Samuel Johnson Howard

The Rt. Rev. Samuel Johnson Howard is the eighth bishop of the Diocese of Florida.

A former lawyer, Howard radically changed his career by returning to school and graduating from Virginia Theological Seminary in Alexandria, Virginia, with a Master of Divinity degree. He was ordained deacon in June 1989 and a year later as priest. His first position was assistant to the rector of the Church of the Holy Comforter in Charlotte, North Carolina, then rector of St. James’ Episcopal Church in Charleston, South Carolina.

He served as vicar of Trinity Church Wall Street immediately before his consecration.

A number of initiatives have been taken since he became Bishop of Florida in 2004: Bishop Howard began the Bishop’s Institute for Ministry and Leadership; he implemented college Chaplains programs; he began the Initiative for Evangelism and Growth; and he has supported important, innovative outreach programs within the Diocese. Bishop Howard currently also serves as Chancellor of the University of the South through 2018 in addition to his responsibilities to the Diocese of Florida.

Bishop Howard and his wife Marie have two sons: Augustus is a graduate of Duke University Law School and is currently a doctoral student at the University of Cambridge, while Charles is a doctoral student at the New York Institute of Fine Arts.