John Ellison (bishop)

John Alexander Ellison (24 December 1940 – 4 August 2019) retired British Anglican bishop. He was the Bishop of Paraguay from 1988 to 2007.[1]

The Right Reverend John Ellison
Bishop of Paraguay
Province	Province of the Southern Cone of America
Diocese	Diocese of Paraguay
In office	1988 to 2007
Predecessor	Douglas Milmine
Successor	Peter Bartlett
Orders
Ordination	1967 (deacon) 1968 (priest)
Consecration	1988
Personal details
Birth name	John Alexander Ellison
Born	24 December 1940
Nationality	British
Denomination	Anglicanism

Early life and education

Ellison was born on 24 December 1940 to Alexander and Catherine Ellison.[2] He was educated at the London College of Divinity, an Anglican theological college, and at the Borough Road College, a teacher training college.[2]

Ordained ministry

Ellison was ordained in the Church of England as a deacon in 1967 and as a priest in 1968.[3] From 1967 to 1970, he served his curacy at St Paul's Church, Woking in the Diocese of Guildford.[2][4] In 1971, he joined the South American Mission Society (SAMS).[4] From 1971 to 1979, he worked as a missionary, church planter, evangelist and Bible school instructor in South America.[2] From 1980 to 1983, he was a curate of St Saviours' Church, Belgrano, Buenos Aires, Argentina, and an assistant to the archdeacon.[2][4] From 1983 to 1988, having returned to England, he was Rector of the Church of St Mary the Virgin, Aldridge (also known as Aldridge Parish Church) in the Diocese of Lichfield.[4]

Ellison was consecrated a bishop in 1988.[4] From 1988 to 2007, he served as the Bishop of Paraguay in the Province of the Southern Cone of America.[2] Having retired, he is now an honorary assistant bishop in the Diocese of Winchester.[5]

Controversy

Ellison is Chair of Panel of Bishops of the Anglican Mission in England (AMiE).[6] Members of the executive of AMiE are required to hold complementarian views.[6] AMiE has links with GAFCON and is missionary organisation that supports conservative evangelical Anglican churches within and outside of the Church of England.[7] In February 2015, it was announced that Ellison was being investigated by the Bishop of Salisbury for his involvement in an AMiE church plant in the Diocese of Salisbury.[8][9] The diocese stated: "No one involved in planting the church has contacted the Bishop, nor is the Diocese aware of any consultation with Churches Together in Salisbury about the need for a church plan. ... The Bishop of Salisbury is seeking clarification about the involvement of Bishop John Ellison in the December service."[8]

Personal life

In 1964, Ellison married Judith Mary Cox. Together they have three children: one son and two daughters.[2]

References

1. "Significant dates in the history of SAMS" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2008-07-05. Retrieved 2008-09-11.
2. "ELLISON, Rt Rev. John Alexander". Who's Who 2017. Oxford University Press. November 2016. Retrieved 29 April 2017.
3. Crockford's Clerical Directory 2008/2009 (100th edition), Church House Publishing (ISBN 978-0-7151-1030-0)
4. "John Alexander Ellison". Crockford's Clerical Directory (online ed.). Church House Publishing. Retrieved 29 April 2017.
5. Thinking Anglicans
6. "About - Executive Committee". Anglican Mission in England. Archived from the original on 14 January 2017. Retrieved 29 April 2017.
7. "About - What is AMiE?". Anglican Mission in England. Retrieved 29 April 2017.
8. Davies, Madeleine (20 February 2015). "Bishop of Salisbury investigates AMiE church". The Church Times. Retrieved 29 April 2017.
9. Bingham, John (17 April 2015). "Bishops back Church of England breakaway congregations". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 29 April 2017.