Martyn Minns (born April 16, 1943) is an English-born American bishop, serving in the Anglican Church of Nigeria. He was the founding missionary bishop of the Convocation of Anglicans in North America (CANA), under the patronage of the Anglican Church of Nigeria, until his retirement in January 2014. Prior to becoming a bishop, he served as rector of Truro Church in Fairfax, Virginia, in the United States.

Martyn Minns
Former Missionary Bishop of the Convocation of Anglicans in North America
Martyn Minns (2011)
ChurchAnglican Church in North America
Church of Nigeria
DioceseConvocation of Anglicans in North America
In office2007–2014
Predecessoroffice created
SuccessorJulian Dobbs
Other post(s)Rector of Truro Church (1991–2006)
Interim Bishop of Pittsburgh (2020-2022)
Orders
OrdinationJune 1979
Consecration20 August 2006
by Peter Akinola
Personal details
Born (1943-04-16) April 16, 1943 (age 81)
DenominationAnglicanism

Early life

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Minns was raised in Nottingham, England. In 1964, he received a Bachelor of Science with honours in mathematics and statistics from Birmingham University in Birmingham, England. From 1967 until 1975, Minns was an executive for the Mobil Corporation in New York City.

Clerical training

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Minns received a Master of Divinity in 1978 from Virginia Theological Seminary in Alexandria, Virginia. He was ordained to the diaconate in June, 1978, and ordained to the priesthood in June, 1979.

Departure from the Episcopal Church

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From 1978 until 1982, he served as the associate rector of St. Paul's Church, Darien, Connecticut. From 1983 until 1988, he served as rector of the Church of the Holy Spirit in Lafayette, Louisiana. From 1988 until 1991, he served as rector of All Angels Church, New York City. In 1991, Minns was installed as rector of Truro Church in Fairfax, Virginia.

In reaction to the Episcopal Church appointing Gene Robinson, a homosexual priest, as the Bishop of New Hampshire, Minns led eleven Episcopal parishes in Virginia, including Truro, in leaving the denomination in 2006. The next year, he was named the head of the Convocation of Anglicans in North America, an association of conservative churches under the patronage of the Anglican Church of Nigeria. This decision led to the Episcopal Diocese of Virginia bringing a lawsuit against Truro, which lasted until 2012 and resulted in property rights being granted to the Diocese.[1][2][3]

Minns was excluded from the invitation list to the 2008 Lambeth Conference.[4]

Minns was made an Honorary Canon of All Saints Cathedral, Mpwapwa, Tanzania.

Minns retired as Missionary Bishop of CANA in January 2014 and was succeeded by the Rt. Rev. Julian Dobbs.[5]

He come out of retirement to replace Jim Hobby as interim bishop of the Anglican Diocese of Pittsburgh in 2020.

Personal life

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He and his wife, the former Angela Rose Carlisle, are the parents of five children and have twelve grandchildren.[6]

Election and installation as bishop

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Martyn Minns was elected to serve as the founding Missionary Bishop of CANA on June 28, 2006.[7] He was consecrated a bishop on August 20, 2006 in Nigeria.[8] He was installed on May 5, 2007 in Virginia.[9]

References

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  1. ^ Day, Sherri (10 June 2007). "Girding for battle, hoping for change". Tampa Bay Times. Retrieved 24 May 2013. Minns, 64, led 11 Virginia congregations to break ties with the Episcopal Church last year. For 16 years, he has been rector of the historic Truro Church, where George Washington's father once served on the vestry. Now, Minns prepares for a battle with the denomination he left behind.
  2. ^ "Joint Statement from Truro Anglican Church, Fairfax and the Episcopal Diocese of Virginia". 17 April 2012. Retrieved 24 May 2013.
  3. ^ Philips, Matthew (13 February 2009). "The Rise of a New Flock". Newsweek. Retrieved 24 May 2013.
  4. ^ Baker, Luke (22 May 2007). "Gay bishop snubbed by Anglican conference". Reuters. Retrieved 24 May 2013. Archbishop Rowan Williams has sent invitations to more than 800 Anglican bishops asking them to attend the Lambeth Conference in July and August 2008 but has not invited two American bishops, Gene Robinson and Martyn Minns. (...) Minns, a deeply conservative Episcopalian, was installed last year as the head of a new Nigerian-based church branch in the United States designed as a refuge for orthodox believers. The Anglican Communion does not recognize his position.
  5. ^ "Media Release, January 17, 2014" (PDF). Convocation of Anglicans in North America.
  6. ^ "Bishop Coadjutor Candidate - Martyn Minns". Diocese of Western Louisiana. Archived from the original on 30 September 2007. Retrieved 9 May 2007.
  7. ^ "For Immediate Release: ELECTION OF BISHOPS". Church of Nigeria (Anglican). 28 June 2006. Archived from the original on 30 April 2007. Retrieved 9 May 2007.
  8. ^ "Consecration: ANGLICAN ARCHBISHOP CHARGES CHRISTIANS TO DEFEND THE FAITH". Church of Nigeria (Anglican). 20 August 2006. Archived from the original on 6 January 2007. Retrieved 9 May 2007.
  9. ^ "Missionary Bishop Martyn Minns". Convocation of Anglicans in North America. Retrieved 9 May 2007.
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Anglican Communion titles
New title Missionary Bishop of CANA
2007–2014
Succeeded by
Preceded by Bishop of Pittsburgh
interim

2020–2022
Succeeded by