Archbishop Peter Jensen’s Retirement Age extended to 70 years

The Standing Committee of the Diocese of Sydney voted at its meeting on Monday 28 April to extend the retirement age of Archbishop Jensen from 65 to 70 years of age. This means that the Archbishop, who will celebrate his 60th birthday this year, will remain as Archbishop of Sydney for a further 10 years.

Previous Archbishops of Sydney, for example Archbishop Jensen’s predecessors, Goodhew, Robinson and Loane all retired on their 70th birthday, as do all other Archbishops in the Anglican Church of Australia. In the last years of Archbishop Goodhew’s episcopate the Sydney Synod amended the diocesan Retirements Ordinance to require the Archbishop to retire at 65 years, the same time as other bishops and clergy of the diocese. However the Synod also included the option for either the Synod itself or the Standing Committee to extend the term of office until 70 years.

A debate on the matter was conducted in Archbishop Jensen’s absence. Bishop Reg Piper, Bishop of Wollongong, who is the senior regional bishop of the Diocese of Sydney, chaired the Standing Committee. The issue was discussed at length, particularly the questions of whether the matter should be left for a further two years, or whether the Standing Committee should determine the question or send it as a recommendation to the Synod when it meets next in October. The Standing Committee voted to take the decision itself and then voted with 32 votes in favour and 10 against for the extension of Archbishop Jensen’s retirement age.

When he was later told of the decision, Archbishop Jensen said “This is not a matter that Christine [his wife] and I have looked for, but we are ready to serve, God willing, as we are requested.”

Archbishop Jensen’s senior Episcopal colleagues in the Diocese gave their full support to this Standing Committee decision, in which they themselves participated.

” The decision of Standing Committee to extend the term of office of the Archbishop was motivated by the mission of the diocese,” said Dr Glenn Davies, Bishop of North Sydney. “The leadership that Dr Jensen has brought to this mission has been unparalleled and it was wisely decided that the goal of seeing 10% of the population belonging to a local church would be best served by having Dr Jensen at the helm for the next 10 years.”

Chairman of the debate, Bishop Reg Piper said “I am very thankful to God that he allowed me to chair the Standing Committee which has taken another significant step in giving leadership to the Mission by extending Peter Jensen’s ministry as Archbishop until the age of 70.”

“Peter has been the right man at the right time to put the Mission on the agenda and to gain such support across the diocese.  He is well on the way to getting his team together and setting the ethos for the Mission’s success, as we are praying. The Standing Committee has recognised this and given strong endorsement to his leadership. We debated the extension of his time carefully, thoroughly, very honestly and with grace. It was Standing Committee at its best. We began and concluded the debate with prayer. As far as we are able we believe that Peter is God’s man to continue to lead us in this diocese for the next 10 years.  May God strengthen him and so bless our church and the people of the Sydney diocese,” said Bishop Piper.

Bishop Robert Forsyth, the Bishop of South Sydney also strongly supported the Standing Committee decision.

“The Standing Committee debate was extensive and covered all the issues very well,” Bishop Forsyth said. “It was clear that we had a common mind in believing that Peter has been a marvellous gift of God to the diocese and in wishing to see him continue his leadership of the mission, God willing, as long as he can. The debate in the Standing Committee concerned questions of whether this decision should be taken now or later, and whether it should be made by the Standing Committee or the Synod.”

Mr Mark Payne, Sydney Diocesan Secretary is writing to parish clergy and all synod representatives today, 29th April, to inform them of this Standing Committee decision.

The complete text of the Standing Committee resolution is:

Resolution made by the Standing Committee on 28 April 2003 to extend the retirement age of Archbishop Peter Jensen.

Standing Committee, recognising the historical significance of the recently adopted Diocesan Mission and also recognising the critical importance of Archbishop Peter Jensen’s leadership to it, under clause 5(1)(a) of the Retirements Ordinance 1993, extends the retirement age of Archbishop Jensen to the date of his 70th birthday and Standing Committee further requests the Diocesan Secretary to inform parishes and congregations of the Diocese that this decision was taken without the Archbishop being present and without any request from him that this action be taken.

CONTACT:
Margaret Rodgers
(o) 9265-1507
(h) 9560-9801

Bishop Robert Forsyth
(mob) 0438 148 591

Bishop Glenn Davies
(mob) 0439 941 967

Bishop Reg Piper
(mob) 0408 029 379