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Bishops of the Diocese of New Jersey

Before you read the tables below, 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, the number in parentheses after a bishop’s name refers to the rank in succession from the first American bishop, Samuel Seabury.

Number in the succession of American bishops and Name of Diocesan 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) 1928– 1983–1994*
X
Joe Morris Doss (886) 1943– 1995–2002*
t
vacant t 2002–2003
XI
George Edward Councell (990) 1949– 2003–2013
XII
William H. Stokes (1078) 1957– 2013–

*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 1917–1999 1966 1966–1972
gΒ  Coadjutor gΒ  gΒ  1972–1973
George Phelps Mellick Belshaw^ Suffragan 1928–928 1975 1975–1982
gΒ  Coadjutor gΒ  gΒ  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
Sylvestre Donate Romero Assisting; then Assistant 1944– 1994 2007; 2008-2010

^See list of diocesans

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Episcopal Diocese of New Jersey
808 W. State Street
Trenton, NJ 08618
609.394.5281
info@dioceseofnj.org

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Episcopal Diocese of New Jersey
808 West State Street
Trenton, NJ 08618

609.394.5281
info@dioceseofnj.org