Douglas Stevens
Encyclopedia
Douglas Robert Stevens is the Anglican Bishop of Riverina, one of the 23 dioceses of the Anglican Church of Australia
.
, Stevens grew up in Gateshead, Newcastle, New South Wales
. He was drawn to the church as a boy and felt called to ordained ministry after high school
. After initially studying commerce
and working for Fell & Starkey (chartered accountants) he completed a BA in education
, classics
and philosophy
at Newcastle University and then studied theology
at St John's College, Morpeth.
Ordained in 1979, he served in Newcastle, Merriwa
, Wingham
, Nambucca Heads
and Tweed Heads
. He completed a master's degree
in ecumenical theology
at Trinity College
, University of Dublin
in Ireland
in 1985.
. He was consecrated on 29 November 2005.
Stevens received his Doctor of Ministry degree from the Melbourne College of Divinity
in 2006.
Stevens attended the Lambeth Conference in 2008. He is a member of the Australian Anglican Bishops’ Conference.
Anglican Church of Australia
The Anglican Church of Australia is a member church of the Anglican Communion. It was previously officially known as the Church of England in Australia and Tasmania...
.
Education and early career
Born in Wollongong, New South WalesNew South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
, Stevens grew up in Gateshead, Newcastle, New South Wales
Newcastle, New South Wales
The Newcastle metropolitan area is the second most populated area in the Australian state of New South Wales and includes most of the Newcastle and Lake Macquarie Local Government Areas...
. He was drawn to the church as a boy and felt called to ordained ministry after high school
High school
High school is a term used in parts of the English speaking world to describe institutions which provide all or part of secondary education. The term is often incorporated into the name of such institutions....
. After initially studying commerce
Commerce
While business refers to the value-creating activities of an organization for profit, commerce means the whole system of an economy that constitutes an environment for business. The system includes legal, economic, political, social, cultural, and technological systems that are in operation in any...
and working for Fell & Starkey (chartered accountants) he completed a BA in education
Education
Education in its broadest, general sense is the means through which the aims and habits of a group of people lives on from one generation to the next. Generally, it occurs through any experience that has a formative effect on the way one thinks, feels, or acts...
, classics
Classics
Classics is the branch of the Humanities comprising the languages, literature, philosophy, history, art, archaeology and other culture of the ancient Mediterranean world ; especially Ancient Greece and Ancient Rome during Classical Antiquity Classics (sometimes encompassing Classical Studies or...
and philosophy
Philosophy
Philosophy is the study of general and fundamental problems, such as those connected with existence, knowledge, values, reason, mind, and language. Philosophy is distinguished from other ways of addressing such problems by its critical, generally systematic approach and its reliance on rational...
at Newcastle University and then studied theology
Theology
Theology is the systematic and rational study of religion and its influences and of the nature of religious truths, or the learned profession acquired by completing specialized training in religious studies, usually at a university or school of divinity or seminary.-Definition:Augustine of Hippo...
at St John's College, Morpeth.
Ordained in 1979, he served in Newcastle, Merriwa
Merriwa, New South Wales
Merriwa is a town in the far west of the Hunter Valley in New South Wales, Australia, in Upper Hunter Shire. It is located on the Golden Highway, 273 kilometres northwest of Sydney and about half way between Newcastle and Dubbo...
, Wingham
Wingham, New South Wales
Wingham is a town in the Mid North Coast region of New South Wales, Australia in the City of Greater Taree north of Sydney. At the 2006 census, Wingham had a population of 4,812.- History :...
, Nambucca Heads
Nambucca Heads, New South Wales
Nambucca Heads is a town on the Mid North Coast of New South Wales, Australia in Nambucca Shire. It is a holiday and retirement centre located on a ridge north of the estuary of the Nambucca River near the Pacific Highway, which now bypasses it. Its 2006 population was 6,137, including 445 ...
and Tweed Heads
Tweed Heads, New South Wales
Tweed Heads is a town located on the Tweed River in north-eastern New South Wales, Australia in Tweed Shire. Tweed Heads is located next to the border with Queensland, adjacent to the "Twin Town" of Coolangatta, a suburb of the Gold Coast...
. He completed a master's degree
Master's degree
A master's is an academic degree granted to individuals who have undergone study demonstrating a mastery or high-order overview of a specific field of study or area of professional practice...
in ecumenical theology
Ecumenism
Ecumenism or oecumenism mainly refers to initiatives aimed at greater Christian unity or cooperation. It is used predominantly by and with reference to Christian denominations and Christian Churches separated by doctrine, history, and practice...
at Trinity College
Trinity College, Dublin
Trinity College, Dublin , formally known as the College of the Holy and Undivided Trinity of Queen Elizabeth near Dublin, was founded in 1592 by letters patent from Queen Elizabeth I as the "mother of a university", Extracts from Letters Patent of Elizabeth I, 1592: "...we...found and...
, University of Dublin
University of Dublin
The University of Dublin , corporately designated the Chancellor, Doctors and Masters of the University of Dublin , located in Dublin, Ireland, was effectively founded when in 1592 Queen Elizabeth I issued a charter for Trinity College, Dublin, as "the mother of a university" – this date making it...
in Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
in 1985.
Bishop of Riverina
In 2005, Stevens was elected as Bishop of RiverinaBishop of Riverina
The Diocese of Riverina is one of 23 dioceses that make the Anglican Church of Australia. The diocese covers 37% of New South Wales, including the Riverina and the Far West of the State. The main population centres within the Diocese of Riverina are Griffith, Broken Hill, Deniliquin,...
. He was consecrated on 29 November 2005.
Stevens received his Doctor of Ministry degree from the Melbourne College of Divinity
Melbourne College of Divinity
The Melbourne College of Divinity is a theological education organisation located in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.The MCD is an ecumenical consortium of a number of theological colleges from a number of denominations...
in 2006.
Stevens attended the Lambeth Conference in 2008. He is a member of the Australian Anglican Bishops’ Conference.