| Diocese of Argyll and The Isles Dioecesis Ergadiensis et Insularum Sgìre Easbaig Earra-Ghàidheal is nan Eilean | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Location | |
| Country | Scotland |
| Ecclesiastical province | Scotland |
| Statistics | |
| Congregations | 32 |
| Information | |
| Denomination | Scottish Episcopal Church |
| Cathedral | St John's Cathedral, Oban and the Cathedral of The Isles |
| Current leadership | |
| Bishop | David Railton |
| Map | |
 Map showing Argyll & The Isles Diocese within Scotland | |
| Website | |
| argyll.anglican.org | |
The Diocese of Argyll and The Isles is in the west of Scotland, and is one of the seven dioceses of the Scottish Episcopal Church. It is perhaps the largest of the dioceses, but has the smallest number of church members. As a united diocese, Argyll and The Isles has two cathedrals: St John's in Oban and the Cathedral of The Isles in Millport, Isle of Cumbrae.
The Diocese of the Isles, by itself, was founded by Patrick in 900, and the Diocese of Argyll was founded by Bishop Harald in 1193. During the Scottish Reformation, most of the heritage and jurisdiction of the church was given to the Church of Scotland. However, the small Scottish Episcopal Church has maintained the line of bishops of both dioceses through to the present day. In the seventeenth century, the Diocese of the Isles was united with the dioceses of Caithness and Orkney, and, in 1819, it was separated from them to unite with the Diocese of Argyll. In 1847, the Scottish Episcopal Diocese of Argyll and The Isles was officially established with Alexander Ewing as the first Bishop. In 1878, the Roman Catholic Church created their own Diocese of Argyll and the Isles. The diocese is responsible for the only two Episcopalian retreat houses in Scotland (Bishop's House Iona and the College of the Holy Spirit at the Cathedral of The Isles). Keith Riglin, Vice Dean of King's College London, was elected by an Electoral Synod on 30 January 2021; his consecration was on 1 May 2021. Bishop Keith died on 24 September 2023 leaving the diocesan seat vacant until the election and installation of David Railton in 2024.
The Diocese of Argyll and The Isles is twinned with the Anglican Diocese of Zanzibar (Anglican Church of Tanzania) and the Episcopal Diocese of Delaware (Episcopal Church in the United States of America).
Area and population
The diocese covers the historic counties of Argyllshire (population 60,000) and Buteshire (population 12,500), the Hebridean parts of Inverness-shire and Ross and Cromarty (population 38,000), and the Lochaber area of Inverness-shire (population 16,500). This total population of approximately 127,000 makes it the smallest British Anglican diocese by population apart from the Diocese of Sodor and Man. It gives the diocese a ratio of one priest to every 18,100 inhabitants and one church to every 3,850 inhabitants.
Deans of the diocese
Secessions
On 24 November 2017 the congregation of Christ Church, Harris, a Scottish Episcopal church in the Western Isles, announced that they could no longer remain under the oversight of their local bishop, Kevin Pearson, then-Bishop of Argyll and The Isles, owing to his support of the SEC's approval of same-sex marriage. They would instead be receiving the episcopal ministry of Andy Lines, the Missionary Bishop to Europe of the Anglican Church in North America. Daniel Davies, the priest-in-charge of Christ Church, resigned his SEC position on 22 January 2018.
Churches
The diocese currently has 8 stipendiary clergy (including the Bishop who is also the Provost of Cumbrae Cathedral) and 32 active churches.
| Benefice/parish | Churches | Founded (building) | Stipendiary clergy |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lewis and Harris | St Peter, Stornoway | C18th (1838) | Jody Szoke |
| St Moluag, Eoropaidh | 1912 (Medieval) | ||
| Uist and Barra | St Brendan the Navigator, North Uist | Sue Newby | |
| Skye and Raasay | St Columba, Portree | 1884 | Rosemary Bungard |
| St Michael & All Angels, Raasay | |||
| St Mary, Kilmore, Sleat | |||
| Kinlochmoidart with Strontian | St Finan, Kinlochmoidart | 1858 | Led by laypeople |
| Strontian Congregation | No building | ||
| Fort William | St Andrew, Fort William | 1817 (1880) | Vacant |
| Mull | St Columba, Gruline | 1873 | Led by laypeople |
| West Highland Region | St John, Ballachulish | 1770 (1842) | Amanda Fairclough |
| St Adamnan, Duror | C18th (1848) | ||
| St Mary, Glencoe | C18th (1883) | ||
| St Paul, Kinlochleven | 1908 (1954) | ||
| St Bride, Onich | 1874 | ||
| Holy Cross (orig. St John), Portnacroish | 1809 | ||
| Iona | St Columba's Chapel, Bishop's House, Iona | 1894 | Joyce Watson (Chaplain) |
| Argyll Cathedral
with Ardbrecknish & Kilbrandon |
Cathedral of St John the Divine, Oban | 1846 (1910) | Margi Campbell (Dean & Provost)
Tom Ebbens (Curate, Ardbrecknish) |
| Easdale, Seil and Luing Congregation | No building | ||
| St James, Ardbrecknish | 1892 | ||
| Islay and Jura | St Columba, Bridgend, Islay | 1888 | Led by laypeople |
| Campbeltown | St Kiaran, Campbeltown | 1848 | Led by laypeople |
| Arran, Inveraray, Kilmartin and
Lochgilphead |
St Margaret of Scotland, Whiting Bay, Arran | 1902 | Simon Mackenzie |
| All Saints, Inveraray | C19th (1886) | ||
| St Columba, Poltalloch, Kilmartin | 1854 | ||
| Christ Church, Lochgilphead | 1842 (1851) | ||
| Dunoon, Rothesay, Kames,
Tighnabruaich & West Cowal |
Holy Trinity, Dunoon | 1846 (1850) | Vacant |
| St Paul, Rothesay | c. 1830 (1854) | ||
| Isles Cathedral | Cathedral of the Holy Spirit, Cumbrae | 1849 | Alastair Chisholm (Lay Chaplain) |
Former congregation
| Benefice | Church | Founded (building) | Seceded from SEC |
|---|---|---|---|
| Harris, Isle of (Christ Church) | Christ Church, Harris | 1973 (1999) | 2018 |
Closed churches in the diocese area
| Church | Building | Closed |
|---|---|---|
| St Columba, Tighnabruaich | c. 2011 | |
| Holy Spirit, Ardchattan | 1886 | 2008 |
| St Moluag, Kentallen | 1868 | pre-2015 |
| St Mary, Strontian | 1875 | |
| Holy Cross, North Uist | ||
| St Kilda, Lochbuie (Mull) | 1876 |
References
- "The Dean & Vice Dean". King's College London. Retrieved 1 March 2021.
- "Scottish Episcopal Church selects new bishop for Argyll and The Isles". Evening Express. Press Association. 30 January 2021. Retrieved 31 January 2021.
- "Scottish Episcopal Church Argyll and the Isles Homepage". argyll.anglican.org. Archived from the original on 28 April 2021. Retrieved 15 January 2022.
- "New bishop consecrated in Argyll and The Isles". The Oban Times. 5 September 2024. Retrieved 21 October 2024.
- "Christ Church, Harris Accepts Oversight From Bishop Andy Lines". scottishanglican.net. Retrieved 8 December 2017.
- "Law and religion round-up – 26th November | Law & Religion UK". www.lawandreligionuk.com. Retrieved 8 December 2017.
- "Notices - The Scottish Episcopal Church". The Scottish Episcopal Church. 7 February 2018. Retrieved 9 February 2018.
- ^ "Diocese of Argyll and The Isles". Diocese of Argyll and The Isles. Retrieved 20 December 2024.
- ^ https://argyll.anglican.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Prayer-Cycle-2024-25-Final-Booklet-format.pdf
- "The Benefice of Cumbrae (Cathedral of the Isles and Collegiate Church of the Holy Spirit)". www.crockford.org.uk. Retrieved 13 October 2018.
- "The Benefice of Harris, Isle of (Christ Church)". www.crockford.org.uk. Retrieved 13 October 2018.
- "The Benefice of Tighnabruaich". www.crockford.org.uk. Retrieved 13 October 2018.
- "From the Bishop" (PDF). Argyll & The Isles. No. 91. Spring 2009. p. 1.
- https://www.argyll.anglican.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/West-Highland-Centre-of-Mission-Profile-May-2016.pdf