Robert Bruce Hall (January 17, 1921 – May 25, 1985) was bishop of the

Episcopal Diocese of Virginia The Diocese of Virginia is the second largest diocese of the Episcopal Church in the United States of America, encompassing 38 counties in the northern and central parts of the U.S. state Virginia. The diocese was organized in 1785 and is one of t ...

, serving from 1974 to 1985.

Biography

Hall was born on May 27, 1921, in

Wheeling, West Virginia Wheeling is a city in Ohio County, West Virginia, Ohio and Marshall County, West Virginia, Marshall counties in the U.S. state of West Virginia. The county seat of Ohio County, it lies along the Ohio River in the foothills of the Appalachian Mo ...

. He graduated from

Trinity College Trinity College may refer to: Australia * Trinity Anglican College, an Anglican coeducational primary and secondary school in , New South Wales * Trinity Catholic College, Auburn, a coeducational school in the inner-western suburbs of Sydney, New ...

and the Episcopal Theological Seminary in

Cambridge, Massachusetts Cambridge ( ) is a city in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States. It is a suburb in the Greater Boston metropolitan area, located directly across the Charles River from Boston. The city's population as of the 2020 United States census, ...

. He also served in the

US Army The United States Army (USA) is the primary land service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is designated as the Army of the United States in the United States Constitution.Article II, section 2, clause 1 of the United Stat ...

during

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

. In 1949 he was ordained deacon in June 1949 and priest in May 1950. He served as curate, then associate rector and later as rector of Trinity Church in

Huntington, West Virginia Huntington is a city in Cabell County, West Virginia, Cabell and Wayne County, West Virginia, Wayne counties in the U.S. state of West Virginia. The County seat, seat of Cabell County, the city is located at the confluence of the Ohio River, O ...

and after 1958, as rector of St Chrysostom's Church in

Chicago Chicago is the List of municipalities in Illinois, most populous city in the U.S. state of Illinois and in the Midwestern United States. With a population of 2,746,388, as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, it is the List of Unite ...

. In 1966 he was elected and consecrated Coadjutor Bishop of Virginia, with the right of succession upon the retirement, resignation or death of Bishop Gibson. He succeeded in 1974. During his time as bishop of Virginia he was involved in sanctioning the irregular ordination of women as priests in his diocese. In 1974 he sanctioned services presided over by the Reverend Alison Cheek of

Annandale, Virginia Annandale () is a census-designated place (CDP) in Fairfax County, Virginia.Charlottesville, Virginia Charlottesville, colloquially known as C'ville, is an independent city (United States), independent city in Virginia, United States. It is the county seat, seat of government of Albemarle County, Virginia, Albemarle County, which surrounds the ...

. When the General Convention reversed the decision and opened ordination to women as well in September 1976, Bishop Hall lifted his sanctions. On January 2, 1977, he ordained Patricia Laura Merchant Park, the first female priest in Virginia with the approval of the church. In 1980 Bishop Hall once again made headlines when he announced that he will seek assistance in overcoming his alcohol addiction. He entered St Mary's Rehabilitation Hospital in Minneapolis and on February 9 for 6 weeks. He was extensively supported by the Diocesan Standing Committee and its executive board. He died in office on May 27, 1985."Bishop Robert Hall Dies After Surgery"
''Archives of the Episcopal Church'', Washington , 06 June 1985. Retrieved on 08 October 2018.

References

1921 births 1985 deaths 20th-century Anglican bishops in the United States Religious leaders from Wheeling, West Virginia United States Army personnel of World War II Trinity College (Connecticut) alumni Episcopal Divinity School alumni Episcopal bishops of Virginia Episcopalians from West Virginia {{US-Anglican-bishop-stub