Gary Siew Leong Koo (born 1968) is an Australian

Anglican Anglicanism is a Western Christian tradition that has developed from the practices, liturgy, and identity of the Church of England following the English Reformation, in the context of the Protestant Reformation in Europe. It is one of th ...

bishop who, since 20 December 2019, has served as an assistant bishop in the Anglican Diocese of Sydney, becoming the third Bishop of the Western Region.

Early life, education and parish ministry

Koo was born in 1968 in Sydney, as the son of two Malaysian migrants. He was educated at

James Ruse Agricultural High School , motto_translation = Deeds not words , established = , type = Government-funded co-educational academically selective and specialist secondary day school , educational_authority = NSW Departm ...

and then studied medicine at the

University of Sydney The University of Sydney (USYD), also known as Sydney University, or informally Sydney Uni, is a public research university located in Sydney, Australia. Founded in 1850, it is the oldest university in Australia and is one of the country's si ...

. Koo was brought up as an atheist, but the death of his mother while he was training as a doctor at University caused him to reassess his views and he converted to Christianity. After graduating from university, Koo worked as a doctor for a time. He then decided to study theology at

Moore Theological College Moore Theological College, otherwise known simply as Moore College, is the theological training seminary of the Diocese of Sydney in the Anglican Church of Australia. The president of the Moore Theological College Council is ''ex officio'' t ...

. and was ordained deacon in 2006 and priest (presbyter) in 2013. Koo served as a pastor and church planter for the Chinese Christian Church Sydney. He later was appointed as a minister within the

Anglican Diocese of Sydney The Diocese of Sydney is a diocese in Sydney, within the Province of New South Wales of the Anglican Church of Australia. The majority of the diocese is evangelical and low church in tradition. The diocese goes as far as Lithgow in the wes ...

at St Paul’s Carlingford and

North Rocks North Rocks is a suburb in the Hills District, New South Wales, Hills District within Greater Western Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia, located 26 kilometres north-west of the Sydney central business district. Following the ...

, where he was eventually made rector, a position which he held for seven years prior to his appointment to the episcopate. He served as acting rector at Berala from 2013 to 2015.

Episcopal ministry

In November 2019, Koo was appointed as Bishop of the Western Region in the Sydney Diocese, a role which involves overseeing congregations in the Blue Mountains, Hills District,

Hawkesbury Hawkesbury or Hawksbury may refer to: People *Baron Hawkesbury, or Charles Jenkinson, 1st Earl of Liverpool (1727-1808), English statesman Places ;Geography *Hawkesbury Island, an island in British Columbia, Canada * Hawkesbury Island, Queensland ...

, and

Parramatta Parramatta () is a suburb and major Central business district, commercial centre in Greater Western Sydney, located in the state of New South Wales, Australia. It is located approximately west of the Sydney central business district on the ban ...

areas. He replaced Bishop Ivan Lee, who was the first Anglican bishop in Australia to have a Chinese ethnic background and who moved at that time into a new episcopal role strengthening church growth. Koo was consecrated bishop in

St John's Cathedral, Parramatta St John's Cathedral is a heritage-listed, Anglican cathedral in Parramatta, City of Parramatta, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. St John's was given the status of provisional cathedral of the Anglican Diocese of Sydney in 1969, and design ...

by Archbishop

Glenn Davies Glenn Naunton Davies (born 1950) is a retired Australian Anglican bishop. Since August 2022 he has served as bishop of the Diocese of the Southern Cross, an Anglican diocese set up outside of the Anglican Church of Australia. He previously serv ...

on 20 December 2019. As assistant bishop, Koo has chaired the Diocese's COVID-19 taskforce throughout 2020.

Personal life

Koo is married to Pearl and has two children.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Koo, Gary 1968 births 21st-century Anglican bishops in Australia Australian medical doctors Australian people of Malaysian descent Assistant bishops in the Anglican Diocese of Sydney Living people Moore Theological College alumni Converts to Anglicanism from atheism or agnosticism People educated at James Ruse Agricultural High School Evangelical Anglican bishops University of New South Wales alumni