Phillip Aspinall

The Most Reverend
Phillip Aspinall
Archbishop of Brisbane

Aspinall administering Holy Communion
Church Anglican Church of Australia
In office 2002 to present
Other posts Primate of Australia (2005–2014)
Orders
Ordination 25 July 1988 (deacon)
1989 (priest)
Consecration 2002
Personal details
Born (1959-12-17) 17 December 1959
Hobart, Australia
Spouse Christa Aspinall
Alma mater University of Tasmania
Melbourne College of Divinity
Trinity College, University of Melbourne
Deakin University
Monash University

Phillip Aspinall (born 17 December 1959) is an Australian Anglican bishop. He has been the Anglican Archbishop of Brisbane, Queensland, Australia, since February 2002 and was the Primate of the Anglican Church of Australia from July 2005 until he stood down on 4 July 2014.[1] He succeeded Peter Hollingworth as Archbishop of Brisbane.

Early life and education

Aspinall was born in Hobart, Australia on 17 December 1959.

He holds degrees in science from the University of Tasmania, theology from the Melbourne College of Divinity through Trinity College (University of Melbourne) and the United Faculty of Theology, as well as a Master of Business Administration from Deakin University and a PhD in education from Monash University.[2]

Aspinall has worked as a computer programmer for the Tasmanian Education Department. He has also worked in a number of roles in the Anglican Church in Tasmania and Victoria: with the Diocese of Tasmania as diocesan field officer for the Anglican Boys’ Society, the diocesan youth and education officer; deputy warden at Christ College in the University of Tasmania (1980 to 1984); director of parish education at St Stephen’s Church, Mount Waverley, in the Diocese of Melbourne (1985).

Ordained ministry

Aspinall was ordained a deacon in Tasmania on 25 July 1988 and a priest a year later. He served as assistant curate, assistant priest and parish priest in various locations in Tasmania including Claremont; and director of Anglicare Tasmania (1994–1998) including two years as Archdeacon for Church and Society.

Aspinall was consecrated as a bishop on 29 June 1998 in Adelaide where he served as an assistant bishop until December 2001.

In 2003, a widely reported allegation of child sexual abuse by another priest Louis Daniels in Tasmania implicated Aspinall as being associated with the circumstances leading to the alleged abuse. Aspinall denied that he was in any way involved with the circumstances of the alleged abuse.[3] The Archbishop conceded he had written a reference for Daniels when he was sentenced in 1999.

By his own admission, Aspinall was surprised by a "No religion" campaign which was launched by an atheist lobby group in the lead-up to the 2011 Census.[4]

In terms of social justice issues, Aspinall has spoken out against the ill-treatment of asylum seekers.[5]

Aspinall has also encouraged new money-making ventures for the diocese. During the cathedral's completion several fundraising efforts were made. He has also initiated ventures to allow parishioners to tithe via direct debit and leave their estates to the diocese by distributing information about creating wills that favour the diocese.[6]

Personal life

Aspinall is married to Christa Aspinall.[7]

References

  1. Melbourne Archbishop to lead Australian Anglican Church, 29 June 2014 (Accessed 30 June 2014)
  2. Phillip Aspinall Biography at the Anglican Church of South Queensland official website
  3. ABC website
  4. Diocese of Brisbane website
  5. ABC website
  6. Diocese of Brisbane website
  7. Anglican Communion Directory, March 2000
Anglican Communion titles
Preceded by
Peter Carnley
Primate of the Anglican Church of Australia
20052014
Succeeded by
Philip Freier
Preceded by
Peter Hollingworth
Archbishop of the Anglican Diocese of Brisbane
2002
Incumbent
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