Bishops
of the Diocese of New Jersey
Before
you read the roster, it might be helpful to define some
terms. A bishop is the supervisor of clergy and
laity within a certain area (diocese). It's the third
order of ordained ministry; from the Greek word episcopos,
meaning 'overseer'. A
bishop traditionally is chosen from among the priests
and is ordained to the episcopate by three other bishops
to preserve the apostolic succession and to ensure continuity
with church teachings.
A diocesan bishop
is the chief administrators of a diocese. A suffragan bishop
is an assistant bishop who has been elected to that position.
A bishop coadjutor is also an assistant bishop
who is elected, but with the right of succession. An assisting bishop
is someone who is already a bishop, and who is appointed
to help a diocesan bishop or who acts in an interim capacity
during the absence of a diocesan bishop. The presiding bishop
is the chief bishop of a national church, sometimes called
a primate or archbishop.
In
the rosters below, a number in parentheses refers to
the rank in succession from the first American bishop,
Samuel Seabury.
| Diocesans/Number
in succession |
Born/Died |
Served |
|
I
|
John
Croes (16) |
1762–1832 |
1815–1832 |
|
II
|
George
Washington Doane (29) |
1799–1859 |
1832–1859 |
|
III
|
William
Henry Odenheimer (66) |
1817–1879 |
1859–1874 |
|
IV
|
John
Scarborough (111) |
1831–1914 |
1875–1914 |
|
V
|
Paul
Matthews (278) |
1866–1954 |
1915–1937 |
|
VI
|
Wallace
John Gardner (395) |
1883–1954 |
1937–1954 |
|
VII
|
Alfred
Lothian Banyard (459) |
1908–1992 |
1955–1973* |
|
VIII
|
Albert
Wiencke Van Duzer (614) |
1917–1999 |
1973–1982* |
|
IX
|
George
Phelps Mellick Belshaw (702) |
1929– |
1983–1994* |
|
X
|
Joe
Morris Doss (886) |
1943– |
1995–2002* |
|
t
|
vacant |
t |
2002–2003 |
|
XI
|
George
Edward Councell (990) |
1949– |
2003– |
*See
list of other bishops
| Other
Bishops |
Title |
Born/Died |
Consecrated |
Served |
| Albion
W. Knight (224) |
Coadjutor |
1859–1936 |
1904 |
1923–1935 |
| Ralph
E. Urban (384) |
Suffragan |
1875–1935 |
1932 |
1932–1935 |
| Alfred
Lothian Banyard^ |
Suffragan |
1908–1992 |
1945 |
1945–1955 |
| Albert
Wiencke Van Duzer^ |
Suffragan |
1966–1972 |
1966 |
1966–1972 |
| |
Coadjutor |
|
|
1972–1973 |
| George
Phelps Mellick Belshaw^ |
Suffragan |
|
1975 |
1975–1982 |
| |
Coadjutor |
|
|
1982–1983 |
| Vincent
King Pettit (781) |
Suffragan |
1924–2006 |
1984 |
1984–1991 |
| Joe
Morris Doss^ |
Coadjutor |
1943– |
1993 |
1993–1994 |
| Herbert
A. Donovan, Jr. (748) |
Assisting |
1931– |
1980 |
1999–2000 |
| David
Bruce Joslin (871) |
Assisting |
1936– |
1991 |
2000–2003 |
^See
list of diocesans
|