James Brown (bishop of Louisiana)

James Barrow Brown (born September 26, 1932) is an American prelate of the Episcopal Church. He served as the ninth Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Louisiana from 1976 to 1998.[1]

The Right Reverend

James Barrow Brown

D.D.
Bishop of Louisiana
ChurchEpiscopal Church
DioceseLouisiana
In office1976–1998
PredecessorIveson B. Noland
SuccessorCharles Jenkins
Orders
Ordination1965
by Girault M. Jones
ConsecrationApril 24, 1976
by John Allin
Personal details
Born (1932-09-26) September 26, 1932 (age 91)
NationalityAmerican
DenominationAnglican (prev. Presbyterian)
ParentsJohn Alexander Brown & Ella May Langham
SpouseMary Joanna Strausser
Children1
Alma materLouisiana State University

Early life and education edit

Brown was born on September 26, 1932, in El Dorado, Arkansas, the son of Presbyterians John Alexander Brown and Ella May Langham. He graduated from Louisiana State University in 1954 with a Bachelor of Science. He graduated with a Bachelor of Divinity from Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary in 1957. In 1976, he earned his Doctor of Divinity from Sewanee: The University of the South.

Priesthood edit

In 1957, Brown was ordained as a Presbyterian minister and served as a US Army chaplain between 1957 and 1959. A few years later he joined the Episcopal Church. He was ordained an Episcopal deacon on June 22, 1965, and priest later that year. He served as curate of St George's Church in Bossier City, Louisiana. He was later appointed as rector of Grace Church in Monroe, Louisiana and then of St Andrew's Church in New Orleans. In 1971 Brown was appointed as Archdeacon of Louisiana.[2]

Bishop edit

Brown was elected Bishop of Louisiana in 1976 and was consecrated on April 24, 1976, by Presiding Bishop John Allin. Around 3000 people attended his consecration which took place in the Assembly Center of Louisiana State University. The drafted Book of Common Prayer was used for the consecration, which book was officially published in 1979. Brown is renowned for his efforts to form a new diocese in western Louisiana, as area which was not being served properly due to the increasing number of members. Hence in 1979 the General Convention of the Episcopal Church approved the division of the Diocese of Louisiana and established the Episcopal Diocese of Western Louisiana.[3]

References edit

  1. ^ History Archived 2011-09-27 at the Wayback Machine. Episcopal Diocese of Louisiana. Retrieved on 2 July 2011.
  2. ^ Marquis Who's Who (2002). Who's who in the South and Southwest, p. 79. Marquis Who's Who, Berkeley Heights, NJ. ISBN 0837908329.
  3. ^ Western Diocese Of Louisiana Organized. Archives of the Episcopal Church, 1 November 1979. Retrieved on 24 October 2018.
Episcopal Church (USA) titles
Preceded by Bishop of Louisiana
1976–1998
Succeeded by