Marc Andrus – Bishop, Climate Advocate, and More

Marc Andrus, Marc Handley Andrus was born on Oct. 20, 1956, in Oak Ridge, Tenn. Growing up in Kingston, Tenn., the son of Mary Frances Andrus and Francis Andrus, he developed an early interest in social justice and community planning. Andrus received a Bachelor of Science in plant science from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, in 1979 and later earned a master’s degree in social sciences at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University in 1982.

Career Beginnings

After earning his master’s degree, Marc’s first position was as a regional planner at the Accomack-Northampton Planning District Commission on the eastern side of Virginia’s Delmarva Peninsula. Yet the pull to serve the community in another way drew him to theological study. He received a master of divinity degree in 1987 from the Virginia Theological Seminary in Alexandria, Va.

Ministry Journey

Marc Andrus was ordained a deacon on June 20, 1987, and soon started working as a senior associate at the Church of the Redeemer in Bryn Mawr, Penn. He was ordained a priest on April 25, 1988. His later positions included chaplain at Episcopal High School in Alexandria, Va., from 1990 to 1997, and rector of Emmanuel Church in Middleburg, Va., until 2002.

Episcopal Leadership

Marc Andrus was consecrated as the suffragan bishop for the Episcopal Diocese of Alabama in 2002. He became the eighth Bishop of California on May 6, 2006, having been elected four years earlier to succeed William Edwin Swing. He steered his administration on issues of peace and justice, including immigration reform and civil rights for LGBTQ+ individuals, as well as healthcare, housing rights and climate change.

Advocacy and Achievements

As a leader in California, Marc Andrus worked through many avenues of advocacy. He served as co-chair of a community coalition that helped rebuild St. Luke’s Hospital in San Francisco, and he had been involved in climate advocacy work that brought him to United Nations Climate Conferences, including COP21 in Paris, COP22 in Marrakesh, COP23 in Bonn and COP24 in Katowice, Poland. He also took part in the Dakota Access Pipeline protests at Standing Rock, N.D.

Academy Board Memberships and Fellowships

Marc Andrus was on the boards of many organizations, including the Episcopal Impact Fund, the Episcopal School for Deacons, Episcopal Community Services, and the American Bach Soloists. His leadership also extended far beyond the Episcopal Church, as with his joining the We Are Still In Leaders’ Circle, an ambassadorial cadre of American climate action.

Retirement

Marc Andrus retired in the summer of 2024, having dedicated his life to social justice and environmental sustainability. His scholarship has motivated so many of our families of faith and beyond to advocate for a better world.

Recent Developments

The ban, first reported on Oct. 9 by the Episcopal Church, is part of a Title IV disciplinary process, according to reports. Andrus is barred from engaging in any ministry work or speaking to diocesan members until the disciplinary process has concluded, according to the Church’s Office of Public Affairs. Many were stunned by the allegations against Andrus, who has long been known for decades of activism on social justice and environmental issues.

Andrus has also been known for his work in the Episcopal community and his advocacy around climate change and social justice, and those contributions are not lost despite the controversy unfolding now. A legacy of his active involvement in events like the UN Climate Conferences and his initiatives to bring different faiths together to address world challenges. All affected are in the prayers and support of the Episcopal community as we continue to find our way through this painful season.

Conclusion

From Regional Planner to Several-churches Bishop, and in Between: Marc Andrus’ Local Path to Global Leadership on Climate Under his leadership, the Episcopal Diocese of California has a permanent legacy and an impressive example of faith-based activism.