Mark MacDonald (bishop)

Mark Lawrence MacDonald (born 15 January 1954) is a former Anglican bishop in the United States and Canada. From 2007 to 2022, he served as the National Indigenous Anglican Bishop (Archbishop, from 2019) for the Anglican Church of Canada;[1] as such, he had pastoral oversight over all indigenous Canadian Anglicans. In April 2022, he resigned and relinquished his ministry following acknowledged sexual misconduct.[2]

Mark MacDonald
Former National Indigenous Anglican Archbishop
ChurchAnglican Church of Canada
In office2007–2022
Other post(s)WCC President for North America (2013–present)
Bishop of Alaska, Episcopal Church (1997–2007)
Orders
Ordination1 August 1979
by Robert Marshall Anderson
Consecration13 September 1997
by Edmond L. Browning
Laicized20 April 2022
Personal details
Born
Mark Lawrence MacDonald

(1954-01-15) 15 January 1954
DenominationAnglicanism

MacDonald previously served in the Episcopal Church in the United States as Bishop of Alaska (1997 to 2007) and as assistant bishop of the Navajoland Area Mission (2007 to 2009).

Ordained ministry

Episcopal ministry

MacDonald was consecrated as a bishop on 13 September 1997.[3] From 1997 to 2007, he was Bishop of Alaska in the Episcopal Church.[4][5] In 2006, it was announced that he had been appointed assistant bishop of the Navajoland Area Mission, and he was affirmed in that appointment in 2007.[6] He held the appointment co-currently with his Canadian bishopric until his term as assistant bishop ended in 2009.[7]

In January 2007, it was announced that he would become the first National Indigenous Anglican Bishop in the Anglican Church of Canada.[8] He took up the appointment on 22 June 2007.[6] His post was elevated to the status of an archbishopric in 2019.[9] He was also the World Council of Churches (WCC) president for North America from 2013.[3]

MacDonald resigned as archbishop and relinquished his ministry following allegations of acknowledged sexual misconduct in April 2022.[10] In a statement to the Anglican Journal, Archbishop Linda Nicholls clarified that the misconduct did not involve allegations of criminal behavior.[11]

Personal life

On 11 November 1989, MacDonald married Virginia Sha Lynn.[4] Together, they have three children: two daughters and one son.[4]

MacDonald is classified as a non-status Indian in Canada.[12] He has native ancestry through both his parents.[13]

Honours

In February 2013, MacDonald was awarded the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal in recognition of his "spiritual leadership while serving Aboriginal communities and his contributions to environmental awareness of Canadians".[13]

In March 2022, MacDonald was awarded the Archbishop of Canterbury's Cross of St Augustine "for outstanding service to support the Communion’s role in creation care and climate justice, including the voice of Indigenous peoples". In May 2022, Lambeth Palace confirmed that this award had been withdrawn, following an April 2022 announcement of acknowledged sexual misconduct by MacDonald and his resignation and relinquishment of ministry.[14]

References
  1. "Biography: Bishop Mark L. MacDonald". Anglican Church of Canada. The General Synod of the Anglican Church of Canada. Retrieved 11 March 2017.
  2. "Public Announcement of the Resignation of Archbishop Mark MacDonald". 20 April 2022.
  3. "Assembly elects new WCC presidents". World Council of Churches. 3 November 2013. Retrieved 11 March 2017.
  4. "Biography: Bishop Mark L. MacDonald". Anglican Church of Canada. The General Synod of the Anglican Church of Canada. 4 January 2007. Retrieved 11 March 2017.
  5. "CANADA: Mark MacDonald begins ministry as first national indigenous bishop". The Episcopal Church. The Domestic and Foreign Missionary Society. 7 September 2007. Retrieved 11 March 2017.
  6. Snyder, Dick (18 June 2007). "Mark MacDonald affirmed as bishop for Navajoland Area Mission". The Episcopal Church. The Domestic and Foreign Missionary Society. Retrieved 11 March 2017.
  7. "Navajoland convocation approve plan for September election". Church of St. Matthew. Episcopal Diocese of Arizona. 14 June 2009. Retrieved 11 March 2017.
  8. "Primate presents Bishop of Alaska as new National Indigenous Anglican Bishop for Anglican Church of Canada". Anglican Church of Canada. The General Synod of the Anglican Church of Canada. 4 January 2007. Retrieved 11 March 2017.
  9. "Biography: Archbishop Mark L. MacDonald". The Anglican Church of Canada. Retrieved 25 June 2020.
  10. "Public Announcement of the Resignation of Archbishop Mark MacDonald". 20 April 2022.
  11. Matthew, Puddister (20 April 2022). "National Indigenous archbishop resigns after sexual misconduct allegations". Anglican Journal. Retrieved 21 April 2022.
  12. Sison, Marites N. (1 February 2007). "National native bishop named". Anglican Journal. Retrieved 11 March 2017.
  13. Sison, Marites N. (1 February 2013). "Canada: Bishop Mark MacDonald to receive Queen's Jubilee Medal". Episcopal News Service. The Domestic and Foreign Missionary Society. Retrieved 11 March 2017.
  14. Matthew, Puddister (16 May 2022) [31 March 2022]. "Lambeth honours 3 Canadians; Macdonald's prize revoked". Anglican Journal.
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