Robert Codman
{{Short description|American bishop}}
{{Infobox Christian leader
| type = Bishop
| honorific_prefix = The Right Reverend
| name = Robert Codman
| honorific_suffix = D.D.
| title = Bishop of Maine
| image = The Rt. Rev. Robert Codman, Jr.jpg
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| church = Episcopal Church
| archdiocese =
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| diocese = Maine
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| elected =
| term = 1900–1915
| quashed =
| predecessor = Henry A. Neely
| successor = Benjamin Brewster
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| ordination = June 10, 1894
| ordained_by = Charles Chapman Grafton
| consecration = February 24, 1900
| consecrated_by = William Woodruff Niles
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| birth_name =
| birth_date = {{Birth date|1859|12|30}}
| birth_place = Boston, Massachusetts, United States
| death_date = {{Death date and age|1915|10|07|1859|12|30}}
| death_place = Boston, Massachusetts, United States
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| nationality = American
| religion = Anglican
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| alma_mater = Harvard University
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Robert Codman (December 30, 1859 - October 7, 1915) was bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Maine, serving from 1900 to 1915.
Early years
Codman was born in Boston, Massachusetts in 1859 to Robert Codman Sr, a prominent Boston lawyer. Codman's father Robert Sr had Congregationalist ancestry, with his own father, John Codman, serving as a Congregationalist minister. Nonetheless, Robert Codman Sr converted to Anglicanism. By the time of his death he had become a senior warden in the Church of the Advent in Boston, which was also the parish church in which his son Robert Jr, the future bishop, grew up. Codman was educated in public schools and later graduated in Law from Harvard University in 1882.
==Ordained ministry==
He graduated from Harvard and practiced law for some years, but upon the death of his brother, the Reverend Archibald Codman, his thoughts turned to the ordained ministry.[https://digitalcommons.library.umaine.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1020&context=mainehistoryjournal University of Maine website, Library section Combating the ‘Social Evil’: Masculinity and Moral Reform in Portland, 1912-1914, by Howard M. Solomon, published in Maine History (Volume 43, Number 3, January 2008] He studied in the General Theological Seminary[https://archive.org/stream/catalogue18librgoog/catalogue18librgoog_djvu.txt Internet Archive, Catalogue of the officers and students of the General Theological Seminary of the Protestant Episcopal Church in the United States, located in the city of New-York] in New York City after which he was ordained deacon in 1893. He was appointed curate of All Saints Church in Ashmont, Boston. In 1894 he was ordained priest by Bishop Charles Chapman Grafton. He became rector of St John's Church in Boston Highlands.
He was a strong advocate of Muscular Christianity.
Episcopacy
Codman was elected to succeed Henry A. Neely as Bishop of Maine.[https://maryjude.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Hansen_1981_Not-a-Common-House.pdf The Parish of St Mary and St Jude website, Not a Common House, by Gunnar Hansen (1981), page 37] He was consecrated bishop on February 24, 1900, in St Luke's Cathedral in Portland. As bishop he altered and expanded the cathedral by adding the Emmanuel chapel[https://episcopalmaine.org/about/history/ Episcopal Maine website, History] which includes the Madonna and Child of John La Farge. He also expanded the Bishop's residence.
He worked to increase the Episcopal presence throughout his diocese[https://goodshepherdrangeley.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/Shearings-Issue-1-2019.pdf Good Shepherd Rangeley website, Shearings, Issue 1 (2019), page 3][https://christchurcheastport.com/history-of-christ-church/ Christ Church Eastport website, History of Christ Church] and consecrated several new church buildings.[https://stgeorgesanford.org/about/history/ St George’s Episcopal Church website, History][https://www.themainemag.com/all-saints-by-the-sea/#close The Maine Mag website, All Saints by the Sea, article by Dr. Lisa Belisle dated July 2017]
In 1911 he presided at the opening of the Edward T. Gignoux U.S. Courthouse in Portland.[https://www.med.uscourts.gov/court-history US District Court (District of Maine) website, Court History]
Codman served as bishop till his death in 1915.(1917). The Living Church Annual, p. 65-66. The Young Churchmen Co., Milwaukee, Wis.
During his later years, he was heavily involved in the Anti-Tuberculosis Society[https://www.bangordailynews.com/2009/07/05/living/bangor-fought-spread-of-tb/ Bangor Daily News website, Bangor Fought Spread of TB, article by Wayne E. Reilly, published January 30, 2011] and the Citizens’ Committee; he saw both as working against the disadvantages of urban life.
Family
References
- The Living Church Annual, 1916, pp. 65–66.
External links
[https://stpetersepiscopalportme.org/history-for-st-peters-episcopal/ St Peter’s Episcopal Church website] History of St Peter’s
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Category:Harvard Law School alumni
Category:19th-century American Episcopalians
Category:Episcopal bishops of Maine
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