| Colonial Bishops 1763-1779 | ||
|---|---|---|
The Anglican Church in the British province of West Florida (that constituted all of the southern portion of the future Diocese of Mississippi) was under the jurisdiction of the Bishop of London. This was the arrangement under which the Church was governed in all colonial territories of the British Empire. |
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| Bishop | Title | Dates in Office |
| Rt. Rev. Richard Osbaldeston | Bishop of London | 1763-1764 |
| Rt. Rev. Richard Terrick | Bishop of London | 1764-1777 |
| Rt. Rev. Robert Lowth | Bishop of London | 1777-1779 |
| The Provisional Bishops 1829-1845 | ||
|---|---|---|
The provisional bishops of the diocese were bishops having jurisdiction in another diocese, but who made episcopal visits to this diocese at the invitation of the diocesan Executive Committee. The provisional bishops served as missionary bishops until the diocese was prepared to elect a bishop of its own. |
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| Bishop | Title | Dates of Service in Mississippi |
| Rt. Rev. Thomas C. Brownell | Bishop of Connecticut | 1829-1830, 1835 |
| Rt. Rev. James Hervey Otey | Bishop of Tennessee | 1835, 1842-1849 |
| Rt. Rev. Jackson Kemper | Bishop of the Northwest | 1838 |
| Rt. Rev. Leonidas Polk | Bishop of Arkansas | 1839, 1843 |
| Rt. Rev. George W. Freeman | Bishop of Arkansas | 1845 |
| The Diocesan Bishops 1850-present | ||
|---|---|---|
The diocesan bishops are those elected according to the canons of the Diocese of Mississippi. In addition to their canonical functions, they represent the line of Apostolic Succession in the Church in Mississippi. |
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| Bishop | Title | Dates in Office |
| Rt. Rev. William Mercer Green | First Bishop of Mississippi | Diocesan: 24 February 1850 to 13 February 1887 |
| Rt. Rev. Hugh Miller Thompson | Second Bishop of Mississippi | Assistant: 24 February 1883 to 13 February 1887 Diocesan: 13 February 1887 to 18 November 1902 |
| Rt. Rev. Theodore DuBose Bratton | Third Bishop of Mississippi | Diocesan: 29 Sept. 1903 to 2 November 1938 |
| Rt. Rev. William Mercer Green, II | Fourth Bishop of Mississippi | Coadjutor: 29 May 1919 to 2 November 1938 Diocesan: 2 November 1938 to 12 November 1942 |
| Rt. Rev. Duncan Montgomery Gray, Sr. | Fifth Bishop of Mississippi | Diocesan: 12 May 1943 to 31 May 1966 |
| Rt. Rev. John Maury Allin | Sixth Bishop of Mississippi | Coadjutor: 28 October 1961 to 31 May 1966 Diocesan: 31 May 1966 to 31 May 1971 |
| Rt. Rev. Duncan Montgomery Gray, Jr. | Seventh Bishop of Mississippi | Coadjutor: 1 - 31 May 1974 Diocesan: 1 June 1974 to 15 June 1994 |
| Rt. Rev. Alfred Clark Marble, Jr. | Eighth Bishop of Mississippi | Coadjutor: 15 June 1991 to 15 June 1994 Diocesan: 15 June 1994 to present |
| Rt. Rev. Duncan Montgomery Gray, III | Ninth Bishop of Mississippi | Coadjutor: August 2000 to 9 February 2003 Diocesan: 9 February 2003 to Present |
| A Few Definitions | |
|---|---|
| Diocesan Bishop | The Diocesan bishop is the chief pastor of the diocese. As president of the Executive Committee, he/she is responsible for the daily business of the diocese. As president of the Standing Committee, the diocesan presides over the proceedings of Annual Council, the yearly business meeting of the entire diocese. The Diocesan is also known as the "Ordinary", which in ecclesiastical law refers to a bishop who exercises the permanent jurisdiction of his office over a diocese. |
| Bishop Coadjutor | A bishop coadjutor is elected for the express purpose of succeeding the present diocesan bishop. Upon his/her elevation to the episcopacy, he/she is usually given certain administrative and spiritual duties by the diocesan, as an "assistant-in-training", so to speak. As the coadjutor, he does not have Ordinary jurisdiction (as his assistant duties are not permanent). Upon the vacancy of the cathedra (the bishop's throne), the coadjutor ascends to it, and assumes Ordinary jurisdiction. |
| Assistant Bishop | An assistant bishop, or "suffragan", is a bishop who is elevated to the episcopacy to assist a diocesan in his/her spiritual and administrative duties. He/she does not necessarily assume the diocesan office upon its vacancy however. Should the office of the diocesan become vacant, as during the suffragan of Bishop Thompson, the Annual Council of the diocese may choose to elect the suffragan to the office of diocesan (providing there is not already an elected coadjutor), or it may choose another. Regardless, a suffragan must be elected according to the canons of the diocese in order to succeed to the Ordinary jurisdiction of the diocesan. |
