Dorian Baxter (born 3 April 1950 in Mombasa Island, Kenya) is currently recognized by the Government of Ontario as the Archbishop of the Federation of Independent Anglican Churches of North America. He was consecrated in the tradition of the Church of England in Canada on March 9, 2003. Not only is he licensed to perform marriages in Ontario but he as head of the newest religious body of Anglicans in North America is licensed to license his own bishops and clergy to perform weddings in Ontario.
Baxter was baptized and confirmed by the first Black Bishop of Mombasa in Mombasa Cathedral. His father Arthur Baxter was a Major in the British Army and his mother Ena Baxter was a Corporal also in the British Army. Baxter came to Canada on 28 March 1968. He obtained his B.A. from York University and his Master’s Degree from the University of Toronto. He has been an educator for 33 years commencing his career as a classroom teacher with the then York county Board of Education in 1970. In 1972, he was invited by the Headmaster of saint George’s College, Mr. Jack Wright to join his staff. Baxter taught grades 4 through to 10 academics, coached the school swim teams and ran the Independent Schools Athletic Association (Swimming) in Ontario.
In June 1980, he resigned to enter Theological studies at Wycliffe College, Toronto School of Theology, University of Toronto and was ordained in Saint James Cathedral on May 15, 1983 after serving as Head of Divinity, elected by the student body at the College. He served as a priest with the Anglican Church of Canada at Saint Paul’s Anglican Church in Thunder Bay, Ontario and as Priest-in-charge of the Anglican Church of the Holy Spirit in Manitouwadge, Ontario.
Baxter is the Founding National Chairman of NAPPA (The National Association for Public and Private Accountability).
In the 2004 federal election, he was a candidate in Newmarket-Aurora for the Progressive Canadian Party. He placed fifth with over 1,000 votes. Baxter ran again in the 2006 federal election and finished with 729 votes which placed him in fifth out of six candidates.
A social conservative, Baxter is pro-life and has criticized the consecration to the episcopate of the Episcopal Church USA of Gene Robinson, a gay priest.
He recently fell out of grace with the Anglican church when he decided to do his Elvis impersonations in church.
Following months of personal soul searching and conversations with community and spiritual leaders, Reverend Baxter decided with the assistance of an appointed steering committee to open Christ the King, Graceland, Independent Anglican Church of Canada where he continues to preach in his own inimitable style…yes, thank you….thank you very much!!.
Approximately 280 parishioners attended the service accompanied by media from around the world. CNN, USA Today, Regional and National Newspapers including the Toronto Star, Sun, Globe & Mail, National Post, Associated Press and the New Era Banner along with Local and National TV Broadcasters like CTV, Global, CBC, New VR and the New R/O were in attendance.
This resulted in coverage of over 5825 front pages from Global Newspapers, 900 secondary pages and several more independent magazine and internet news agencies contacting the Reverend for yet more coverage. Since January 2003 and up to June 2003, Reverend Baxter has conducted 331 Radio Broadcasts from around the world.
There have been mini documentaries done by NBC Today, Vision TV and Seoul Brodcasting Systems, S. Korea. The latter sent a film crew to spend three days with the Reverend in order to produce a video library of his life.
Source: Wikipedia
