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ARKANSAS: Conservative-Leaning Bishop Elected For Arkansas
The Christian Challenge (Washington, DC)
November 11, 2006
A policy allowing individual parishes to offer same-sex blessings, recently enunciated by Arkansas Episcopal Bishop Larry Maze, looks set to be overturned by the cleric elected to succeed him today, according to a source in the diocese.
Chosen as the 13th Bishop of Arkansas from a field of five candidates was the Rev. Larry R. Benfield, 51, rector of Christ Church, Little Rock. Reportedly, he plans to ask clergy in the diocese to refrain from performing same-sex blessings at this time. Benfield says he wants to talk about marriage and not sex.
The bishop-elect himself is unmarried and has confirmed that he is celibate, according to the diocesan source.
Interestingly, clergy gave Benfield a majority of their votes before the laity did. Benfield was elected on the seventh ballot, with 57 lay votes and 57 clergy votes, with 44 of 87 and 55 of 108, respectively, needed to win. The election took place at Trinity Cathedral in Little Rock.
Maze, 63, will retire at the end of the year. Assuming sufficient consents from the wider Episcopal Church are forthcoming, Benfield is scheduled to be consecrated January 6.
.Here follows Benfield's profile from the Arkansas diocese's website:
Professional History
* January 2001-Present – Rector, Christ Church, Little Rock, AR
* July 1998-December 2000 – Canon for Administration, Diocese of Arkansas
* January 1998-December 2000 – Planned Giving Officer, Diocese of Arkansas
* August 1996-December 1998 – Interim Rector, St. Luke’s, Hot Springs, AR
* June 1995-July 1996 – Interim Rector, St. Mark’s, Little Rock, AR
* April 1992-June 1995 – Curate, St. Mark’s, Little Rock, AR
* August 1990–April 1992 – Episcopal chaplain, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX
* 1991 – Ordained to the Priesthood
* 1979-1987 – Vice President/Commercial Banking, First City National Bank, Houston, TX
Education
* 1990 – Master of Divinity, Virginia Theological Seminary
* 1979 – M.B.A. (Finance), The Wharton School of Business, University of Pennsylvania
* 1977 – B.S. (Agricultural Economics), University of Tennessee, Knoxville
National Church Activities
* Editor and Examination Reader, General Board of Examining Chaplains
Diocesan Activities
* Secretary, Board of Trustees
* President, Standing Committee
* Vice President, Executive Council
* Architectural Commission
* Diocesan Funding Task Force
* Chair, Division of College Work
* EFM Mentor
Community Activities
* Board, Little Rock Downtown Partnership (task force on homelessness)
* Independent Review Board for Medical Research, Arkansas Heart Hospital
* Board Vice Chair, Department of Pastoral Care, UAMS Hospital
Personal
Age 51.
END
