Presiding Bishop Michael Curry

Presiding Bishop Michael Curry Michael Bruce Curry (born March 13, 1953) is an American bishop of the Episcopal Church who served as the 27th Presiding Bishop and Primate of the Episcopal Church in the United States of America from 2015 to 2024. He is known for his emphasis on social justice, evangelism, and a theology of love shaped by mentors and institutions across African American religious traditions and ecumenical networks. Curry's public profile expanded internationally after a sermon at the Royal Wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle in 2018, bringing attention to the Anglican Communion, civil rights legacies, and contemporary debates within Anglicanism.

Early life and education

Curry was born in Chicago, raised in Buffalo, New York and in Detroit, and his family background intersects with Great Migration (African American) narratives, the African Methodist Episcopal Church, and local community activism in the Midwestern United States. He earned a Bachelor of Arts from Hampton University, where he encountered Howard University-affiliated networks and the historic milieu of HBCUs and Black theological thought. Curry studied at Yale Divinity School where he received a Master of Divinity and developed influences from scholars associated with liberation theology, black theology, and ecumenical figures at Union Theological Seminary (New York City). He pursued further formation at the Ecumenical Institute at St. Mary's University of Minnesota and engaged with leaders from the World Council of Churches and the National Council of Churches (USA) during formative years.

Ordained ministry and episcopal service

Curry was ordained a deacon and priest in the Episcopal Church in the late 1970s and early 1980s, serving parishes shaped by the histories of St. Philip's Church (Richmond, Virginia), urban mission contexts, and parish renewal movements linked to Catechesis of the Good Shepherd experiments. He served as rector at St. Stephen's Episcopal Church (Rochester, New York), and later at St. James' Episcopal Church (Baltimore, Maryland), engaging networks connected to the National Cathedral (Washington, D.C.) and diocesan structures such as the Diocese of North Carolina. Elected bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of North Carolina in 2000, Curry became known for diocesan initiatives that connected parish revitalization, ecumenical partnerships with Roman Catholic Church leaders, collaborations with United Methodist Church congregations, and advocacy aligned with organizations like Amnesty International and NAACP programs. As bishop he navigated debates related to Anglican Communion polity, liturgical reform issues, and pastoral responses to public policy matters.

Presiding Bishop role and priorities

Elected Presiding Bishop at the General Convention of the Episcopal Church in 2015, Curry articulated priorities including reconciliation, evangelism, racial justice, and climate stewardship, coordinating with bodies such as the House of Bishops (Episcopal Church), the Executive Council of the Episcopal Church, and the Episcopal Church Center in New York City. His tenure emphasized partnerships with international Anglican provinces like the Church of England, Anglican Church of Canada, Anglican Church of Southern Africa, and ecumenical relations with the World Council of Churches and bilateral dialogues with the Lutheran World Federation. Curry launched initiatives addressing poverty and migration in collaboration with United Nations agencies and interfaith coalitions including leaders from Islamic Society of North America, Jewish Federations of North America, and activist networks connected to Black Lives Matter. He prioritized clerical formation through connections with seminaries such as Episcopal Divinity School, Berkeley Divinity School, and General Theological Seminary.

Major sermons, public ministry, and controversies

Curry's preaching style—often described as evangelical and charismatic—gained global attention with his sermon at the Royal Wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle in Windsor in 2018, which sparked commentary across media outlets including BBC, CNN, The New York Times, and The Guardian. He frequently addressed national debates on gun violence after mass shootings, health disparities during the COVID-19 pandemic, and immigration policy debates involving the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Curry faced controversies within Anglicanism over issues such as same-sex marriage and LGBT rights in communion-wide discussions at meetings involving the Anglican Consultative Council and the Primates' Meeting, prompting responses from conservative provinces like the Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion) and progressive actors in dioceses such as Diocese of California. His public stances on racial reconciliation invoked comparisons to civil rights figures including Martin Luther King Jr., Desmond Tutu, and drew praise and critique in outlets such as Time (magazine), The Washington Post, and The Atlantic.

Writings, honours, and legacy

Curry is the author of books, sermons, and essays published by presses connected to HarperCollins, Seabury Books, and theological journals associated with seminaries like Vanderbilt University Divinity School and Princeton Theological Seminary. His writings address themes of theological ethics, pastoral theology, and ecclesiology engaging conversations with scholars from Cornell University, Harvard Divinity School, and Yale University. He has received honorary degrees and honours from institutions including Hampton University, University of the South (Sewanee), and civic recognitions from municipal governments in Raleigh, North Carolina and New York City. Curry's legacy within the Episcopal Church and the wider Anglican Communion includes commitments to evangelism, interracial coalition-building, and public theology that continues to shape discussion in ecumenical bodies such as the World Evangelical Alliance outreach efforts and civic engagement with bodies like the United States Conference of Mayors.

Category:Episcopal bishops