Barbara Darling

{{Short description|Anglican bishop in Australia}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2024}}

{{Infobox Christian leader

| type =

| honorific-prefix = The Right Reverend

| name = Barbara Darling

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| church = Anglican Church of Australia

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| diocese = Melbourne

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| ordination = 1986 (deacon)
1992 (priest)

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| consecration = 2008

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| birth_name = Barbara Brinsley Darling

| birth_date = {{Birth date|df=yes|1947|10|17}}

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| death_date = {{Death date and age|df=yes|2015|2|15|1947|10|17}}

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| nationality = Australian

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| alma_mater = University of Sydney (BA, DipEd)
University of Melbourne (MA)

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Barbara Brinsley Darling (17 October 1947 – 15 February 2015) was an Australian Anglican bishop. She was among the first women to be an ordained deacon in the Anglican Church of Australia.

Darling was born in Burwood, Sydney, one of three children of Geoff and Honor Darling. In 1975 she began studying theology at Ridley College, Melbourne.[http://www.smh.com.au/comment/obituaries/gracious-and-gentle-pioneer-was-a-role-model-for-anglican-women-20150216-13gcet.html Sydney Morning Herald.]

Darling was ordained as deacon on 9 February 1986 and as a priest on 13 December 1992.{{Cite web|url=http://www.stpaulscathedral.org.au/uploads/FINAL%20Funeral%20Barbara%20Darling%20Order%20of%20Service(1).pdf |title=A Service of Thanksgiving to celebrate the life and ministry of Bishop Barbara Brinsley Darling |date=22 February 2015 |access-date=22 February 2015 |website=St Paul's Cathedral, Melbourne |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150222151626/http://www.stpaulscathedral.org.au/uploads/FINAL%20Funeral%20Barbara%20Darling%20Order%20of%20Service%281%29.pdf |archive-date=22 February 2015 |df=dmy }} She was consecrated to the episcopate at St Paul's Cathedral, Melbourne, on 31 May 2008.{{cite web|title=First woman bishop appointed in Victoria |url=http://www.melbourne.anglican.com.au/main.php?pg=news&news_id=11328&s=151 |author=Jane Still |date=25 April 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080722163539/http://www.melbourne.anglican.com.au/main.php?pg=news&news_id=11328&s=151 |archive-date=22 July 2008 }}{{cite web|title=Joyful end to a long journey for the Diocese |url=http://www.melbourne.anglican.com.au/main.php?pg=news&news_id=11852 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080726210239/http://www.melbourne.anglican.com.au/main.php?pg=news&news_id=11852 |url-status=dead |archive-date=26 July 2008 |author=Roland Ashby |date=2 June 2008 }} She became the first woman to be a bishop in the Anglican Diocese of Melbourne.{{cite news|last1=Porter|first1=Muriel|author-link1=Muriel Porter|title=Gracious and gentle pioneer was a role model for Anglican women|url=http://www.smh.com.au/comment/obituaries/gracious-and-gentle-pioneer-was-a-role-model-for-anglican-women-20150216-13gcet.html|access-date=20 February 2015|work=The Sydney Morning Herald|date=16 February 2015}} She was the Bishop for Diocesan Ministries until 2009 when she became the Bishop of the Eastern Region.

Darling died on 15 February 2015 following a stroke.{{cite news|last1=Mannix|first1=Liam|title=Melbourne's first Anglican female bishop dies|url=http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/melbournes-first-anglican-female-bishop-dies-20150215-13f7pk.html|access-date=15 February 2015|work=The Age|date=15 February 2015}} Her funeral was held at St Paul's Cathedral, Melbourne, on 22 February 2015.