The Episcopal Church Has Elected Its Youngest Leader in Centuries

The Episcopal Church elected its youngest top leader since the 18th century at the denomination’s national meeting in Louisville, Ky., on Wednesday.

Bishop Sean Rowe of the Diocese of Northwestern Pennsylvania, 49, was elected to a nine-year term as presiding bishop from a slate of five candidates. Bishop Rowe also serves as bishop provisional of the Diocese of Western New York.

Bishop Rowewill succeed Bishop Michael Curry, who emphasized evangelism, racial justice, and the power of love in his tenure as the denomination’s first Black presiding bishop. Bishop Curry’s term concludes at the end of October, and Bishop Rowe will be installed on Nov. 2 at Washington National Cathedral, the traditional seat of the office.

The Episcopal Church, based in New York, is the American branch of the Anglican Communion, a global body whose head is the archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby. The U.S. branch of the church has been the faith home of many presidents, including George Washington, Franklin Roosevelt, and George H.W. Bush.

Bishop Rowe became the youngest Episcopal priest in the United States upon his ordination in 2000, and the youngest bishop seven years later. Originally from western Pennsylvania, he has served in a number of leadership roles in the national denomination.

Addressing his fellow bishops and delegates to the meeting after his election, Bishop Rowe called for the church to be courageous and resilient heading into what he described as an “existential crisis” caused by a changing world. He suggested he would encourage the denomination to focus on local dioceses and congregations, and streamline its national structure so it doesn’t “collapse under its own weight.”