Genieve Blackwell

Who is Genieve Blackwell?

Genieve Blackwell is an Australian Anglican bishop.

In 2012 Blackwell became the first woman to be consecrated as a bishop in the state of New South Wales, the third in Australia and the 31st in the world. She was appointed as Regional Bishop of Wagga Wagga on 31 March 2012 at a service held in St Saviour's Cathedral, Goulburn, the cathedral church of the Diocese of Canberra and Goulburn.

Blackwell was born in Western Australia, the daughter of a Methodist minister. Her family subsequently moved to the Wagga Wagga district. When she attended the University of Sydney she became an Anglican. After university, she studied at Moore Theological College from 1989 to 1992 and ministered in the parishes of Gulgong and Grenfell before moving to Yass in 2005. She became an archdeacon about three years before being consecrated as a bishop and was given the additional responsibility of ministering to diocesan clergy during the drought.

Most of the Anglican Church in Australia has embraced the ordination of women as priests and bishops. A notable opponent has been Peter Jensen, a former Archbishop of Sydney.

Blackwell is married to John and has two children, Baith and Harry.