David Parsons (bishop)
David W. Parsons | |
|---|---|
| Bishop of the Arctic | |
| Church | Anglican Church of Canada |
| Diocese | Arctic |
| In office | 2012–2024 |
| Predecessor | Andrew Atagotaaluk |
| Successor | Alexander Pryor |
| Orders | |
| Ordination | 2004 (priesthood) by Andrew Atagotaaluk |
| Consecration | 3 June 2012 by David Ashdown |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 1954 (age 71–72) |
David W. Parsons (born 1954) is a Canadian Anglican bishop. He was the bishop of the Diocese of the Arctic in northern Canada from 2012 until his retirement at the end of 2024.
Early life and career
Parsons was born in Labrador and raised in Goose Bay.[1][2] He began his career with Canada Post but left the postal service to travel with Canada World Youth. After training in electronics, he began working with Canadian National telecom, where he met his future wife, Rita.[2]
In 1979, David and Rita Parsons traveled through Europe in a camper van. After participating in what Parsons described as a supernatural healing in Portugal, he decided he wanted to pursue Christian ministry. Parsons studied with the Church Army's training organisation in Toronto.[2] He was commissioned as an evangelist in 1989 in the Church Army.[3] His first post as a lay minister was in Aklavik, Northwest Territories, where he served for four years.[1] The Parsons then moved to Saint John, New Brunswick, where he ran a Church Army hospital hostel and the local Mission to Seafarers, coordinated refugee ministries for the Diocese of Fredericton and helped run a teen ministry for the diocese.[2][4]
Ordained ministry
Parsons was ordained in 2004 and was sent as a priest to Inuvik. He later became incumbent in Tulita and dean of the Mackenzie Delta deanery.[4]
He was elected to succeed Andrew Atagotaaluk as diocesan bishop in 2012.[5] To respond to the suicide crisis in the Arctic, Parsons hired a youth coordinator for at-risk teenagers and obtained a grant to train local church leaders in suicide prevention.[1]
A theological conservative, Parsons and then-suffragan bishop Darren McCartney were the only Anglican Church of Canada (ACC) bishops to attend the 2013 Global Anglican Future Conference (GAFCON) in Nairobi.[6] Parsons also attended the 2023 GAFCON in Kigali.[7] He opposed efforts to introduce same-sex marriage blessings in the ACC.[8]
Parsons retired as bishop at the end of 2024.[9]
Personal life
David and Rita Parsons retired to Hampton, New Brunswick. They have three grown sons and four grandchildren as of 2024.[2]
Notes
- ^ a b c Duin, Julia (April 2, 2025). "A bishop of the Arctic says goodbye". Religion News Service. Retrieved February 10, 2026.
- ^ a b c d e "Welcome to the Parsons family". Anglican Diocese of Fredericton. December 31, 2024. Retrieved February 10, 2026.
- ^ "Parsons Elected Arctic Bishop". Threshold Ministries. 30 May 2012. Archived from the original on 3 June 2016. Retrieved 9 June 2016.
- ^ a b "Diocese of the Arctic to elect two new bishops". Anglican Journal. April 25, 2012. Retrieved February 8, 2026.
- ^ "Inuvik priest elected bishop of Anglican Arctic diocese". CBC News North. 31 May 2012. Retrieved 9 June 2016.
- ^ "ANiC Newsletter: 11 November 2013". Archived from the original on 20 December 2013. Retrieved 20 July 2019.
- ^ Parsons, David (April 21, 2023). "Some have asked where am I, and am I part of the Anglican Communion?: David Parsons from GAFCON IV". Anglican Ink. Retrieved February 10, 2026.
- ^ "Canadian Anglican" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2015-09-23. Retrieved 2015-09-01.
- ^ Frankling, Sean (27 June 2024). "Bishop of the Arctic to retire at year's end". Anglican Journal. Retrieved 3 January 2025.