Robert Bruce Hall (January 17, 1921 – May 25, 1985) was bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Virginia, serving from 1974 to 1985.

Biography

Hall was born on May 27, 1921, in Wheeling, West Virginia. He graduated from

Trinity College Trinity College may refer to: Australia * Trinity Anglican College, an Anglican coeducational primary and secondary school in , New South Wales * Trinity Catholic College, Auburn, a coeducational school in the inner-western suburbs of Sydney, New ...

and the Episcopal Theological Seminary in

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. He also served in the

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during

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. In 1949 he was ordained deacon in June 1949 and priest in May 1950. He served as curate, then associate rector and later as rector of Trinity Church in

Huntington, West Virginia Huntington is a city in Cabell and Wayne counties in the U.S. state of West Virginia. It is the county seat of Cabell County, and the largest city in the Huntington–Ashland metropolitan area, sometimes referred to as the Tri-State Area. A h ...

and after 1958, as rector of St Chrysostom's Church in

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. In 1966 he was elected and consecrated Coadjutor Bishop of Virginia, with the right of succession upon the retirement, resignation or death of Bishop

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. He succeeded in 1974. During his time as bishop of Virginia he was involved in sanctioning the irregular ordination of women as priests in his diocese. In 1974 he sanctioned services presided over by the Reverend Alison Cheek of Annandale, Virginia in

Charlottesville, Virginia Charlottesville, colloquially known as C'ville, is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia. It is the county seat of Albemarle County, which surrounds the city, though the two are separate legal entities. It is named after Queen Ch ...

. When the General Convention reversed the decision and opened ordination to women as well in September 1976, Bishop Hall lifted his sanctions. On January 2, 1977, he ordained Patricia Laura Merchant Park, the first female priest in Virginia with the approval of the church. In 1980 Bishop Hall once again made headlines when he announced that he will seek assistance in overcoming his alcohol addiction. He entered St Mary's Rehabilitation Hospital in Minneapolis and on February 9 for 6 weeks. He was extensively supported by the Diocesan Standing Committee and its executive board. He died in office on May 27, 1985."Bishop Robert Hall Dies After Surgery"
''Archives of the Episcopal Church'', Washington , 06 June 1985. Retrieved on 08 October 2018.

References

1921 births 1985 deaths 20th-century Anglican bishops in the United States Religious leaders from Wheeling, West Virginia United States Army personnel of World War II Trinity College (Connecticut) alumni Episcopal Divinity School alumni Episcopal bishops of Virginia Episcopalians from West Virginia {{US-Anglican-bishop-stub