The
Rt Rev Percival William Stephenson was the 6th
Anglican bishop of Nelson whose
episcopate
A bishop is an ordained clergy member who is entrusted with a position of authority and oversight in a religious institution.
In Christianity, bishops are normally responsible for the governance of dioceses. The role or office of bishop is ca ...
spanned a 14-year period in the mid-20th century.
Family
The son of Arthur Henry Stephenson (1867-1955), and Annie Amelia Vevers Stephenson (1865-1903), née Brailey, Percival William Stephenson was born at
Malmsbury, Victoria
Malmsbury is a town in central Victoria, Australia on the Old Calder Highway (C794), 95 km north-west of the state capital, Melbourne and 11 km north-west of Kyneton. Situated close by the Coliban River, Malmsbury has a population ...
on 5 May 1888.
He married Grace Ermyntrude Lavender (1885-1974) on 9 October 1913. They three children, Millicent Lavender Stephenson (1914-), Arthur Lavender Stephenson (1917-2001), and Noel Lavender Stephenson (1920-). Percival Stephenson died in 1962.
Education
He was educated at
Caulfield Grammar School, Melbourne, where he was an outstanding footballer in the school's First XVIII, the
University of Melbourne
The University of Melbourne is a public research university located in Melbourne, Australia. Founded in 1853, it is Australia's second oldest university and the oldest in Victoria. Its main campus is located in Parkville, an inner suburb no ...
, the
Australian College of Theology
The Australian College of Theology (ACT) is an Australian higher education provider based in Sydney, New South Wales. The college delivers awards in ministry and theology and was one of the first Australian non-university providers to offer an ...
, and the
University of London
The University of London (UoL; abbreviated as Lond or more rarely Londin in post-nominals) is a federal public research university located in London, England, United Kingdom. The university was established by royal charter in 1836 as a degree ...
.
* 1912:
Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) — University of Melbourne.
* 1913:
Licentiate of Theology (L.Th.) — Australian College of Theology.
* 1915:
Bachelor of Arts (M.A.) — University of Melbourne.
* 1917:
Bachelor of Divinity (B.D.) — University of London.
Cleric
He was ordained in 1914.
Academic
He moved to India to teach at
CMS
CMS may refer to:
Computing
* Call management system
* CMS-2 (programming language), used by the United States Navy
* Code Morphing Software, a technology used by Transmeta
* Collection management system for a museum collection
* Color manag ...
Edwards College in
Peshawar
Peshawar (; ps, پېښور ; hnd, ; ; ur, ) is the sixth most populous city in Pakistan, with a population of over 2.3 million. It is situated in the north-west of the country, close to the International border with Afghanistan. It is ...
, where he was initially a teacher and then principal (1921–1924). From 1924 to 1928 he was
professor
Professor (commonly abbreviated as Prof.) is an academic rank at universities and other post-secondary education and research institutions in most countries. Literally, ''professor'' derives from Latin as a "person who professes". Professors ...
of
exegetical theology
Exegesis ( ; from the Greek , from , "to lead out") is a critical explanation or interpretation of a text. The term is traditionally applied to the interpretation of Biblical works. In modern usage, exegesis can involve critical interpretations ...
at
St John's College, Winnipeg.
On his return to Australia he became federal secretary of the
Church Missionary Society
The Church Mission Society (CMS), formerly known as the Church Missionary Society, is a British mission society working with the Christians around the world. Founded in 1799, CMS has attracted over nine thousand men and women to serve as mission ...
of Australia and Tasmania and
headmaster
A head master, head instructor, bureaucrat, headmistress, head, chancellor, principal or school director (sometimes another title is used) is the staff member of a school with the greatest responsibility for the management of the school. In som ...
of
Trinity Grammar School, Sydney (1935–37) and then commonwealth secretary of the
British and Foreign Bible Society until his elevation to the
episcopate
A bishop is an ordained clergy member who is entrusted with a position of authority and oversight in a religious institution.
In Christianity, bishops are normally responsible for the governance of dioceses. The role or office of bishop is ca ...
in 1940.
Death
He died on 29 May 1962.
News of death
/ref>
See also
* List of Caulfield Grammar School people
This is a list of notable past students and staff of Caulfield Grammar School and/or Malvern Memorial Grammar School (amalgamated with Caulfield in 1961). Alumni of the school are known as "Caulfield Grammarians" and are supported by the Caulfi ...
Notes
References
* Cole, Keith, ''Sincerity My Guide: A Biography of the Right Reverend P.W. Stephenson (1888-1962)'', Church Missionary Historical Publications Trust, (Melbourne), 1970.
*
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Stephenson, Percival William
1888 births
People educated at Caulfield Grammar School
University of Melbourne alumni
Academic staff of the University of Manitoba
Anglican bishops of Nelson
20th-century Anglican bishops in New Zealand
1960 deaths
Alumni of the University of London
Australian headmasters