Charles Jenkins, 10th Bishop of Louisiana
Charles Edward Jenkins III was consecrated bishop coadjutor of Louisiana in New Orleans on Jan. 31, 1998 and was invested as the tenth bishop of Louisiana at Christ Church Cathedral, New Orleans, on March 28,1998. He serves a diocese of 54 congregations with a communicant strength of 20,000 prior to the 2005 hurricanes.
He graduated from Nashotah House Seminary in 1976 and was awarded honorary Doctor of Divinity degrees from Nashotah House in 1992 and The University of the South, Sewanee, Tennessee, in 1999. In his pursuit of continuing education, he studied for five years with Rabbi Edwin Friedman.
Jenkins was ordained to the priesthood by Bishop James Brown in 1977. His first call was as assistant chaplain at Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge where he served from 1976-77. He next served as assistant rector at Grace, Monroe, until 1979.
In his only tenure out-of-state, he was called as rector of St. Mark's, Arlington, Texas where he served from 1979-1985.
He was called as rector of St. Luke's, Baton Rouge, in 1985 where he served until his election as bishop coadjutor in 1997. Under Jenkins' leadership, St. Luke's experienced significant growth. Communicant numbers rose, the day school expanded, two capital drives were completed, new facilities were constructed and the number of worship services was increased to accommodate the increased communicant strength.
As a priest, Jenkins was president of the Standing Committee from 1992-1994. He chaired the Ad Hoc Committee for Congregational Support of the Diocese and was a member of the Committee for the Reorganization of the Diocese. He served on the Board of Trustees for Episcopal High School, Baton Rouge, from 1985-1997.
He was elected a Louisiana clerical deputy to General Convention in 1994 and 1997. He also served on the Board of Trustees of Nashotah House Seminary from 1981-1991.
Shortly after his consecration and investiture, Jenkins attended the Lambeth Conference of Anglican bishops in 1998 and served on its task force for Ecumenical Relations.
In his first year as bishop, Jenkins enjoyed the friendship and mentoring of Texas Bishop Claude Payne.
In January, 2000, Jenkins hosted a fellowship and informational program for the Executive Council of the Episcopal Church when it met in New Orleans. Jenkins also sponsored a first-ever Rally for the Diocese of Louisiana during which a nationally-downlinked teleconference by Presiding Bishop Frank Griswold was aired.
At the 73rd General Convention of the Episcopal Church held in Denver in the summer of 2000, Jenkins chaired the House of Bishop's Structure Committee. He also served as a member of the church's Standing Commission on Constitution and Canons.
In 2003, he was elected vice president of the Province IV Synod.
At the 74th General Convention held in Minneapolis in 2003, Bishop Jenkins served on the Cognate Committee on Evangelism and chaired the Province IV bishops at convention. He was also appointed to the Presiding Bishop's Council of Advice. In 2004, he was elected president of the council.
The bishop is a member of the Board of Directors of the Anglican Theological Review.
Jenkins has been at the forefront of the diocese's "Grow the Vision" capital campaign to raise funds for a campus ministry in New Orleans, new church starts in growing areas of the state, and the building of a diocesan youth conference center.
A supporter of ecumenical unity, the bishop has taken part in many interdenominational activities in the state. He served as president of the Louisiana Interchurch Conference, 2003-04, and presided at the LIC's Annual Assembly in the spring of 2004.
The bishop and his wife, Louise Hazel Jenkins, reside in New Orleans and are the parents of two grown sons.
In his leisure time, the bishop enjoys fishing and reading. He is an engaging speaker and is noted for his love of history, delightful sense of humor and anecdotal stories.
