M. Thomas Shaw
Encyclopedia
Marvil Thomas Shaw III, SSJE
(born August 28, 1945) is a bishop
of the Protestant Episcopal Church
. He is the fifteenth and current Bishop of Massachusetts.
, to Marvil Thomas II and Wilma Sylvia (née Janes) Shaw. He is a graduate of Alma College
and holds a Master of Divinity
degree from General Theological Seminary
in New York
and a Master of Arts
degree in theology
from the Catholic University of America
in Washington, D.C.
He was ordained
to the priest
hood in 1971 and served as curate
at the Church of St. Mary the Virgin in Higham Ferrers
, Northamptonshire
, England
, from 1970 to 1971 and as assistant rector
of St. James' Church
in Milwaukee
from 1972 to 1974.
In 1975, he entered the Society of St. John the Evangelist
, a religious order
of priests and lay brothers in the Episcopal Church
. Life professed in the society in 1981, he served a term as its superior
, beginning in 1983, during which he established the retreat center at Emery House in West Newbury, Massachusetts
; began Cowley Publications
, an Episcopal and Anglican book publishing house; and developed a Boston-area program for inner-city boys and their families. In demand nationwide as a preacher
, retreat leader and spiritual director
, he served in 1993 as chaplain
to the House of Bishops of the Episcopal Church
. He has written extensively, including his 2007 book, Conversations with Scripture
and Each Other (Rowman & Littlefield
).
Shaw was elected bishop coadjutor
of the Diocese of Massachusetts
on the first ballot at a special diocesan convention
held on March 12, 1994, at the Cathedral Church of St. Paul
in Boston. He was consecrated a bishop
on September 24, 1994, becoming the 898th bishop of the Episcopal Church. He succeeded the late Bishop David E. Johnson in January 1995 to become the fifteenth Bishop of Massachusetts.
Shaw is an active witness and voice for peace with justice in Palestine
and Israel
. He travels frequently and leads groups to the Holy Land
, Africa
and Central America
, developing and strengthening mission relationships within the Anglican Communion
and partnerships to further the church's work of reconciliation and service in the world, with a particular focus on eradication of poverty
and disease
. Shaw contributed to the work of the 1998 Lambeth Conference on international debt and economic justice issues. In the spring of 2000, he spent a month in Washington, D.C., as a congressional intern, exploring the church's role in public life. He is a past chair
of the Episcopal Church's Standing Commission on National and International Concerns and the Advisory Council for the Anglican Observer
to the United Nations
. He currently serves on the program planning committee for the Episcopal Church's House of Bishops and its program for formation of new bishops.
Shaw is a founding member and the chair of the board of the Epiphany Middle School, a tuition
-free, inner-city Boston school, and has initiated the Youth Leadership Academy in the Diocese of Massachusetts, a Christian leadership training program for high school
-aged Episcopalians. The completion in 2003 of the Barbara C. Harris
Camp and Conference Center in Greenfield, New Hampshire
, is the result of his vision and leadership toward building strong lay and ordained leadership
and ministering to children and young people to bring about their full inclusion in the life of the church, as is his 2008 initiation of a young adult relational evangelism ministry in the Diocese of Massachusetts.
Society of St. John the Evangelist
The Society of St John the Evangelist is an Anglican religious order for men. The members live under a rule of life and, at profession, make monastic vows of poverty, celibacy and obedience. The SSJE was founded in 1866 at Cowley, Oxford, England, by the Father Richard Meux Benson, a priest in the...
(born August 28, 1945) is a bishop
Bishop
A bishop is an ordained or consecrated member of the Christian clergy who is generally entrusted with a position of authority and oversight. Within the Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox Churches, in the Assyrian Church of the East, in the Independent Catholic Churches, and in the...
of the Protestant Episcopal Church
Episcopal Church (United States)
The Episcopal Church is a mainline Anglican Christian church found mainly in the United States , but also in Honduras, Taiwan, Colombia, Ecuador, Haiti, the Dominican Republic, Venezuela, the British Virgin Islands and parts of Europe...
. He is the fifteenth and current Bishop of Massachusetts.
Biography
M. Thomas Shaw was born in Battle Creek, MichiganBattle Creek, Michigan
Battle Creek is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan, in northwest Calhoun County, at the confluence of the Kalamazoo and Battle Creek Rivers. It is the principal city of the Battle Creek, Michigan Metropolitan Statistical Area , which encompasses all of Calhoun county...
, to Marvil Thomas II and Wilma Sylvia (née Janes) Shaw. He is a graduate of Alma College
Alma College
Alma College is a private, liberal arts college located in Alma, Michigan. The enrollment is approximately 1,400 students, and the college is accredited by the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools. The college's 13th President, Dr...
and holds a Master of Divinity
Master of Divinity
In the academic study of theology, the Master of Divinity is the first professional degree of the pastoral profession in North America...
degree from General Theological Seminary
General Theological Seminary
The General Theological Seminary of the Episcopal Church is a seminary of the Episcopal Church in the United States and is located in the Chelsea neighborhood of Manhattan in New York....
in New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
and a Master of Arts
Master of Arts (postgraduate)
A Master of Arts from the Latin Magister Artium, is a type of Master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The M.A. is usually contrasted with the M.S. or M.Sc. degrees...
degree in theology
Theology
Theology is the systematic and rational study of religion and its influences and of the nature of religious truths, or the learned profession acquired by completing specialized training in religious studies, usually at a university or school of divinity or seminary.-Definition:Augustine of Hippo...
from the Catholic University of America
The Catholic University of America
The Catholic University of America is a private university located in Washington, D.C. in the United States. It is a pontifical university of the Catholic Church in the United States and the only institution of higher education founded by the U.S. Catholic bishops...
in Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
He was ordained
Ordination
In general religious use, ordination is the process by which individuals are consecrated, that is, set apart as clergy to perform various religious rites and ceremonies. The process and ceremonies of ordination itself varies by religion and denomination. One who is in preparation for, or who is...
to the priest
Priest
A priest is a person authorized to perform the sacred rites of a religion, especially as a mediatory agent between humans and deities. They also have the authority or power to administer religious rites; in particular, rites of sacrifice to, and propitiation of, a deity or deities...
hood in 1971 and served as curate
Curate
A curate is a person who is invested with the care or cure of souls of a parish. In this sense "curate" correctly means a parish priest but in English-speaking countries a curate is an assistant to the parish priest...
at the Church of St. Mary the Virgin in Higham Ferrers
Higham Ferrers
Higham Ferrers is a market town in the Nene Valley in East Northamptonshire, England, close to the Cambridgeshire and Bedfordshire borders. It forms a single urban area with Rushden to the south and has an estimated population of 6,086...
, Northamptonshire
Northamptonshire
Northamptonshire is a landlocked county in the English East Midlands, with a population of 629,676 as at the 2001 census. It has boundaries with the ceremonial counties of Warwickshire to the west, Leicestershire and Rutland to the north, Cambridgeshire to the east, Bedfordshire to the south-east,...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, from 1970 to 1971 and as assistant rector
Rector
The word rector has a number of different meanings; it is widely used to refer to an academic, religious or political administrator...
of St. James' Church
St. James Episcopal Church (Milwaukee, Wisconsin)
St. James' Episcopal Church is a parish of the Episcopal Diocese of Milwaukee. It was founded as a mission of St. Paul's Episcopal Church in 1857. The current building was built in 1867. It burned on December 31, 1872 with only the walls and bell tower surviving the fire...
in Milwaukee
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Milwaukee is the largest city in the U.S. state of Wisconsin, the 28th most populous city in the United States and 39th most populous region in the United States. It is the county seat of Milwaukee County and is located on the southwestern shore of Lake Michigan. According to 2010 census data, the...
from 1972 to 1974.
In 1975, he entered the Society of St. John the Evangelist
Society of St. John the Evangelist
The Society of St John the Evangelist is an Anglican religious order for men. The members live under a rule of life and, at profession, make monastic vows of poverty, celibacy and obedience. The SSJE was founded in 1866 at Cowley, Oxford, England, by the Father Richard Meux Benson, a priest in the...
, a religious order
Anglican religious order
Anglican religious orders are communities of laity and/or clergy in the Anglican Communion who live under a common rule of life. The members of religious orders take vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience, and lead a common life of work and prayer...
of priests and lay brothers in the Episcopal Church
Episcopal Church (United States)
The Episcopal Church is a mainline Anglican Christian church found mainly in the United States , but also in Honduras, Taiwan, Colombia, Ecuador, Haiti, the Dominican Republic, Venezuela, the British Virgin Islands and parts of Europe...
. Life professed in the society in 1981, he served a term as its superior
Superior (hierarchy)
In a hierarchy or tree structure of any kind, a superior is an individual or position at a higher level in the hierarchy than another , and thus closer to the apex. It is often used in business terminology to refer to people who are supervisors and in the military to people who are higher in the...
, beginning in 1983, during which he established the retreat center at Emery House in West Newbury, Massachusetts
West Newbury, Massachusetts
West Newbury is a town in Essex County, Massachusetts, United States. Situated on the Merrimack River, its population was 4,450 at the 2006 census. Along with neighboring Merrimac and Groveland, it is part of the Pentucket Regional School District....
; began Cowley Publications
Rowman & Littlefield
Rowman & Littlefield Publishing Group is an independent publishing house founded in 1949. Under several imprints, the company offers scholarly books and journals for the academic market, as well as trade books. The company also owns a book distributor, National Book Network...
, an Episcopal and Anglican book publishing house; and developed a Boston-area program for inner-city boys and their families. In demand nationwide as a preacher
Preacher
Preacher is a term for someone who preaches sermons or gives homilies. A preacher is distinct from a theologian by focusing on the communication rather than the development of doctrine. Others see preaching and theology as being intertwined...
, retreat leader and spiritual director
Spiritual direction
Spiritual direction is the practice of being with people as they attempt to deepen their relationship with the divine, or to learn and grow in their own personal spirituality. The person seeking direction shares stories of his or her encounters of the divine, or how he or she is experiencing...
, he served in 1993 as chaplain
Chaplain
Traditionally, a chaplain is a minister in a specialized setting such as a priest, pastor, rabbi, or imam or lay representative of a religion attached to a secular institution such as a hospital, prison, military unit, police department, university, or private chapel...
to the House of Bishops of the Episcopal Church
House of Bishops
The House of Bishops is the third House in a General Synod of some Anglican churches and the second house in the General Convention of the Episcopal Church in the United States of America.-Composition of Houses of Bishops:...
. He has written extensively, including his 2007 book, Conversations with Scripture
Bible
The Bible refers to any one of the collections of the primary religious texts of Judaism and Christianity. There is no common version of the Bible, as the individual books , their contents and their order vary among denominations...
and Each Other (Rowman & Littlefield
Rowman & Littlefield
Rowman & Littlefield Publishing Group is an independent publishing house founded in 1949. Under several imprints, the company offers scholarly books and journals for the academic market, as well as trade books. The company also owns a book distributor, National Book Network...
).
Shaw was elected bishop coadjutor
Coadjutor bishop
A coadjutor bishop is a bishop in the Roman Catholic or Anglican churches who is designated to assist the diocesan bishop in the administration of the diocese, almost as co-bishop of the diocese...
of the Diocese of Massachusetts
Episcopal Diocese of Massachusetts
Episcopal Diocese of MassachusettsThe Episcopal Diocese of Massachusetts is one of the nine original dioceses of the Episcopal Church in the United States of America....
on the first ballot at a special diocesan convention
Diocesan Synod
In the Anglican Communion, the model of government is the 'Bishop in Synod', meaning that a diocese is governed by a bishop acting with the advice and consent of representatives of the clergy and laity of the diocese. In much of the Communion the body by which this representation is achieved is...
held on March 12, 1994, at the Cathedral Church of St. Paul
Cathedral Church of St. Paul, Boston
The Cathedral Church of St. Paul, Boston is the historic cathedral church of the Episcopal Diocese of Massachusetts. Located at 138 Tremont Street near Downtown Crossing, directly across from Boston Common and Park Street Station, the cathedral is adjacent to the diocesan offices. The current dean...
in Boston. He was consecrated a bishop
Bishop
A bishop is an ordained or consecrated member of the Christian clergy who is generally entrusted with a position of authority and oversight. Within the Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox Churches, in the Assyrian Church of the East, in the Independent Catholic Churches, and in the...
on September 24, 1994, becoming the 898th bishop of the Episcopal Church. He succeeded the late Bishop David E. Johnson in January 1995 to become the fifteenth Bishop of Massachusetts.
Shaw is an active witness and voice for peace with justice in Palestine
Palestine
Palestine is a conventional name, among others, used to describe the geographic region between the Mediterranean Sea and the Jordan River, and various adjoining lands....
and Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
. He travels frequently and leads groups to the Holy Land
Holy Land
The Holy Land is a term which in Judaism refers to the Kingdom of Israel as defined in the Tanakh. For Jews, the Land's identifiction of being Holy is defined in Judaism by its differentiation from other lands by virtue of the practice of Judaism often possible only in the Land of Israel...
, Africa
Africa
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
and Central America
Central America
Central America is the central geographic region of the Americas. It is the southernmost, isthmian portion of the North American continent, which connects with South America on the southeast. When considered part of the unified continental model, it is considered a subcontinent...
, developing and strengthening mission relationships within the Anglican Communion
Anglican Communion
The Anglican Communion is an international association of national and regional Anglican churches in full communion with the Church of England and specifically with its principal primate, the Archbishop of Canterbury...
and partnerships to further the church's work of reconciliation and service in the world, with a particular focus on eradication of poverty
Poverty
Poverty is the lack of a certain amount of material possessions or money. Absolute poverty or destitution is inability to afford basic human needs, which commonly includes clean and fresh water, nutrition, health care, education, clothing and shelter. About 1.7 billion people are estimated to live...
and disease
Disease
A disease is an abnormal condition affecting the body of an organism. It is often construed to be a medical condition associated with specific symptoms and signs. It may be caused by external factors, such as infectious disease, or it may be caused by internal dysfunctions, such as autoimmune...
. Shaw contributed to the work of the 1998 Lambeth Conference on international debt and economic justice issues. In the spring of 2000, he spent a month in Washington, D.C., as a congressional intern, exploring the church's role in public life. He is a past chair
Chair (official)
The chairman is the highest officer of an organized group such as a board, committee, or deliberative assembly. The person holding the office is typically elected or appointed by the members of the group. The chairman presides over meetings of the assembled group and conducts its business in an...
of the Episcopal Church's Standing Commission on National and International Concerns and the Advisory Council for the Anglican Observer
United Nations General Assembly observers
In addition to the current 193 member states, the United Nations welcomes many international organizations, entities, and non-member states as observers. Observer status is granted by a United Nations General Assembly resolution...
to the United Nations
United Nations General Assembly
For two articles dealing with membership in the General Assembly, see:* General Assembly members* General Assembly observersThe United Nations General Assembly is one of the five principal organs of the United Nations and the only one in which all member nations have equal representation...
. He currently serves on the program planning committee for the Episcopal Church's House of Bishops and its program for formation of new bishops.
Shaw is a founding member and the chair of the board of the Epiphany Middle School, a tuition
Tuition
Tuition payments, known primarily as tuition in American English and as tuition fees in British English, Canadian English, Australian English, New Zealand English and Indian English, refers to a fee charged for educational instruction during higher education.Tuition payments are charged by...
-free, inner-city Boston school, and has initiated the Youth Leadership Academy in the Diocese of Massachusetts, a Christian leadership training program for high school
High school
High school is a term used in parts of the English speaking world to describe institutions which provide all or part of secondary education. The term is often incorporated into the name of such institutions....
-aged Episcopalians. The completion in 2003 of the Barbara C. Harris
Barbara Clementine Harris
Barbara Clementine Harris was the first woman ordained a bishop in the Anglican Communion.-Education:...
Camp and Conference Center in Greenfield, New Hampshire
Greenfield, New Hampshire
Greenfield is a town in Hillsborough County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 1,749 at the 2010 census. Greenfield is home to the Crotched Mountain Rehabilitation Center, to Greenfield State Park, and to part of the Wapack Trail.- History :...
, is the result of his vision and leadership toward building strong lay and ordained leadership
Anglican ministry
The Anglican ministry is both the leadership and agency of Christian service in the Anglican Communion. "Ministry" commonly refers to the office of ordained clergy: the threefold order of bishops, priests and deacons. More accurately, Anglican ministry includes many laypeople who devote themselves...
and ministering to children and young people to bring about their full inclusion in the life of the church, as is his 2008 initiation of a young adult relational evangelism ministry in the Diocese of Massachusetts.