Randolph Claiborne

File:Randolph Royall Claiborne Jr.jpg

The Rt. Rev. Randolph R. Claiborne

The Right Reverend Randolph Royall Cliaborne, Jr (1906-1986) was the 5th bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Atlanta, being elected to that office in 1952. Previously he had served as Bishop Suffragan in the Episcopal Diocese of Alabama.

Background

On November 7, 1906, Randolph was born to the Rev. Randolph Royall Claiborne, Vicar of the Episcopal Church in Farmville, Virginia and Mary Thomas Clark. The Claiborne family moved to Marietta, Georgia, where Randolph, Sr. would serve as Rector at St. James' Church.

Randolph, Jr. attended the University of Virginia, receiving his bachelor's degree in 1928. He then attended Virginia Theological Seminary in Alexandria, Virginia, receiving his Master of Divinity in 1931. From 1932 to 1938 he served as Rector of St. James' Church, Macon, Georgia. From there he moved to Church of the Nativity in Huntsville, Alabama serving from 1938 to 1949 as rector.

In 1949, he was elected Bishop Suffragan of Alabama. In 1952, he was chosen to serve as the fifth Bishop of Atlanta. Soon into his episcopacy, he married Clara Virginia Kinney Stribling (June 9, 1953.

Bishop Claiborne retired in 1972, and was given the title "Bishop Emeritus" in honor of his twenty year service to the diocese.

Consecrators

• The Most Reverend Henry S. Tucker, 19th Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church, USA
• The Right Reverend Charles C. J. Carpenter 6th Bishop of Alabama
• The Right Reverend Noble C. Powell, Bishop of Maryland

Randolph Claiborne was the 489th bishop consecrated in the Episcopal Church.

References

• Atlanta Diocese Centenial History page on Bishop Claiborne.
• The Episcopal Church Annual. Morehouse Publishing: New York, NY (2005).

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