Episcopal Diocese of Indianapolis

Christ Church Cathedral with the Chase Tower in the background.

The Episcopal Diocese of Indianapolis, formerly known as the Episcopal Diocese of Indiana, is a diocese in Province V (for the Midwest region) of the Episcopal Church in the United States of America. It encompasses the southern two-thirds of the state of Indiana. Its see is in Indianapolis, Indiana at Christ Church Cathedral. According to the diocesan newsletter, the diocese has 10,137 communicants in 49 parishes. The current bishop of the diocese is Catherine Maples Waynick, one of the few female Anglican bishops in the world.

History

Like many Midwestern dioceses, the history of the Diocese of Indianapolis begins with the consecration of Jackson Kemper as Missionary Bishop of the Northwest in 1835. At the time, Indiana was a wilderness and the first Anglican meetings were often held in remote Methodist and Presbyterian churches, as well as courthouses, stores, schoolhouses and private homes. Kemper founded several Indiana churches, the oldest one still standing being Saint John's Church, Crawfordsville.

The Episcopal Diocese of Indiana was formed in 1849 with the consecration of George Upfold as bishop of Indiana. The first cathedral was Saint John's Church, Lafayette, because it was the only parish with a parsonage at the time. However, Upfold moved the episcopal residence to Indianapolis after only a few years, and Saint Paul's Church, Grace Church, and All Saints' Church would variously serve as the cathedral before it was moved to the present Christ Church. In 1898 the Episcopal Diocese of Indiana was divided into the Episcopal Diocese of Indianapolis covering the southern two-thirds of the state, and the Episcopal Diocese of Northern Indiana covering the northern one-third.

Bishops of the diocese

The bishops of the diocese in order are:

• Jackson Kemper, I Indiana, (1838 - 1849)
• George Upfold, II Indiana, (1849–1872)
• Joseph Cruickshank Talbot, III Indiana, (1872-1883)
• David Buel Knickerbacker, IV Indiana, (1883-1894)
• John Hazen White, V Indiana, (1895-1899) Knickerbacker worked with the Episcopal General Convention to split the Diocese in two to better serve the growing congregation. The 1898 Episcopal General Convention agreed and split the Episcopal Diocese of Indianapolis from the Episcopal Diocese of Northern Indiana. White went on to head the new diocese from 1899-1925, while Joseph Marshall Francis ascended to become the sixth Bishop of Indiana.
• Joseph Marshall Francis, VI Indianapolis, (1899-1939) The diocese was renamed from Indiana to Indianapolis on September 1, 1902.
• Richard Ainslie Kirchhoffer VII Indianapolis, (1939-1959)
• John Pares Craine, VIII Indianapolis, (1959-1977)
• Edward Witker Jones, IX Indianapolis, (1978-1997)
• Catherine Maples Waynick, X Indianapolis, (1997-incumbent)

See also

• List of Episcopal bishops

Resources

• Lilly, Eli, History of the Little Church on the Circle, Christ Church Parish, Indianapolis, 1837-1955 Indianapolis: Rector, Wardens, etc. of Christ Episcopal Church, 1957.
• Harvey, Jane C. History of Saint John's Church 1837-1887. from the website of St. John's Church, Lafayette.

External links

• Diocese website
• Journal of the Proceedings of the Annual Convention of the Protestant Episcopal Church in the Diocese of Indiana from 1840-1898
• Journal of Annual Convention, Diocese of Indianapolis