The Anglican Diocese of Bunbury, WA elects a new Bishop

The Anglican Diocese of Bunbury, Western Australia joyfully elected its 10th Bishop of the Diocese during its Election Synod meeting on the 15th-16th June 2018, following a period of searching and discernment from around the country. This news is now being shared around the Diocese.

The Bishop Elect is Rev’d Dr Ian Coutts, who currently works for both Anglicare NSW/ACT and St Marks Theological Centre in the ACT. Rev’d Ian Coutts was ordained Deacon in 1989 and Priest in 1990 in Birmingham, UK.

As an ordained Anglican priest, Ian has served in parishes in Birmingham and on the outskirts of London; he has planted a church and been a priest with Permission To Officiate in London, Oxford, and Canberra & Goulburn Diocese in Australia.

Academically, Ian was awarded an M.Sc and Certificate of Qualification in Social Work (CQSW) from Jesus College Oxon; a Post Graduate Diploma of Theology from St John’s College, Nottingham and a BA (Jt Hons) in Sociology and Education from Warwick University. Ian completed his Ph.D after arriving in Australia on the subject of the Family from a Trinitarian theological perspective. He is also a qualified social worker with particular experience in the fields of child protection and domestic violence.

Ian and his wife Anne emigrated from the UK in 2011 when his wife was offered a school principal’s job in the ACT; and with other family already living in Australia, the decision to emigrate was simple. Ian and Anne are both Australian citizens. Ian and his wife Anne have two daughters and two grandchildren still living in England.

Ian is arguably unique in the Anglican leadership as a senior priest with a strong practice background as a social worker. Ian’s colleagues comment he is a man of profound Christian conviction, moral integrity and professional excellence. The best traditions of theological scholarship inform his thinking and scholarly learning and he is passionate about his commitment to make a positive difference in people’s lives.

Ian’s interests include flying and he has a British pilot’s licence and enjoys recreational flying but does not own his own plane; and swimming, retreats, prayer time and holidays!

The Diocese of Bunbury (and we here at St Nic’s!) is delighted with his election and are looing forward to welcoming him to the Diocese in the coming months.

For further details, please contact the Diocesan Office on 0408 916 129 or 08 9721 2100.

Reproduced with permission. Italicised text added.