An Australian outreach initiative called Hope25, ministry with First Nations people, and the impact of the Bondi Beach attacks were all topics explored in a roundtable discussion with the new Primate of Australia.
Visiting the Anglican Communion Office on 14 January, the Rt Revd Dr Mark Short (the Bishop of Canberra and Goulburn) and his wife Monica, spent time with ACO staff in fellowship, prayer and conversation. He shared his wish that the Anglican Communion would be ‘hopeful and hope-filled’ and also outlined some of his mission priorities as he begins his primatial term.
Working collegially is important
The Rt Revd Mark Short commenced his six-year term on November 1st, 2025. Noting that ‘it is still early days’, Bishop Mark said that he has ‘enjoyed beginning to work in our General Synod Office and chairing my first meeting of the General Synod Standing Committee’. He appreciates ‘the collegial and careful way’ in which those present work.
Mission and Outreach
Speaking about mission and outreach, Bishop Mark and Monica celebrated different initiatives in the Province. The work of chaplains in the Australian Defence Force (ADF Chaplians are responsible for the provision of spiritual, religious and pastoral support to all ADF members and their families in a range of peacetime and operational environments. Monica also noted how school chaplains in Australia play an important part in supporting young people facing mental health crises. Her heart is to see a more equal provision of pastoral support in both private and public school education systems.
Bishop Mark has been encouraged by the impact of Hope25 – a national evangelistic initiative that ran last year. He noted that these ministries have ‘reinforced the priority of proclaiming and demonstrating the hope we have in Christ in an era of increased spiritual openness’.
He thinks that through Hope25, the churches involved recognised that ‘the language of hope speaks powerfully to people at the moment’. He explained that ‘there are lots of reasons people feel anxious and uncertain – the cost of living crisis, geopolitical uncertainty, tensions between China and Taiwan. It’s powerful when the Church can speak into that with a longing for Jesus that’s clear and gracious’.
While visiting the United Kingdom, Bishop Mark has enjoyed hearing about the ‘quiet revival’ in which a trend has been emerging of people (particularly young people) showing up at church without an obvious catalyst. In his context, ‘we are seeing some of those patterns in the churches in Australia of people who are waking up with a conviction to connect or reconnect with church’.
Supporting the ministry of First Nations Christian leaders
Bishop Mark describes other vital ministry priorities for the province. One is ensuring the ongoing viability of ministry, particularly in rural and remote areas. Another is recognising and supporting the ministry of First Nations Christian leaders to be more representative of the diverse population of Australia. ‘Anglicanism arrived in Australia as part of the process of colonisation, which was a traumatic experience for First Nations people.’ Bishop Mark hopes that when the General Synod meets later this year, it will be able to agree on resourcing for a full-time Aboriginal bishop and a Torres Strait Islander bishop.
Drawing together after the December Bondi Beach attack
Monica Short is a social worker and passionate advocate for social justice. She shared with the Anglican Communion Office team that after the recent attack on Bondi Beach in which two men open fired on a group of the Jewish community who were celebrating Chanukkah, her Jewish colleagues and friends are ‘fearful’ and ‘anxious’. Monica went on to say that while ‘this is an international issue, not just an Australian issue, with Jesus being the Prince of Peace, we [the church] have an opportunity to say “we follow Jesus, our home is a sanctuary, you are welcome and you are safe here”’.
Bishop Mark told of how a nearby Anglican Church that was open at the time of the attack had experienced a flood of people running from the scene, taking refuge in the church to escape the gunfire. He also mentioned that the incident has sparked more investigation by the government into the issues of racial and hate speech. Speaking about how the church can be supportive of people living together well as a diverse society, Bishop Mark reflects that the Church can encourage and support by gathering people together in mourning and condolence and drawing people closer together rather than letting hate divide communities further. He went on to say that the repercussions of the attack are ‘impacting members of both Jewish and Muslim communities. As Christians, we can hold both groups in our hearts.’
A message of hope for the Anglican Communion
Bishop Mark shared a short message of hope and inspiration for the global church, saying that ‘During 2025, the Australian Church has been reminded that the hope of Christ is transformative and will never disappoint. My prayer for the Anglican Communion at this time is that it will be hopeful and hope-filled. Hopeful, in having a sense of Christ-centred anticipation of the difference we can make in the world. Hope-filled, in visibly demonstrating through our words and actions the hope that Jesus offers, so that others are drawn to him.’
About Bishop Mark Short
Educated at Moore Theological College and the University of Durham, UK, Bishop Mark was ordained as a deacon in 1996 and a priest in 1997, in the Canberra & Goulburn Diocese. He has also served as Rector of Turvey Park (now South Wagga) and Archdeacon of Wagga Wagga in the Diocese of Canberra and Goulburn.
Bishop Mark has served in many rural capacities, including as National Director of the Bush Church Aid Society for several years, an organisation that works to resource regional and rural Christian communities. He was then elected the Primate of the Anglican Church of Australia in July 2025, succeeding Archbishop Geoffrey Smith, the former primate, in November 2025.
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Read a news article about Bishop Mark's election as Primate of the Anglican Church of Australia.