Bishop Shane Parker elected as Primate of the Anglican Church of Canada

Bishop Shane Parker of the Anglican Diocese of Ottawa has been elected as the 15^th Primate of the Anglican Church of Canada at the General Synod in London, Ont.

His election was unexpected because he was not one of the four candidates originally chosen by the Order of Bishops and announced in April.

When the primatial election began on June 26, the four candidates were National Indigenous Archbishop Chris Harper; Archbishop Greg Kerr-Wilson, bishop of Calgary and metropolitan of the ecclesiastical province of the Northern Lights; Bishop of Caledonia David Lehmann; and Bishop Riscylla Walsh-Shaw, suffragan bishop in the Diocese of Toronto.

With the results of the second ballot, Bishop David Lehmann’s name was taken off the third ballot, but Canon Ian Alexander, prolocutor, explained that before the next vote, delegates also had the option to put forward a motion requesting additional nominations from the Order of Bishops. And that is what happened. Two lay delegates submitted a resolution asking for additional nominations that was voted on and passed by the Order of the Laity.

The Order of Bishops discussions and decisions are private, so there is no information about their selection process, but when the third ballot was presented later in the afternoon, Bishop Shane Parker’s name had been added.

Following that vote, Archbishop Chris Harper requested that his name be taken off the next ballot.

Following the vote on the fourth ballot, Archbishop Kerr-Wilson withdrew his name.

Bishop Parker was elected on the fifth ballot. All of the candidates accompanied him into St. Paul’s Cathedral to be welcomed by rejoicing Synod delegates.

Canon Ian Alexander presented him with a cross, a symbol of “our servant Lord who lived amongst the poor, who was crucified, died, and is alive here and now.” The prolocutor continued: “He calls us into mission. May you lead us in witness to the world that genuine authority and true joy come only in walking the way of the cross with Christ, our saviour and Lord.”

Following prayers, Alexander presented him as the Primate-elect. Bishop Parker offered an initial reflection to Synod:

This has been a challenging discernment for me personally, and there will be challenges ahead personally. However, as I thought and prayed and eventually relinquished control and allowed my name to come forward, my mind went back to my memories of the Anglican Church of Canada, which go back to my first memories.

I’m the child of Irish immigrants, baptized in St. Peter’s Church on Treaty 6 territory. And my first memories are from Fort Nelson, St. Mary Magdalene’s Church on Treaty 8 territory.

One of my earliest memories is playing outside the church of St. Mary Magdalene as the men, as they did in those days, insulated the attic of the church and there were batts of pink insulation out and about which me and my brothers played in. I’m quite sure I carry a part of the Anglican Church in my lungs, but it struck me that insulation can be helpful and insulation can insulate us. It can insulate us from God. We can be insulated from one another. We can even be insulated from our truest selves.

Our church at this time needs to remove a lot of insulation. We need to feel the cold and the heat and the wind and the fire. We need to understand our context without the insulation that has built up over so many years. Insulation between us and the world around us, between us within our church, between us as human beings. The next three years will be a time of removing insulation so we can feel the Holy Spirit, so that we can feel and hear one another and so that we can have the courage to create the church that we must be at this point in time.

And so, I will give you all that I am and all that I have until May 22nd, 2028.” [Primates are required to retire by their 70th birthday,]

I ask your prayers for the Anglican Diocese of Ottawa. This is not expected. This will be a hard transition, but I have complete confidence in our diocese of Ottawa.

So now, may the peace of God, which passes all understanding, keep your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. And the blessing of God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit be upon each of you this day and remain with you always. Amen.

All of the election proceedings were livestreamed and can be viewed here.

Primate-elect Parker will be installed in his new role at a worship service at St. Paul’s Cathedral in London, Ont. on Sunday, June 29 at 4:30 pm..