Grant Dibden

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The Right Reverend

Grant Dibden
Bishop to the Australian Defence Force
ChurchAnglican Church of Australia
Installed18 March 2020[1]
Orders
Ordination2004 (as deacon)
2010 (as priest)[2]
by Richard Hurford[3]
Consecration18 March 2020[1]
by Philip Freier
Personal details
Born1961 (age 59–60)
Kariong, New South Wales
NationalityAustralia
DenominationAnglican
SpouseJeannette[2]
Children3[2]
Alma materRoyal Military College, Duntroon
Sydney Missionary and Bible College[2]
Military career
AllegianceAustralia
Service/branchAustralian Army
Years of service1979–2020
RankEquivalent to Major-general
UnitRoyal Australian Army Chaplains' Department

Grant Phillip Dibden (born 1961) is an Australian Anglican bishop and former military officer and chaplain, who has served as Anglican Bishop to the Australian Defence Force since 18 March 2020.

Early life and military career[]

Dibden grew up in Kariong, New South Wales, where he was involved in Anglican churches from an early age.[2]

He entered the Royal Military College, Duntroon in 1979 and upon graduation in 1982[3] moved was deployed in the Royal Australian Army Ordnance Corps. As a Lieutenant Colonel Dibden commanded the 7th Combat Service Support Battalion and was briefly deployed to East Timor. In December 2002 he was again promoted to Colonel and posted as the Commander Force Support Group. In this role Dibden was the lead logistic planner for Australia's deployment to the Solomon Islands, and he was briefly deployed there in 2003 to oversee the logistics plan there.[4]

In November 2019, Dibden rejoined the regular Army for a final deployment, as he was nominated and accepted a posting as the Coordinating Chaplain for the Australian Defence Force in the Middle East Region, where he served for 2 months over the 2019 Christmas period.[4]

Ministry career[]

In 2004, Dibden left the army full-time to enter full-time Christian ministry. He was ordained deacon in 2004 and priest in 2010 in the Anglican Diocese of Bathurst.[3] In 2005 he was appointed National Director of the Navigators in Australia. In this role he oversaw work in Tonga and India and held a number of roles for the Asia Pacific region.[4] Dibden again took up military positions in 2007, transferring to the Royal Australian Army Chaplains' Department, within the Australian Army Reserve, where he voluntarily reduced his rank to Captain to enable this. Until his appointment as bishop Dibden held various Reserve Chaplain appointments, culminating in his final posting as the Senior Chaplain for 2nd. Division. immediately prior to his consecration as bishop.[3]

Episcopal ministry[]

On 11 February 2020, Dibden was appointed by the then Primate of the Anglican Church of Australia, Philip Freier and Chief of the Defence Force, Angus Campbell, as Anglican Bishop to the Australian Defence Force, replacing Bishop Ian Lambert who had retired in 2019.[5] He was consecrated as bishop and installed as Anglican Bishop to the Australian Defence Force in the Duntroon Chapel on 18 March 2020.[1]

Dibden's role as Bishop involves pastoral care of all Anglican chaplains in the Defence Force, which at the time of his appointment was 43 full-time chaplains, 43 part-time and another six in training.[1] He also has responsibilities for recruiting military chaplains, making sure they are a good fit, and helping them transition back to their dioceses when they leave the service. Although as Bishop he cannot be a member of the Australian Defence Force,[4] in the role he holds a rank equivalent to a major general.[1]

Personal life[]

Dibden is married to Jeanette and has three sons.[2]

References[]

  1. ^ a b c d e "'Wild ride' for New Bishop". Anglican News: a magazine for the Anglican Community of Canberra & Goulburn. 37 (4). Anglican Diocese of Canberra & Goulburn. May 2020. p. 2. Retrieved 9 August 2020.
  2. ^ a b c d e f "Defence Anglican Leadership". Defence Anglicans. Anglican Church of Australia. Retrieved 9 August 2020.
  3. ^ a b c d Powell, Russell (13 February 2020). "Former Army Colonel becomes Bishop in khaki". Sydney Anglicans. Anglican Diocese of Sydney. Retrieved 9 August 2020.
  4. ^ a b c d "Grant Dibden — For God and Country". Department of Veterans Affairs. Commonwealth of Australia. 1 May 2020. Retrieved 9 August 2020.
  5. ^ Freier, Philip (11 February 2020). "Former colonel to be Bishop to the Defence Force". Archbishop of Melbourne. Anglican Diocese of Melbourne. Retrieved 9 August 2020.
Anglican Communion titles
Preceded by Bishop to the Australian Defence Force
2020– 		Incumbent
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