6 - The Bishops and Archbishops

Summary

This chapter deals with the bishops and archbishops of the Church in Wales within the framework of the thirteen archiepiscopates across the century. It seeks to blend biographical sketches with landmark developments in episcopal and archiepiscopal ministry. Following the enthronement of Edwards as Archbishop of Wales in 1920, the archiepiscopates of Green, Prosser and Morgan saw the readjustment of the Church in Wales to its new status after disestablishment. Those of Morris, Simon and Williams represent what some see as the golden age of episcopal leadership. Those of Childs, Noakes and Rice Jones followed, facing the first serious signs of the decline in church membership and debate on the ordination of women. Those of Williams, Morgan and Davies bring us to the present, over a period of enormous change. The chapter also deals with episcopal polity, the styles of episcopal leadership, the theological positions of the bishops, and changes in their election and ministry over the century.