Peter Jensen
Encyclopedia
Peter Jensen is the Anglican Archbishop
of Sydney
and Metropolitan
of the Province of New South Wales
in the Anglican Church of Australia
.
Public School and The Scots College
. After completing his Leaving Certificate he studied law for two years and worked as an articled clerk before he moved into primary school teaching. He entered Moore Theological College
in the late 1960s and won the Hey Sharp prize for coming first in the Licenciate of Theology, the standard course of study at that time. He also has a Master of Arts
degree from Sydney University, a Bachelor of Divinity
degree from the University of London
and a Doctor of Philosophy
(DPhil) degree from the University of Oxford
. His 1976 master's dissertation was entitled "Calvinism and the Persecution of the Witches in England (1563–1604)" and his 1979 doctoral dissertation was entitled "The Life of Faith in the Teaching of Elizabethan Protestantism".
Jensen was appointed Principal of Moore College in 1985 and lectured in systematic and biblical theology during that time. He gained a reputation as a gifted preacher
and was often seen at the annual Katoomba Christian Convention
s.
On 5 June 2001, Jensen became the 11th Archbishop of Sydney. He was consecrated on St Peter
's Day, 29 June 2001. He called upon all churches in the Sydney diocese to aim to reach 10% of their communities by 2012. He encouraged an unprecedented increase in church planting
with more than 60 new congregations started between 2002 and 2005 and a 30% increase in candidates for Anglican ministry over the same period.
Christianity. He has spoken out on issues as diverse as stem cell research and industrial relations from a conservative evangelical perspective.
One controversial area in which Jensen has been far from conservative has been his advocacy of "lay administration", allowing lay people to preside at Holy Communion services. This reflects his view that the ministry of word and sacrament belong together and, also, that as lay people have long been permitted to preach in the Sydney diocese it is thought they ought to be permitted to lead communion services.
In late 2007, Jensen was one of the founding members of the Global Anglican Future Conference
which was held in June 2008, one month prior to the Lambeth Conference.
Jensen was accused of nepotism after nominating his brother (Phillip Jensen
) and appointing his wife (Christine) to official positions in the Sydney diocese. He did not, however, take part in the final secret ballot which appointed his brother as Dean of Sydney.
, including At the Heart of the Universe (1991) and The Revelation of God (2002). In November and December 2005 he also delivered the Australian Broadcasting Corporation
's Boyer Lectures
on the topic "The Future of Jesus". These lectures have subsequently been published as a book.
Jensen is a co-editor of the Reformed Theological Review
.
Archbishop
An archbishop is a bishop of higher rank, but not of higher sacramental order above that of the three orders of deacon, priest , and bishop...
of Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
and Metropolitan
Metropolitan bishop
In Christian churches with episcopal polity, the rank of metropolitan bishop, or simply metropolitan, pertains to the diocesan bishop or archbishop of a metropolis; that is, the chief city of a historical Roman province, ecclesiastical province, or regional capital.Before the establishment of...
of the Province of New South Wales
New 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...
in the Anglican Church of Australia
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...
.
Early life and ministry
Jensen was born in Sydney and educated at Bellevue HillBellevue Hill, New South Wales
Bellevue Hill is an eastern suburb of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Bellevue Hill is an affluent suburb, located 5 kilometres east of the Sydney central business district, in the local government area of the Municipality of Woollahra....
Public School and The Scots College
The Scots College
For other schools with a similar name see Scots College.The Scots College is an independent Presbyterian day and boarding school for boys, located in Bellevue Hill, an eastern suburb of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia....
. After completing his Leaving Certificate he studied law for two years and worked as an articled clerk before he moved into primary school teaching. He entered Moore Theological College
Moore Theological College
Moore Theological College, otherwise known simply as Moore College, is the theological training seminary of the Diocese of Sydney in the Anglican Church of Australia...
in the late 1960s and won the Hey Sharp prize for coming first in the Licenciate of Theology, the standard course of study at that time. He also has a Master of Arts
Master of Arts (postgraduate)
A Master of Arts from the Latin Magister Artium, is a type of Master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The M.A. is usually contrasted with the M.S. or M.Sc. degrees...
degree from Sydney University, a Bachelor of Divinity
Bachelor of Divinity
In Western universities, a Bachelor of Divinity is usually an undergraduate academic degree awarded for a course taken in the study of divinity or related disciplines, such as theology or, rarely, religious studies....
degree from the University of London
University of London
-20th century:Shortly after 6 Burlington Gardens was vacated, the University went through a period of rapid expansion. Bedford College, Royal Holloway and the London School of Economics all joined in 1900, Regent's Park College, which had affiliated in 1841 became an official divinity school of the...
and a Doctor of Philosophy
Doctor of Philosophy
Doctor of Philosophy, abbreviated as Ph.D., PhD, D.Phil., or DPhil , in English-speaking countries, is a postgraduate academic degree awarded by universities...
(DPhil) degree from the University of Oxford
University of Oxford
The University of Oxford is a university located in Oxford, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest surviving university in the world and the oldest in the English-speaking world. Although its exact date of foundation is unclear, there is evidence of teaching as far back as 1096...
. His 1976 master's dissertation was entitled "Calvinism and the Persecution of the Witches in England (1563–1604)" and his 1979 doctoral dissertation was entitled "The Life of Faith in the Teaching of Elizabethan Protestantism".
Jensen was appointed Principal of Moore College in 1985 and lectured in systematic and biblical theology during that time. He gained a reputation as a gifted preacher
Preacher
Preacher is a term for someone who preaches sermons or gives homilies. A preacher is distinct from a theologian by focusing on the communication rather than the development of doctrine. Others see preaching and theology as being intertwined...
and was often seen at the annual Katoomba Christian Convention
Katoomba Christian Convention
Katoomba Christian Convention is an interdenominational ministry providing evangelical Bible preaching to Christians.Conventions are held in KCC's 2300 seat auditorium at Katoomba, in the Blue Mountains approximately west of the Central Business District of Sydney, Australia.At present there are...
s.
On 5 June 2001, Jensen became the 11th Archbishop of Sydney. He was consecrated on St Peter
Saint Peter
Saint Peter or Simon Peter was an early Christian leader, who is featured prominently in the New Testament Gospels and the Acts of the Apostles. The son of John or of Jonah and from the village of Bethsaida in the province of Galilee, his brother Andrew was also an apostle...
's Day, 29 June 2001. He called upon all churches in the Sydney diocese to aim to reach 10% of their communities by 2012. He encouraged an unprecedented increase in church planting
Church planting
Church planting is a process that results in a new Christian church being established. It should be distinguished from church development, where a new service, new worship centre or fresh expression is created that is integrated into an already established congregation...
with more than 60 new congregations started between 2002 and 2005 and a 30% increase in candidates for Anglican ministry over the same period.
Views
Jensen has a gained a reputation with the Australian media for being an outspoken advocate for evangelicalEvangelicalism
Evangelicalism is a Protestant Christian movement which began in Great Britain in the 1730s and gained popularity in the United States during the series of Great Awakenings of the 18th and 19th century.Its key commitments are:...
Christianity. He has spoken out on issues as diverse as stem cell research and industrial relations from a conservative evangelical perspective.
One controversial area in which Jensen has been far from conservative has been his advocacy of "lay administration", allowing lay people to preside at Holy Communion services. This reflects his view that the ministry of word and sacrament belong together and, also, that as lay people have long been permitted to preach in the Sydney diocese it is thought they ought to be permitted to lead communion services.
In late 2007, Jensen was one of the founding members of the Global Anglican Future Conference
Global Anglican Future Conference
The Global Anglican Future Conference was a seven day conference of conservative Anglican bishops and leaders held in Jerusalem in June 2008 to address the rise of secularism in the Church, HIV/AIDS and poverty. As a result of the Conference, the Jerusalem Declaration was issued, and the...
which was held in June 2008, one month prior to the Lambeth Conference.
Jensen was accused of nepotism after nominating his brother (Phillip Jensen
Phillip Jensen
Phillip Jensen is an Australian cleric of the Anglican Diocese of Sydney and the Dean of St Andrew's Cathedral. He is the brother of Peter Jensen, the Anglican Archbishop of Sydney.-Education and ministry:...
) and appointing his wife (Christine) to official positions in the Sydney diocese. He did not, however, take part in the final secret ballot which appointed his brother as Dean of Sydney.
Publications
Jensen has written a number of books on Christian doctrineDoctrine
Doctrine is a codification of beliefs or a body of teachings or instructions, taught principles or positions, as the body of teachings in a branch of knowledge or belief system...
, including At the Heart of the Universe (1991) and The Revelation of God (2002). In November and December 2005 he also delivered the Australian Broadcasting Corporation
Australian Broadcasting Corporation
The Australian Broadcasting Corporation, commonly referred to as "the ABC" , is Australia's national public broadcaster...
's Boyer Lectures
Boyer Lectures
The Boyer Lectures began in 1959 as the ABC Lectures. They were renamed in 1961 after Richard Boyer , the ABC board chairman who had first suggested the lectures...
on the topic "The Future of Jesus". These lectures have subsequently been published as a book.
Jensen is a co-editor of the Reformed Theological Review
Reformed Theological Review
The Reformed Theological Review is an Australian theological journal in the Reformed tradition. It was founded in 1942, with Arthur Allen, a minister of the Presbyterian Church of Eastern Australia, as its first editor....
.