Canberra and Goulburn bishop Dr Mark Short has been elected as the Primate of the Anglican Church of Australia.

The election is significant as the role of President of the House of Bishops, regarded as “first among equals”, has traditionally gone to a metropolitan bishop from one of the major cities.

Bishop Short graduated from Moore College in 1997 and later received his PhD from the University of Durham in England. 

Prior to becoming Bishop of Canberra and Goulburn he was national director of the Bush Church Aid Society, working in partnership with 17 Anglican dioceses and other Christian organisations across Australia to support gospel workers in remote and regional areas.  

In a statement, Archbishop Raffel welcomed the election.


“I know Mark to be a faithful servant of the Lord who holds unambiguous convictions about the primacy and trustworthiness of the Scriptures, and the power of the gospel for salvation for everyone who believes,” he said.  

“He has previously served effectively in national leadership as director of Bush Church Aid, and will bring deep wisdom, broad experience and an irenic spirit to this new role.
 


“I give thanks to God for his election, and we pray earnestly that he may be granted the love, courage and faithfulness required for the years that lie ahead.”