The Episcopal Diocese of Florida has elected a new bishop after operating without a permanent diocesan leader for nearly three years amid disputes over a previous election process and LGBT-related concerns.
The diocese chose the Rev. J. Randolph Alexander Jr., rector of Immanuel Church-on-the-Hill in Alexandria, Virginia, to become its ninth bishop.
Alexander was elected during a diocesan convention attended by more than 200 clergy and lay delegates at the Camp Weed & Cerveny Conference Center in Live Oak, Florida. He secured the election on the third ballot with 86 clergy votes and 78 lay votes.
The election must now receive formal consent from bishops and standing committees across The Episcopal Church. Denominational leaders have 120 days to complete that process.
The diocese had previously elected the Rev. Charlie Holt in May 2022 to succeed retiring Florida Bishop Samuel Howard, but the process quickly became the subject of controversy after clergy and lay members raised concerns about how the election had been conducted.
In August 2022, The Episcopal Church Court of Review reported finding “irregularities” that created “seeds of uncertainty” about “the integrity of the process.” Holt also faced questions from some within the diocese over how he, an opponent of gay marriage, would treat LGBT individuals.
The Episcopal Church requires dioceses to provide access to blessings for same-sex unions while allowing clergy who object on conscience grounds to decline to perform such ceremonies.
In December 2022, Holt said he would allow “each parish” to determine whether to bless same-sex unions, describing the decision as “a matter of conscience and context.”
Opposition to his election continued. In March 2023, the LGBTQ+ Caucus of The Episcopal Church issued an open letter arguing that Holt’s election was “the intended result of a system designed in the exclusion of LGBTQ+ voices and votes.”
Howard retired in October 2023 despite the absence of a confirmed successor. He later faced allegations involving financial misconduct and discrimination against LGBT individuals, accusations he denied.
Last year, Episcopal Church Presiding Bishop Sean Rowe announced that an agreement had been reached to resolve the complaints against Howard, with the retired bishop facing no disciplinary action.
