Primus of the Scottish Episcopal Church

The Primus, styled The Most Reverend the Primus of the Scottish Episcopal Church, is the presiding bishop of the Scottish Episcopal Church. The current Primus is the Most Revd David Chillingworth who became Primus of the Scottish Episcopal Church on 13 June 2009. He was elected at a meeting of an Episcopal Synod which took place on the final day of the Scottish Episcopal Church General Synod.

Roles of the Primus

The Primus of the Scottish Episcopal Church has the following tasks:

• to preside at all Provincial Liturgical Functions
• to preside at all meetings of the General Synod of the Scottish Episcopal Church
• to preside at all meetings of the Episcopal Synod
• to declare and carry out the resolutions of the General Synod, the Episcopal Synod and the College of Bishops
• to represent the Scottish Episcopal Church in its relation to all other Churches of the Anglican Communion and other Communions
• to perform the functions and duties of Primus as specified in the Canons of the Scottish Episcopal Church
• to correspond on behalf of the Scottish Episcopal Church with Primates, Metropolitans and the Secretary General of the Anglican Consultative Council.

History of the Primus

The Primus does not have any metropolitan jurisdiction. Metropolitan responsibilities are held by the diocesan bishops. The last head of the Scottish Episcopal Church who was Primate and Metropolitan was Archbishop Arthur Rose (of St Andrews) up to his death in 1704. And the last bishop to exercise Metropolitan authority was by Bishop Alexander Rose (of Edinburgh) up to his death in 1720.

Bishops elected as Primus

Holders of the role since the creation of the post in the early 18th century.

From	Until	Primus	Notes
1720	1727	John Fullarton	Bishop of Edinburgh, 1720–1727
May–Oct 1727		Arthur Millar	Bishop of Edinburgh, May–Oct 1727
1727	1731	Andrew Lumsden	Bishop of Edinburgh, 1727–1733
1731	1738	David Freebairn	Bishop of Galloway, 1731–1733; Bishop of Edinburgh, 1733–1739
1738	1743	Thomas Rattray	Bishop of Dunkeld, 1727–1743
1743	1747	Robert Keith	Bishop of Caithness, 1731–1741
1747	1761	Robert White	Bishop of Fife, 1743–1761
1761	1776	William Falconer	Bishop of Moray, 1742–1778; Bishop of Edinburgh, 1776–1784
1778	1788	Robert Kilgour	Bishop of Aberdeen, 1768–1786
1788	1816	John Skinner	Bishop of Aberdeen, 1786–1816
1816	1837	George Gleig	Bishop of Brechin, 1810–1840
1837	1841	James Walker	Bishop of Edinburgh, 1830–1841
1841	1857	William Skinner	Bishop of Aberdeen, 1816–1857
1857	1862	Charles Terrot	Bishop of Edinburgh, 1841–1872
1862	1886	Robert Eden	Bishop of Moray, Ross & Caithness, 1851–1886
1886	1901	Hugh Jermyn	Bishop of Brechin, 1875–1903
1901	1904	James Kelly	Bishop of Moray, Ross & Caithness, 1886–1904
1904	1907	George Wilkinson	Bishop of St Andrews, Dunkeld & Dunblane, 1893–1907
1908	1935	Walter Robberds	Bishop of Brechin, 1904–1934
1935	1943	Arthur John MacLean	Bishop of Moray, Ross & Caithness, 1904–1943
1943	1946	Logie Danson	Bishop of Edinburgh, 1939–1946
1946	1952	John How	Bishop of Glasgow & Galloway, 1938–1952
1952	1962	Thomas Hannay	Bishop of Argyll & The Isles, 1942–1962
1962	1974	Francis Hamilton Moncrieff	Bishop of Glasgow & Galloway, 1952–1974
1974	1977	Richard Wimbush	Bishop of Argyll & The Isles, 1963–1977
1977	1985	Alastair Haggart	Bishop of Edinburgh, 1975–1985
1985	1990	Lawrence Luscombe	Bishop of Brechin, 1975–1990
1990	1992	George Henderson	Bishop of Argyll & The Isles, 1977–1992
1992	2000	Richard Holloway	Bishop of Edinburgh, 1986–2000
2001	2006	Bruce Cameron	Bishop of Aberdeen & Orkney, 1992–2006
2006	2009	Idris Jones	Bishop of Glasgow & Galloway, 1998–2009
2009	present	David Chillingworth	Bishop of St Andrews, Dunkeld & Dunblane, 2005–present

See also

• Religion in the United Kingdom

Bibliography

• Bertie, David M. (2000). Scottish Episcopal Clergy, 1689-2000. Edinburgh: T & T Clark. ISBN 0567087468. {{cite book}}: Invalid |ref=harv (help)