Mark Short Becomes Australia’s First Evangelical Anglican Primate in Over 40 Years

By Kurt Mahlburg

THE DAILY DECLARATION

23 July 2025

For the first time since 1982, an evangelical bishop — Mark Short — will serve as the national leader of Australia’s Anglican Church.

Dr Mark Short, Bishop of the Diocese of Canberra and Goulburn, has been elected as the new Primate of the Anglican Church of Australia, marking a significant return to evangelical leadership in the national church.

The announcement came after Short secured majorities across all three voting houses — Bishops, Clergy, and Laity — at the Board of Electors on Saturday 19th July.

He will assume the role on 1 November, following the formal resignation of Archbishop Geoffrey Smith of Adelaide.

Dr Short’s election is especially notable given that he will become the first non-metropolitan bishop ever to be appointed to the church’s top office, which is traditionally filled by leaders from capital city dioceses like Sydney, Melbourne or Adelaide.

He also becomes the first evangelical to hold the role since Sir Marcus Loane stepped down in 1982.

Dr Mark Short was also a delegate at the recent Australian Evangelism Roundtable, an event organised by the Canberra Declaration in partnership with other key ministries, to strategise getting the gospel out to every Australian by Pentecost 2033.

Dr Short’s election has been warmly received by many top Anglican leaders around Australia.

“I know Mark to be a faithful servant of the Lord who holds unambiguous convictions about the primacy and trustworthiness of the Scriptures,” said Sydney Archbishop Kanishka Raffel in a public statement. “He will bring deep wisdom, broad experience and an irenic spirit to this new role.”

Evangelical Convictions and Broad Church Support

Short, 57, has been noted as a theologically grounded and mission-minded leader. An alumnus of Moore Theological College in Sydney and a former PhD graduate of Durham University in the UK, Short previously served as National Director of the Bush Church Aid Society (BCA), which supports gospel workers in rural and remote Australia. His background as both a church planter and theological thinker has earned him respect across multiple dioceses.

The process of electing a new Primate included a vote from three distinct constituencies within the Anglican Church: bishops, clergy, and lay representatives.

John Sandeman reports that, although fellow evangelical candidate Bishop Matt Brain of Bendigo had initial backing from the Bishops, Short gained strong support from the Laity and Clergy — two houses that, in recent years, have reflected a growing evangelical majority within the national church.

That majority was clearly evident at the last General Synod, where evangelical priorities shaped key discussions on Scripture and doctrine. Dr Short’s election appears to affirm this shift, offering a national voice more aligned with biblical orthodoxy and commitment to the gospel.

Short’s evangelical roots are also evident in his past affiliations with the Evangelical Fellowship in the Anglican Communion (EFAC), a network committed to upholding the authority of the Bible and promoting mission within the Anglican tradition.

Additionally, as reported by The Melbourne Anglican, “In 2022, Bishop Short supported Sydney Archbishop Kanishka Raffels’ motion that sought to define marriage as the exclusive union between a man and a woman.”

Mark Short: A Primate from the Regions

Dr Short’s election as Anglican Primate is significant both for his evangelical theology and his leadership in a regional diocese.

Until now, every Australian Primate has come from one of the five major metropolitan sees — Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide, Brisbane, or Perth. Dr Short, by contrast, serves in a regional diocese, overseeing the Canberra and Goulburn region since his consecration as bishop in 2019.

Amid the church’s often competing urban and rural priorities, Dr Short’s leadership offers a unifying presence. From 2011 to 2018, he led Bush Church Aid, working with 17 dioceses to send gospel workers into Australia’s most isolated regions. His leadership in these settings has forged a reputation for relational ministry, pastoral sensitivity, and gospel perseverance.

Short’s previous career also adds a layer of perspective. Before entering full-time ministry, he worked as a journalist for the Sydney Morning Herald and as a graduate economist for the Commonwealth Department of Industrial Relations. He later served in country parishes including Temora, Turvey Park, and Tarcutta, before moving into leadership roles.

His wide-ranging background combines theological training with life in Australia’s heartland — a quality likely to appeal to everyday believers and clergy beyond the major cities.

Bishop Short will officially commence his term as Primate on 1 November, while continuing to serve as Bishop of Canberra and Goulburn. His initial term will last six years, with the possibility of a three-year extension.