The surprising election of Archbishop Ric Thorpe

Abstract For the first time in well over half a century, a Church of England bishop has been elected archbishop of an Australian metropolitan diocese with the election of Ric Thorpe, the Bishop of Islington in London, as Archbishop of Melbourne. It has come as a considerable surprise, not only for Melbourne but also for the Anglican Church of Australia. This paper will begin by dissecting the May election, contrasting it with previous Melbourne elections, before outlining the progressive character of Melbourne Diocese that exists no more. It will then discuss how the dramatic changes the election has revealed have come about, before turning to the impact on the broader Australian church.