The Rev. Carolyn Tanner Irish, daughter of the late Utah philanthropist O.C. Tanner, is a finalist for bishop-elect of the Utah Episcopal Diocese, church officials say.
If chosen, the Rev. Irish would be the state's first female bishop. Currently, she is a staff associate for spiritual development at the National Cathedral in Washington.One of five candidates selected by the Committee for the Nomination of a Bishop Coadjutor, the Rev. Irish is the only woman finalist.
Others include the Rev. David E. Bailey, rector of St. Stephen's Episcopal Church in Phoenix; the Rev. George M. Foxworth, rector of All Saints Memorial Episcopal Church in Sacramento; the Very Rev. H. Scott Kirby, dean of Christ Church Cathedral, Eau Claire, Wis., and the Venerable Hartshorn Murphy, archdeacon for congregational development, Diocese of Los Angeles.
One of the five will be chosen Dec. 2 to serve as coadjutor, in line to succeed the Rev. George E. Bates, who has announced his plans to retire as bishop due to poor health, probably the middle of next year.
The bishop is elected by members, but both the House of Bishops, which includes all the church's bishops, and the church's 100-plus standing committees must approve.
The Episcopal Diocese of Utah has 6,000 members who will meet the five candidates in regional meetings over the next few weeks.
Although the Rev. Irish lives in Washington, she has maintained a strong interest in her family's multimillion-dollar jewelry business. Since her father's death in October 1993, the Rev. Irish has served as chairwoman of the board of the company.
The Rev. Lee Shaw of St. Michael's Episcopal Church in Brigham City, a member of the nine-member screening committee, said the Rev. Irish holds no advantage because she has strong Utah ties.
"We're not necessarily looking for someone with Utah connections. None of the five are clergy in Utah," the Rev. Shaw said. "She does have connections here. But she has never been clergy here."
Church spokesman Malin Foster said there are only two other women in the United States who are Episcopal diocesan bishops.