Peter Jensen (bishop)

For other people named Peter Jensen, see Peter Jensen (disambiguation).

Peter Jensen
Archbishop of Sydney
See	Sydney
Installed	2001
Term ended	incumbent
Predecessor	Richard Goodhew
Successor	incumbent
Orders
Consecration	29 June 2001
Personal details
Born	(1943-07-11)11 July 1943

Peter Jensen (born 11 July 1943), is the Anglican Archbishop of Sydney, Australia, and Metropolitan of the Province of New South Wales.

Early life and ministry

Jensen was born in Sydney and educated at Bellevue Hill Public School and The Scots College. After completing his Leaving Certificate, he studied law for two years and worked as an articled clerk before he moved into primary school teaching. He entered Moore Theological College in the late 1960s and won the Hey Sharp prize for coming first in the Licenciate of Theology, the standard course of study at that time. In addition he has an MA degree (Hons) from Sydney University, a BD degree from the University of London, and a DPhil degree from the University of Oxford. His 1976 Masters dissertation was entitled "Calvinism and the Persecution of the Witches in England (1563–1604)", and his 1979 doctoral dissertation was entitled "The Life of Faith in the Teaching of Elizabethan Protestantism".

Jensen was appointed Principal of Moore College in 1985 and lectured in Systematic and Biblical Theology during that time. He gained a reputation as a gifted preacher and was often seen at the annual Katoomba Christian Conventions.

On 5 June 2001, Jensen became the 11th Archbishop of Sydney. He was consecrated on St Peter's Day, 29 June, 2001. He called upon all churches in the Sydney diocese to aim to reach 10% of their communities by 2012. He encouraged an unprecedented increase in church planting with more than 60 new congregations started between 2002 and 2005 and a 30% increase in candidates for Anglican ministry over the same period.

Views

Peter Jensen has a gained a reputation with the Australian media for being a forceful spokesperson for evangelical Christianity. He has spoken out on issues as diverse as stem cell research and industrial relations from a conservative evangelical perspective.

It is Jensen's Biblical approach that has made him one of the most compelling bishops in Australia whose views are often sought by the media. With much fanfare, he launched a mission aiming that at least 10% of all Sydney residents would be attending a "Bible-based" church by 2012. This definition of Bible-based was notable for excluding Roman Catholics and Uniting Churches. Indeed, his Biblical approach has led some to regard Jensen as a fundamentalist. Jensen, however, does not prefer the term "fundamentalist" to describe his interpretative stance, arguing instead for a rational understanding of the authority of the Bible. On a recent comment of Buddhist philosophy gaining popularity amongst the educated middle class of urban Australia, Jensen was quoted as saying, "The problem with all this individualism, though, is that it doesn't necessarily give you any purpose, so if you're looking to fill that spiritual void then Buddhism fits the bill."

Despite Jensen being viewed as anti-Catholic, he has developed a good rapport with the Catholic Archbishop of Sydney, Cardinal George Pell. Whilst Jensen disagrees with the Catholic Church's elaborate style of worship, he and Cardinal Pell have found common ground due to their shared conservative stance on issues relating to politics, the importance of scripture and opposition to liberal interpretations of it. Both men are outspoken on issues such as pre-marital sex, abortion, euthanasia, drug use, and homosexuality and are both deeply opposed to the ordination of women or homosexuals in their respective churches. It is also noted that both men have praised the conservative government of John Howard on a variety of issues including legislating to ban gay marriage and adoption, heroin injecting rooms, and euthanasia whilst moving to ensure that abortion should only be a last resort option for women with un-wanted pregnancies by offering financial assistance to Catholic and Anglican health agencies to counsel women on the long-term emotional affects of abortion and mandating that women receive counselling of either this nature or something more secular before they are allowed to proceed with an abortion—a policy that has caused much opposition from groups such as the Australian Democrats and the Australian Greens. Both Pell and Jensen have also spoken warmly about the conservative Government's funding of faith-based private schools. Jensen and Pell have also both criticised the conservative government's policy in relation to the treatment of asylum seekers as well as its stance on Industrial Relations.

One controversial area in which Jensen has been far from conservative has been his advocacy of 'lay presidency', allowing lay people to lead Holy Communion services. This reflects his view that the ministry of word and sacrament belong together, though this view is not yet shared by a many Anglicans[1].

In late 2007, Archbishop Jensen was one of the founding members of the Global Anglican Future Conference, which is due to be held in June 2008 (one month prior to Lambeth 2008).

Criticism

Recent publications by Sydney journalist Chris McGillion and Dr Muriel Porter have been scathing in their critique of Jensen, particularly with regard to his conservative stance towards issues such as the ordination of women bishops and homosexuals. Jensen maintains the historically traditional view held by Anglicans which, it is claimed, is based on an understanding of the authority of the Bible over culture. They also note the Sydney practice of "salting" other dioceses with new parishes that promote an evangelical form of theology. Indeed, Jensen has been accused of marginalising those with different approaches to Anglicanism, notably the Anglo-Catholics, who tend towards more ritualistic forms of service. Jensen has, however, been present as an ordaining bishop in more Anglo-Catholic dioceses.

Tensions were generated between Jensen and his theological liberal colleague, Archbishop Peter Carnley, during the latter's time as primate of the Anglican Church of Australia. Tension between Jensen and Carnley and the other bishops of the Australian dioceses resulted in Jensen being the sole bishop not to stand in protest against the Australian government's participation in the invasion of Iraq in 2003.

He was accused of nepotism after appointing his wife and his brother to official positions in the Sydney diocese.[2] Dr Jensen appears to prefer to not become personally involved in parish matters in the Sydney diocese.

Publications

Jensen has written a number of books on Christian doctrine including At the Heart of the Universe (1991) and The Revelation of God (2002). In November and December 2005 he also delivered the prestigious Australian Broadcasting Corporation's Boyer Lectures on the topic "The Future of Jesus". These lectures have subsequently been published as a book.

See also

• Sydney Anglicans
• Phillip Jensen (brother)

References

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