About the Diocese of Tennessee

Episcopal Christians living in the area between the north and south borders of Tennessee, the Tennessee River (west) and approximately the Eastern Time line, belong to a mega church of about 16,000 members, the Episcopal Diocese of Tennessee.

This is a missionary diocese dispersed in 50 missionary outposts (congregations) throughout the diocesan area, and led by the Bishop, The Rt. Reverend John C. Bauerschmidt, with the cathedral and diocesan offices in Nashville. Furthering the missionary enterprise, local clergy lead the congregations' worship and encourage members' missionary and ministry activities.

This commitment to mission and ministry is Biblical, obedient to Jesus Christ's Great Commission: "…to go…make disciples…baptize…and teach…" (Matt. 28), conducted according to Jesus' Great Commandment: "…to love…"(Mark 12:30 ). Thus our Episcopalians' fundamental reason for being is to love God and to do the work of God's love in the world around us.

As members of the Protestant Episcopal Church of the United States of America, and therefore of the worldwide Anglican Communion, Episcopal Christians affirm these four identifying characteristics:

The Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments contain all things necessary to salvation, the rule and ultimate standard of faith.

The Apostles' and Nicene creeds are sufficient statements of the Christian Faith.

The two Sacraments ordained by Christ Himself - Baptism and the Holy Communion - are central to Christian life and worship.

The Historic Episcopate, Bishops in succession from the Apostles, assures continuity of essential Christian Faith and practice through time.

Difficulties, disagreements and conflicts have arisen throughout church history, and exist today, threatening the unity of the Church. As in previous centuries, today's Episcopal Christians recognize that the basis of our unity is God, in our common worship (see the Book of Common Prayer) through Jesus Christ, not in human political consensus.

As people from many races and nationalities have settled in the diocesan area, the ethnic diversity challenges everyone's habitual attitudes and behaviors. Again, these tensions will yield to Christian understanding of God's intended, loving relationship with all of God's human children, of the infinite value that Jesus' willing death and resurrection places on each one of us.

Viewed as the latest chapter in God's story of Creation, or in the 7000-year Judeo-Christian history of God's action among God's people, or in the history of the Episcopal Church in America, the Diocese of Tennessee is very new. The first Convention of the Diocese of Tennessee was held in 1829 in the Masonic Hall in Nashville, TN. Three Clergy and nine laymen were present representing three churches; St. Paul's, Franklin, Christ Church, Nashville and St. Peter's, Columbia. Bishop Ravenscroft of North Carolina Presided. One month later, the 16th General Convention, meeting in Philadelphia, accepted the diocese, composed of the entire state of Tennessee, into union with the Protestant Episcopal Church in America.

At the Fifth Annual convention, the Dioceses of Tennessee elected James Hervey Otey as the first Bishop of Tennessee and the Thirtieth Bishop in the American Succession.

Under the leadership of the Rt. Reverend William Evan Sanders, 8th Bishop of Tennessee, the Diocese was divided into three parts. In 1982, the Diocese of West Tennessee was created. Three years later, the Diocese of East Tennessee came into being.

The Central part of the state, remained as the continuing Diocese of Tennessee. George Lazenby Reynolds was elected as the 9th Bishop of Tennessee on January 26, 1985. Bertram Nelson Herlong was elected 10th Bishop of Tennessee January 30, 1993.

Bishop John Crawford Bauerschmidt was consecrated the 11th Bishop of Tennessee on January 27, 2007 and is the current Bishop of Tennessee.

The Diocese of Tennessee has 50 congregations. From 1993 through 2002, membership has increased by 28.8% and pledged giving to congregations has increased by 71.2%.

Since 1995, the diocese has planted 8 new congregations. Two are now self-supporting parishes and the others are on a five-year plan to self sufficiency. The newest congregation is located in West Franklin and begans holding services in Summer 2007.

The Diocesan Office is located at 50 Vantage Way, Suite 107, Nashville TN 37338, in the Nashville Metro Center. Phone number is (615)251-3322 and e-mail is info@episcopaldiocese-tn.org.