Kenneth Lee Carder

Kenneth Lee Carder (born 18 November 1940) is a retired American Bishop of the United Methodist Church, elected in 1992. Carder distinguished himself as a Pastor, a member of Annual Conference and General U.M. agencies, a Bishop and an author.

Birth and family

Born in Washington County, Tennessee, Kenneth is one of five children of Allen and Edith Carder. Ken married Linda Miller 30 June 1961. She is a graduate of Emory and Henry College. They are the parents of two daughters, Sheri Carder Hood and Sandra Carder Nash, and they have five grandchildren.

Education

Ken graduated with honors from East Tennessee State University in 1962, and from Wesley Theological Seminary in 1965. In 1980 he earned a Doctor of Ministry Degree from Vanderbilt Divinity School.

Ordained ministry

Ken was ordained Deacon in 1963 by Bishop Roy H. Short. He was ordained Elder in 1965 by Bishop H. Ellis Finger, Jr. Prior to his election to the Episcopacy, Ken pastored churches in Gaithersburg, Maryland; Bristol, Tennessee; Abingdon, Virginia; and Oak Ridge and Knoxville, Tennessee. While in Oak Ridge he helped to initiate an ongoing dialogue between scientists and theologians. He continues an interest in science/technology and theology/ethics. He chaired the Task Force on Genetic Science, which presented its report to the 1992 U.M. General Conference. In addition to dialogue between science and theology, Ken has special concern for prison ministries, racial justice, and ministry with the poor and marginalized.

Ken Carder was a delegate to the South Eastern Jurisdictional Conference of the U.M. Church in 1980. He was elected General Conference delegate, 1984-92. He has served in several Annual and General Conference positions, including Chair of the Conference Council on Finance and Administration, a Director of the General Board of Church and Society, and president of the General Board of Discipleship. He was also a trustee of Emory University, and Henry College, Martin Methodist College, Lambuth University, and Millsaps College, and a member of the Board of Governors of Wesley Seminary.

Episcopal ministry

Bishop Carder was elected to the Episcopacy in 1992 by the Southeastern Jurisdictional Conference of the U.M. Church. At the time he was the Pastor of the Church Street U.M.C. in Knoxville. He was assigned to the Nashville Episcopal Area, effective 1 September 1992. He was assigned to the Mississippi Area in 2000 where he served until retiring in 2004 and joining the faculty of Duke University Divinity School. Currently, Bishop Carder serves as the Ruth W. and A. Morris Williams, Jr. Distinguished Professor of the Practice of Christian Ministry Duke Divinity School, Durham, North Carolina. He is the author of five books and numerous articles.

See also

• List of Bishops of the United Methodist Church

References

• InfoServ, the official information service of The United Methodist Church. [1]
• The Council of Bishops of the United Methodist Church [2]
• United Methodist News Service story: "Southeastern United Methodists Elect, Assign Bishops," 20 July 1992.

External links

• Photo of Bishop Carder