the Right Rev. George Wayne Smith, who has shepherded the diocese since 2002. Smith announced his retirement, effective with the ordination of the new bishop, in April 2018. Johnson was elected by a majority of both lay and ordained delegates to the annual diocesan convention, according to the rules of the convention.
The Rev. Dawn-Victoria Mitchell, president of the standing committee, expressed her joy at the election results. “It’s a very, very exciting day for the diocese. We’ve only had 10 bishops in our 178-year history. And to have this done on the first ballot was really exceptional.”
A veteran Episcopal priest with deep experience in social justice issues and ministry to gay and lesbian communities, Johnson is a native of Barbados who immigrated to the United States at age 14 and found his call to ministry nurtured by parishioners at a church near Case Western University in Cleveland, where he earned his undergraduate degree.
Others on the ballot for today’s election were the Rev. Stacey Fussell, rector at Episcopal Church of the Ascension, Bradford, PA; and the Rev. George D. Smith, rector at St. Mark’s Episcopal Church, Glen Ellyn, IL.
Today’s historic election will be submitted to bishops and diocesan standing committees for their ratification. Once those consents are received, the service of ordination, by which Johnson becomes a bishop and assumes responsibility for the pastoral and administrative work of the diocese, will take place on Saturday, April 25, at St. Stanislaus Polish Catholic Church in St. Louis. Presiding Bishop Michael Curry will be the chief consecrator at the service. A reception will follow at the Polish Heritage Center on St. Stanislaus’ grounds. Media are welcome.
He does sport a fabulous linen clergy collar. Very nice.
He lives with his husband and their two children!! As we might say in Australia, stone the crows, spare my days, give me a break, knock me down with a feather and hit me for six.
Bishop Gene Robison set the new norm for the anglican world. I imagine the success of his vision and agenda is even beyond his wildest dreams. He is such an important little man.
The Rev. Dawn-Victoria Mitchell is overjoyed at this appointment. The other little man that pretends to slay dragons walks down the same road as Dawn-Victoria but expects a different outcome.
Please include links to the code book….
“The other little man that pretends to slay dragons walks down the same road as Dawn-Victoria but expects a different outcome.”
Duncan.
Thanks. I was guessing a communion partner bishop or maybe the Pope.
I kicked TEC…and more specifically the Diocese of Missouri… to the curb earlier this year. None too soon!
I quit TEC in 2003 after 44 years since confirmation. There is probably a few okay outposts here and there. But, these people just keep doubling down. Self destruction is pitiful in its own way.
My former parish used to be one of those outposts. I believe they make a pretense of still being “orthodox” but I feel that they are more wedded to the institution than the Gospel.
Interesting…..they probably put him into the position because he is a homosexual, when Christ, is allowing him to put himself into Hell because of his homosexuality. Funny world…
1 Corinthians 6:9-11English Standard Version (ESV)
9 Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, 10 nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. 11 And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.
Gay? Check.
Foreign-born? Check.
Married to a Man? Check.
Committed to Social Justice? Quadruple Check.
Fundamentally, I don’t care that much about this, as I generally support gay rights and think TECUSA should have the right to pursue the path that its adherents seem to belief is godly. But I also completely see the near-comical theological gopher-hole they are crawling into, which they see as righteous virtue.
They talk “big tent” and “all are welcome” but they offer absolutely no hope of a divinely inspired transfiguration of the soul through their approach; it’s all academic postmodernism re-packaged in feel-good garments that are completely detached from personal morality or responsibility. And with nothing for individuals to ever aspire to–no real standards for them to abide by–why even bother showing up at all? I’d guess that Christ Church Cathedral in STL is only slightly more vibrant than the Michigan church from which Rev Johnson is leaving for this new vocation. And while I have absolutely no problem with his Barbadian heritage (authentic Anglicanism remains strong there, from what I hear), it’s obvious that these demographic characteristics have everything to do with his qualifications as Bishop. And the alienation of less progressive Episcopal parishes in Missouri will continue, causing the impact of Rev Johnson’s message to diminish. Which very well may be a good thing.
It is very sad if you look on the Episcopalian website. I believe there are now two ventures to get into politics and tell Trump that he is incompetent. The saddest thing about them, they appear spiritual and godly, but lack the substance. This assembly, along with Red Letter Christians, and Sojourners are taking people who obviously know less than most Christians and are playing them for political reasons. I’ve seen you on RNS, (glad to see you here too) and if you check the Episcopal website these people are being used as pawns for political reasons, aside from being lied to by their “church”. It’s very sad
I am sorry, Bishop-elect Johnson, but the Holy Spirit is not the one who “has brought us to this day.” This is the work of the deceiver, the father of lies. It is the same sort of lie he used in the Garden, as we read in Gen. 3. Yea, hath God said in 1 Cor. 6 that sodomites shall not inherit the Kingdom?
Waitaminute… How is it that less than 5 months after his loss in El Camino Real, he now stands as the Bishop-Elect in Missouri? He would have IMMEDIATELY had his name submitted to meet the (extended!) application deadline for Missouri? This smacks of Episcopal carpetbaggery at its worst and dishonors both dioceses.