Robert Christopher Wright (born February 3, 1964) is tenth and current bishop of the

Episcopal Diocese of Atlanta The Episcopal Diocese of Atlanta is the diocese of the Episcopal Church in the United States of America, with jurisdiction over middle and north Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia. It is in Province 4 of the Episcopal Church in the United States of ...

, serving from October 2012 to the present. He is the first African American to be elected to his position.

Biography

Wright was born on February 3, 1964, in a Catholic orphanage in

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania Pittsburgh ( ) is a city in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, United States, and its county seat. It is the List of municipalities in Pennsylvania#Municipalities, second-most populous city in Pennsylvania (after Philadelphia) and the List of Un ...

. He was adopted at the age of nine months by Earl C. and Charlene Wright. He served as a US Navy helicopter crew chief and as a search and rescue diver for five years. He graduated from

Howard University Howard University is a private, historically black, federally chartered research university in Washington, D.C., United States. It is classified among "R1: Doctoral Universities – Very high research activity" and accredited by the Mid ...

in 1991 with a degree in History and Political Science. He then worked as a child advocate for two mayors and the

Children's Defense Fund The Children's Defense Fund (CDF) is an American 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization based in Washington, D.C., that focuses on child advocacy and research. It was founded in 1973 by Marian Wright Edelman. History The CDF was founded in 1973, ci ...

. He also studied at

Ridley Hall, Cambridge Ridley Hall is a theological college located on the corner of Sidgwick Avenue and Ridley Hall Road in Cambridge (United Kingdom), which trains men and women intending to take Holy Orders as deacon or priest of the Church of England, and members ...

England England is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is located on the island of Great Britain, of which it covers about 62%, and List of islands of England, more than 100 smaller adjacent islands. It ...

earning a Certificate in Biblical Studies, and at the

Virginia Theological Seminary Virginia Theological Seminary (VTS), formally the Protestant Episcopal Theological Seminary in Virginia, is an Episcopal Church (United States), Episcopal seminary in Alexandria, Virginia. It is the largest and second-oldest such accredited se ...

from where he graduated with a

Master of Divinity For graduate-level theological institutions, the Master of Divinity (MDiv, ''magister divinitatis'' in Latin) is the first professional degree of the pastoral profession in North America. It is the most common academic degree in seminaries and ...

. He was ordained as a Deacon in 1998 and as a priest on February 13, 1999, by the Suffragan Bishop of Washington

Jane Dixon Jane Holmes Dixon (born Jane Hart Holmes; July 24, 1937 – December 25, 2012) was an American bishop of the Episcopal Church. She was a suffragan bishop in the Episcopal Diocese of Washington and served as Bishop of Washington ''pro tempore' ...

. He became Canon Pastor and Vicar of the Congregation of St. Saviour at the

Cathedral of St. John the Divine The Cathedral of St. John the Divine (sometimes referred to as St. John's and also nicknamed St. John the Unfinished) is the cathedral of the Episcopal Diocese of New York. It is at 1047 Amsterdam Avenue in the Morningside Heights neighborhoo ...

in New York. Between 1998 and 2000 he also served as chaplain of the Cathedral School in New York City. In 2002 he moved to

Atlanta, Georgia Atlanta ( ) is the List of capitals in the United States, capital and List of municipalities in Georgia (U.S. state), most populous city in the U.S. state of Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia. It is the county seat, seat of Fulton County, Georg ...

, where he became Rector of St Paul's Episcopal Church. Wright was elected Bishop of Atlanta on June 2, 2012, and was consecrated on October 13, 2012, in the Martin Luther King Jr. International Chapel at

Morehouse College Morehouse College is a Private college, private, Historically black colleges and universities, historically black, Men's colleges in the United States, men's Liberal arts colleges in the United States, liberal arts college in Atlanta, Georgia, ...

by Presiding Bishop

Katharine Jefferts Schori Katharine Jefferts Schori (born March 26, 1954) is the former Presiding Bishop and Primate of the Episcopal Church of the United States. Previously elected as the 9th Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Nevada, she was the first woman elected ...

. In 2024 Wright was shortlisted to succeed Michael Curry as Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church.

References

*''Episcopal Clerical Directory'' 2015

External links

diocesan biographyLonger biography
1964 births Living people Religious leaders from Pittsburgh Howard University alumni Virginia Theological Seminary alumni United States Navy sailors Episcopal bishops of Atlanta {{US-Anglican-bishop-stub

Biography

See also

References

External links