Charles Jenkins (bishop)
Encyclopedia
Charles Edward Jenkins III (born 27 July 1951 in Shreveport, Louisiana
) was the 10th Bishop
of the Episcopal Diocese of Louisiana
.
, whom he would succeed, in 1977 having gone to seminary at Nashotah House
. After serving briefly as an assistant chaplain at Louisiana State University
he served in parishes in Louisiana and Texas. He was rector of St. Luke's, Baton Rouge when he was elected bishop coadjutor in 1997, and consecrated the same year, assuming the diocesan bishopric in the following year upon Brown's retirement.
Jenkins's term as bishop was marked most prominently by the devastation of Hurricane Katrina
, and eventually he was diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder
, leading to his early retirement at the end of 2009. His own new house, which he had slept in only four times, was destroyed by the flooding. He testified before the House
Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure in 2009 on the impact of ending the Disaster Housing Assistance Program for those displaced by the storm. Together with Episcopal Relief and Development
he formed the diocesan Office of Disaster Response in order to coordinate the church's charitable response to the disaster as well as working with interfaith agencies.
In the Episcopal Church
's struggles over homosexuality Jenkins has been generally seen as a conservative voice; he withheld consent for the consecration of Gene Robinson
as bishop of New Hampshire
, voted against liturgies for blessings of same sex relationships at the 2000 General Convention, and voted for a resolution to "Endorse Certain Historic Anglican Doctrines and Policies" that was proposed by Bishop Ackerman
. On the other hand he was seen as opposing division of the church at the 2007 meeting of the House of Bishops at Camp Allen in Texas and was reported to be involved in the initial stages of formulating the bishops' statement from that meeting.
Jenkins was a nominee for presiding bishop
in 2006, losing out to Katherine Jefferts Schori. He served on Frank Griswold's Council of Advice beginning in 2003 and was part of the special delegation to the Anglican Consultative Council in 2005 which discussed same-sex issues. He sat on the Nashotah House Board of Trustees from 1981 to 1991.
Jenkins retired on December 31, 2009 and was succeeded by Morris K. Thompson, who was consecrated on May 8, 2010.
Shreveport, Louisiana
Shreveport is the third largest city in Louisiana. It is the principal city of the fourth largest metropolitan area in the state of Louisiana and is the 109th-largest city in the United States....
) was the 10th Bishop
Bishop
A bishop is an ordained or consecrated member of the Christian clergy who is generally entrusted with a position of authority and oversight. Within the Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox Churches, in the Assyrian Church of the East, in the Independent Catholic Churches, and in the...
of the Episcopal Diocese of Louisiana
Episcopal Diocese of Louisiana
The Episcopal Diocese of Louisiana is the diocese of the Episcopal Church in the eastern part of the state of Louisiana. The see city is New Orleans.-History:...
.
Career
Jenkins graduated from Louisiana Tech University in 1973 and was ordained by James B. BrownJames Brown (bishop of Louisiana)
James B. Brown was an American prelate of the Episcopal Church. He served as the ninth Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Louisiana from 1976 to 1998.-References:...
, whom he would succeed, in 1977 having gone to seminary at Nashotah House
Nashotah House
Nashotah House is an Anglo-Catholic seminary of the Episcopal Church located in Nashotah, Wisconsin, approximately 30 miles from Milwaukee, in the Episcopal Diocese of Milwaukee. The seminary opened its doors in 1842 and received its official charter in 1847...
. After serving briefly as an assistant chaplain at Louisiana State University
Louisiana State University
Louisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical College, most often referred to as Louisiana State University, or LSU, is a public coeducational university located in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. The University was founded in 1853 in what is now known as Pineville, Louisiana, under the name...
he served in parishes in Louisiana and Texas. He was rector of St. Luke's, Baton Rouge when he was elected bishop coadjutor in 1997, and consecrated the same year, assuming the diocesan bishopric in the following year upon Brown's retirement.
Jenkins's term as bishop was marked most prominently by the devastation of Hurricane Katrina
Hurricane Katrina
Hurricane Katrina of the 2005 Atlantic hurricane season was a powerful Atlantic hurricane. It is the costliest natural disaster, as well as one of the five deadliest hurricanes, in the history of the United States. Among recorded Atlantic hurricanes, it was the sixth strongest overall...
, and eventually he was diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder
Post-traumatic stress disorder
Posttraumaticstress disorder is a severe anxiety disorder that can develop after exposure to any event that results in psychological trauma. This event may involve the threat of death to oneself or to someone else, or to one's own or someone else's physical, sexual, or psychological integrity,...
, leading to his early retirement at the end of 2009. His own new house, which he had slept in only four times, was destroyed by the flooding. He testified before the House
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure in 2009 on the impact of ending the Disaster Housing Assistance Program for those displaced by the storm. Together with Episcopal Relief and Development
Episcopal Relief and Development
Episcopal Relief & Development is the international relief and development agency of the Episcopal Church. It helps to rebuild after disasters and aims to empower people by offering lasting solutions that fight poverty, hunger and disease...
he formed the diocesan Office of Disaster Response in order to coordinate the church's charitable response to the disaster as well as working with interfaith agencies.
In the Episcopal Church
Episcopal Church (United States)
The Episcopal Church is a mainline Anglican Christian church found mainly in the United States , but also in Honduras, Taiwan, Colombia, Ecuador, Haiti, the Dominican Republic, Venezuela, the British Virgin Islands and parts of Europe...
's struggles over homosexuality Jenkins has been generally seen as a conservative voice; he withheld consent for the consecration of Gene Robinson
Gene Robinson
Vicki Gene Robinson is the ninth bishop of the Diocese of New Hampshire in the Episcopal Church in the United States of America. Robinson was elected bishop in 2003 and entered office in March 2004...
as bishop of New Hampshire
Episcopal Diocese of New Hampshire
The Episcopal Diocese of New Hampshire, a diocese of the Episcopal Church in the United States of America , covers the entire state of New Hampshire. It was originally part of the Diocese of Massachusetts, but became independent in 1841. The see city is Concord...
, voted against liturgies for blessings of same sex relationships at the 2000 General Convention, and voted for a resolution to "Endorse Certain Historic Anglican Doctrines and Policies" that was proposed by Bishop Ackerman
Keith L. Ackerman
Keith Lynn Ackerman is the retired American bishop of the Episcopal Church Diocese of Quincy . Prior to becoming Bishop, he served as Rector of St. Mary's Church in Charleroi, Pennsylvania, as well as Rector of St...
. On the other hand he was seen as opposing division of the church at the 2007 meeting of the House of Bishops at Camp Allen in Texas and was reported to be involved in the initial stages of formulating the bishops' statement from that meeting.
Jenkins was a nominee for presiding bishop
Presiding Bishop
The Presiding Bishop is an ecclesiastical position in some denominations of Christianity.- Evangelical Lutheran Church in America :The Presiding Bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America is the chief ecumenical officer of the church, and the leader and caretaker for the bishops of the...
in 2006, losing out to Katherine Jefferts Schori. He served on Frank Griswold's Council of Advice beginning in 2003 and was part of the special delegation to the Anglican Consultative Council in 2005 which discussed same-sex issues. He sat on the Nashotah House Board of Trustees from 1981 to 1991.
Jenkins retired on December 31, 2009 and was succeeded by Morris K. Thompson, who was consecrated on May 8, 2010.