Penny Jamieson
Encyclopedia
Penelope Ann Bansall "Penny" Jamieson DCNZM
was the seventh Bishop
of Dunedin in the Anglican Church of New Zealand from 1989 until her retirement in 2004. Jamieson was the second woman in the world to hold the position of bishop
in the Anglican Communion
and the first to be elected a diocesan bishop
.
Born in Chalfont St Giles
Buckinghamshire
England
on 21 June 1942, Jamieson attended Wycombe High School
and studied linguistics at the University of Edinburgh
before moving to New Zealand
, her husband's country of birth. She worked at the Wellington
Inner City Mission while completing her doctoral thesis at Victoria University
. In 1985 she was ordained to priesthood and became assistant curate
of St James’ Lower Hutt
. After this she was Vicar
of Karori West
with Makara
in the Diocese of Wellington
. In 1990 she was elected to head the country's southernmost diocese, the Diocese of Dunedin. Jamieson was challenged by the power-structures of a predominantly male institution and spoke publicly about the difficulties of being the world's first woman diocesan bishop. At her retirement, after 14 years as Bishop of Dunedin, Jamieson expressed her regret that no other women bishops had been elected a bishop in New Zealand.
In June 2004 she was made a distinguished companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit
.
New Zealand Order of Merit
The New Zealand Order of Merit is an order established in 1996 "for those persons who in any field of endeavour, have rendered meritorious service to the Crown and nation or who have become distinguished by their eminence, talents, contributions or other merits."The order includes five...
was the seventh 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 Dunedin in the Anglican Church of New Zealand from 1989 until her retirement in 2004. Jamieson was the second woman in the world to hold the position of 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...
in the Anglican Communion
Anglican Communion
The Anglican Communion is an international association of national and regional Anglican churches in full communion with the Church of England and specifically with its principal primate, the Archbishop of Canterbury...
and the first to be elected a diocesan bishop
Diocesan bishop
A diocesan bishop — in general — is a bishop in charge of a diocese. These are to be distinguished from suffragan bishops, assistant bishops, coadjutor bishops, auxiliary bishops, metropolitans, and primates....
.
Born in Chalfont St Giles
Chalfont St Giles
Chalfont St Giles is a village and civil parish within Chiltern district in south east Buckinghamshire, England, on the edge of the Chilterns, 25 miles from London, and near Seer Green, Jordans, Chalfont St Peter, Little Chalfont and Amersham....
Buckinghamshire
Buckinghamshire
Buckinghamshire is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan home county in South East England. The county town is Aylesbury, the largest town in the ceremonial county is Milton Keynes and largest town in the non-metropolitan county is High Wycombe....
England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
on 21 June 1942, Jamieson attended Wycombe High School
Wycombe High School
Wycombe High School is a girls' grammar school in High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire. It is an Academy, taking girls from the age of 11 through to the age of 18. The school has approximately 1,340 pupils...
and studied linguistics at the University of Edinburgh
University of Edinburgh
The University of Edinburgh, founded in 1583, is a public research university located in Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland, and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The university is deeply embedded in the fabric of the city, with many of the buildings in the historic Old Town belonging to the university...
before moving to New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
, her husband's country of birth. She worked at the Wellington
Wellington
Wellington is the capital city and third most populous urban area of New Zealand, although it is likely to have surpassed Christchurch due to the exodus following the Canterbury Earthquake. It is at the southwestern tip of the North Island, between Cook Strait and the Rimutaka Range...
Inner City Mission while completing her doctoral thesis at Victoria University
Victoria University of Wellington
Victoria University of Wellington was established in 1897 by Act of Parliament, and was a former constituent college of the University of New Zealand. It is particularly well known for its programmes in law, the humanities, and some scientific disciplines, but offers a broad range of other courses...
. In 1985 she was ordained to priesthood and became assistant curate
Curate
A curate is a person who is invested with the care or cure of souls of a parish. In this sense "curate" correctly means a parish priest but in English-speaking countries a curate is an assistant to the parish priest...
of St James’ Lower Hutt
Lower Hutt
Lower Hutt is a city in the Wellington region of New Zealand. Its council has adopted the name Hutt City Council, but neither the New Zealand Geographic Board nor the Local Government Act recognise the name Hutt City. This alternative name can lead to confusion, as there are two cities in the...
. After this she was Vicar
Vicar
In the broadest sense, a vicar is a representative, deputy or substitute; anyone acting "in the person of" or agent for a superior . In this sense, the title is comparable to lieutenant...
of Karori West
Karori
Karori is a suburb located at the western edge of the urban area of Wellington, New Zealand, some 4 km from the city centre.Karori is significantly larger than most other Wellington suburbs, having a population of over 14,000 at the time of the 2006 census.-History:Before the arrival of...
with Makara
Makara, New Zealand
Makara is a locality located at the western edge of Wellington, New Zealand, close to the shore of the Tasman Sea.With road access over passes from either Karori or Johnsonville/Ohariu, Makara is a rural area with sparse development....
in the Diocese of Wellington
Diocese of Wellington
The Diocese of Wellington is one of the thirteen dioceses and hui amorangi of the Anglican Church in Aotearoa, New Zealand and Polynesia. The Diocese covers the area between the bottom of the North Island of New Zealand up to the area of Mount Ruapehu....
. In 1990 she was elected to head the country's southernmost diocese, the Diocese of Dunedin. Jamieson was challenged by the power-structures of a predominantly male institution and spoke publicly about the difficulties of being the world's first woman diocesan bishop. At her retirement, after 14 years as Bishop of Dunedin, Jamieson expressed her regret that no other women bishops had been elected a bishop in New Zealand.
In June 2004 she was made a distinguished companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit
New Zealand Order of Merit
The New Zealand Order of Merit is an order established in 1996 "for those persons who in any field of endeavour, have rendered meritorious service to the Crown and nation or who have become distinguished by their eminence, talents, contributions or other merits."The order includes five...
.