Ronald Owen Hall
Encyclopedia
Ronald Owen Hall CMG, MC
was an Anglican bishop
in the 20th century.
Hall was born on 22 July 1895 and educated at The Royal Grammar School, Newcastle upon Tyne, Bromsgrove School
and Brasenose College, Oxford
. He served in the First World War winning the Military Cross
and Bar
. Ordained in 1925 to Newcastle Cathedral
for work with the Student Christian Movement, he later became vicar
of St Luke's Newcastle upon Tyne
. In 1932 he was appointed Bishop of Victoria, Hong Kong
and then from 1951 of the smaller Diocese of Hong Kong and Macau, retiring in 1966.
While Bishop of Hong Kong, Hall ordained the first woman priest in the Anglican Communion. The Japanese occupation of Hong Kong and of parts of China had made it impossible for Anglican priests to get to neutral Macau
, where there were a number of refugee Anglicans with no priest. Li Tim-Oi
had already been made a deaconess in Macau by Hall and had been authorized by him and his assistant to give the sacraments to the Anglicans in these extenuating circumstances.
In January 1944, Li Tim-Oi travelled through Japanese-occupied territory to meet with Hall in the small town of Xing Xing, as yet unoccupied by the Japanese, where he regularised her administration of the sacraments by ordaining her as a priest. The Archbishop of Canterbury at the time, William Temple, confided to others his conflicting views: "if we could find any shadow of theological ground for the non-ordination of women I should be immensely comforted, but such arguments as I have heard on that line seem quite desperately futile." However, he felt compelled to take a public stand against it: “I cannot think that in any circumstances whatever an individual Bishop has the right to take such a step which is most certainly contrary to all the laws and precedents of the Church...and I therefore feel obliged to tell you that I do profoundly deplore the action that you took and have to regard it as ultra vires.”
When the war ended in 1945, Li Tim-Oi, to avoid controversy, gave up her licence as a priest, though never renounced her ordination. She was recognised as a priest again in 1971 for the Diocese of Hong Kong, and, in 1983, appointed an honorary (nonstipendiary) assistant priest in Toronto, Canada, where she spent the remainder of her life.
At the provincial synod of the Chung Hua Sheng Kung Hui
in Shanghai
in 1947, Hall's tried but failed to get retroactive approval in canon law for Li Tim-Oi's ordination.http://www.womenpriests.org/related/hew_app1.asp Present at that synod was Gilbert Baker
, woho would become his successor and the bishop who would later, in 1971, ordain Anglicanism's first two women priests legally with the blessing of the Anglican Consultative Council
.
In June 1966, the Queen made Hall a Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George (CMG)
Hall died on 22 April 1975. There is a Community Centre
named after him in London
. He was succeeded by as bishop by Gilbert Baker
.
References to Hall can be seen around Hong Kong. The Ming Hua Theological College, for example, reflects Hall's Chinese name, 'Ming Hua'. He was also instrumental in the setting up of the Hong Kong Housing Society
.http://www.hkhs.com/eng/about/milestones.asp
Military Cross
The Military Cross is the third-level military decoration awarded to officers and other ranks of the British Armed Forces; and formerly also to officers of other Commonwealth countries....
was an Anglican 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 20th century.
Hall was born on 22 July 1895 and educated at The Royal Grammar School, Newcastle upon Tyne, Bromsgrove School
Bromsgrove School
Bromsgrove School, founded in 1553, is a co-educational independent school in the Worcestershire town of Bromsgrove, England. The school has a long history and many notable former pupils.-History:...
and Brasenose College, Oxford
Brasenose College, Oxford
Brasenose College, originally Brazen Nose College , is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom. As of 2006, it has an estimated financial endowment of £98m...
. He served in the First World War winning the Military Cross
Military Cross
The Military Cross is the third-level military decoration awarded to officers and other ranks of the British Armed Forces; and formerly also to officers of other Commonwealth countries....
and Bar
Medal bar
A medal bar or medal clasp is a thin metal bar attached to the ribbon of a military decoration, civil decoration, or other medal. It is most commonly used to indicate the campaign or operation the recipient received the award for, and multiple bars on the same medal are used to indicate that the...
. Ordained in 1925 to Newcastle Cathedral
Newcastle Cathedral
St Nicholas's Cathedral is a Church of England cathedral in Newcastle upon Tyne, England. Its full title is The Cathedral Church of St Nicholas Newcastle upon Tyne...
for work with the Student Christian Movement, he later became 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 St Luke's Newcastle upon Tyne
Newcastle upon Tyne
Newcastle upon Tyne is a city and metropolitan borough of Tyne and Wear, in North East England. Historically a part of Northumberland, it is situated on the north bank of the River Tyne...
. In 1932 he was appointed Bishop of Victoria, Hong Kong
Bishop of Victoria, Hong Kong
The Bishop of Victoria, Hong Kong was the Ordinary of a corporation sole including Hong Kong and South China that ministered to 20,000 Anglicans....
and then from 1951 of the smaller Diocese of Hong Kong and Macau, retiring in 1966.
While Bishop of Hong Kong, Hall ordained the first woman priest in the Anglican Communion. The Japanese occupation of Hong Kong and of parts of China had made it impossible for Anglican priests to get to neutral Macau
Macau
Macau , also spelled Macao , is, along with Hong Kong, one of the two special administrative regions of the People's Republic of China...
, where there were a number of refugee Anglicans with no priest. Li Tim-Oi
Li Tim-Oi
Florence Li Tim-Oi was the first woman to be ordained to the priesthood in the Anglican Communion. Already appointed as a deacon to serve in the colony of Macau at the Macau Protestant Chapel, she was ordained priest on 25 January 1944, by Ronald Hall, Bishop of Victoria, in response to the crisis...
had already been made a deaconess in Macau by Hall and had been authorized by him and his assistant to give the sacraments to the Anglicans in these extenuating circumstances.
In January 1944, Li Tim-Oi travelled through Japanese-occupied territory to meet with Hall in the small town of Xing Xing, as yet unoccupied by the Japanese, where he regularised her administration of the sacraments by ordaining her as a priest. The Archbishop of Canterbury at the time, William Temple, confided to others his conflicting views: "if we could find any shadow of theological ground for the non-ordination of women I should be immensely comforted, but such arguments as I have heard on that line seem quite desperately futile." However, he felt compelled to take a public stand against it: “I cannot think that in any circumstances whatever an individual Bishop has the right to take such a step which is most certainly contrary to all the laws and precedents of the Church...and I therefore feel obliged to tell you that I do profoundly deplore the action that you took and have to regard it as ultra vires.”
When the war ended in 1945, Li Tim-Oi, to avoid controversy, gave up her licence as a priest, though never renounced her ordination. She was recognised as a priest again in 1971 for the Diocese of Hong Kong, and, in 1983, appointed an honorary (nonstipendiary) assistant priest in Toronto, Canada, where she spent the remainder of her life.
At the provincial synod of the Chung Hua Sheng Kung Hui
Chung Hua Sheng Kung Hui
Chung Hua Sheng Kung Hui was the Anglican-Episcopal Church in China. It was formally established as the Anglican-Episcopal Province of China in 1912. Soon after the communist revolution in China in 1949, it ceased to exist. Its dioceses in Hong Kong and Macao became an independent province...
in Shanghai
Shanghai
Shanghai is the largest city by population in China and the largest city proper in the world. It is one of the four province-level municipalities in the People's Republic of China, with a total population of over 23 million as of 2010...
in 1947, Hall's tried but failed to get retroactive approval in canon law for Li Tim-Oi's ordination.http://www.womenpriests.org/related/hew_app1.asp Present at that synod was Gilbert Baker
Gilbert Baker (bishop)
John Hyndley Gilbert Baker was bishop of the Anglican Diocese of Hong Kong and Macau from 1966 to 1980.Baker was a British Church Missionary Society missionary in China from the 1920s until after the second world war...
, woho would become his successor and the bishop who would later, in 1971, ordain Anglicanism's first two women priests legally with the blessing of the Anglican Consultative Council
Anglican Consultative Council
The Anglican Consultative Council or ACC is one of the four "Instruments of Communion" of the Anglican Communion. It was created by a resolution of the 1968 Lambeth Conference...
.
In June 1966, the Queen made Hall a Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George (CMG)
Hall died on 22 April 1975. There is a Community Centre
Community centre
Community centres or community centers or jumping recreation centers are public locations where members of a community tend to gather for group activities, social support, public information, and other purposes. They may sometimes be open for the whole community or for a specialised group within...
named after him in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
. He was succeeded by as bishop by Gilbert Baker
Gilbert Baker (bishop)
John Hyndley Gilbert Baker was bishop of the Anglican Diocese of Hong Kong and Macau from 1966 to 1980.Baker was a British Church Missionary Society missionary in China from the 1920s until after the second world war...
.
References to Hall can be seen around Hong Kong. The Ming Hua Theological College, for example, reflects Hall's Chinese name, 'Ming Hua'. He was also instrumental in the setting up of the Hong Kong Housing Society
Hong Kong Housing Society
The Hong Kong Housing Society or Housing Society for short, is the second largest public housing provider in Hong Kong . The HKHS is a non-governmental organization and non profit organization that was founded in 1948 by "members coming from all walks of life" with a donation of £14,000...
.http://www.hkhs.com/eng/about/milestones.asp