Anglican Diocese of Perth

The Anglican Diocese of Perth is one of the 23 dioceses of the Anglican Church of Australia. The constitution of the Diocese of Perth was passed and adopted in 1872 at the first synod held in Western Australia. In 1914, the Province of Western Australia was created and the diocesan bishop of Perth became ex officio metropolitan bishop of the new province and therefore also an archbishop.

The diocese incorporates the southern part of the state of Western Australia and includes the Christmas and Cocos Islands. The other dioceses in the Anglican Province of Western Australia are the Diocese of Bunbury and the Diocese of North West Australia.

The cathedral church of the diocese is St George's Cathedral, Perth.

History
The diocese is one of the 23 dioceses of the Anglican Church of Australia. The constitution of the diocese adopted in 1872 at the first synod held in Western Australia. In 1914, the Province of Western Australia was created and the diocesan bishop of Perth became ex officio metropolitan bishop of the new province and therefore also an archbishop.

The diocese incorporates the southern part of the state of Western Australia and includes the Christmas and Cocos Islands. It absorbed the Diocese of Kalgoorlie in 1972. The other dioceses in the Anglican Province of Western Australia are the Diocese of Bunbury and the Diocese of North West Australia.

Wollaston College is authorised by the Archbishop of Perth as the principal provider for theological education in the Diocese. It offers degree-level programs through its partnership with the University of Divinity.

Churchmanship
The diocese has traditionally had a variety of churchmanship and in recent years has largely moved toward a more liberal and moderate Catholic style. There are, however, parishes and clergy representative of all the main Anglican traditions.

On 10 February 2018, Kay Goldsworthy became the first female archbishop in the Anglican Communion on her installation to the archdiocese.

Administrative history
The Perth diocese, like all Australian dioceses, has had administrative procedures dealt with by the diocesan trustees. A range of other sub-committees of the diocese handle broader issues. The trustees were known in earlier times as the Trustees of Church Property.

The relationship of the church and government is not just from the proximity of the cathedral to government house. The land ownership and provision of favourable conditions for the diocese has occurred since establishment of the colony. The Diocesan Trustees and Diocesan Council are regularly observed to deal with significant land and building projects in the history of Perth.

In 1866, there were two archdeaconries: James Brown was Archdeacon of Perth and H. B. Thornhill of Geraldton.

Issues
In the early 2000s the diocese had a large group of Anglo-Catholics from the parish of St Patricks Mt Lawley under the leadership of the then parish priest and high-ranking member of the diocesan clergy, Harry Entwistle, leave to join with another community of the Traditional Anglican Communion which later entered into the Catholic Church as a community of the Personal Ordinariate of Our Lady of the Southern Cross, St Ninians and St Chads based in Mt Lawley. The Personal Ordinariates were created for Anglicans to enter into the Catholic Church and retain many elements of Anglican worship and spirituality, while accepting all doctrines of the Catholic Church. The group cited persecution and on going doctrinal issues for their leaving.

In 2013 the synod voted to recognise diversity of sexuality within the diocese, note many Anglicans support registration of same-sex civil unions, and acknowledge legal recognition of committed same-sex unions could co-exist with legal recognition of heterosexual marriage. Archbishop Roger Herft vetoed the motion, saying that "what we have in the Diocese of course is a number of people in same-sex relationships amongst the clergy and amongst the laity and we have always said that people of all forms of sexuality and orientation are welcome." In a statement on human sexuality, Archbishop Herft confirmed that "there are gay and lesbian clergy serving in the priesthood. They are licensed by me and are honoured and respected as priests..." In April 2016, a priest in St Andrew's Church within the diocese blessed a same-sex couple's relationship. In 2022, Archbishop Kay Goldsworthy ordained as deacon a man in a same-sex civil partnership and appointed as precentor to the cathedral another man in a same-sex civil union.