The Most Reverend James Eugene Provence
Archbishop of the Anglican Province of Christ the King

The Most Reverend James Eugene Provence was born August 25, 1947, in San Francisco, California, to Eugene Provence and Beulah (Saum) Provence. Abp. Provence grew up in the nearby suburb of San Mateo and was baptized and confirmed at the Episcopal Church of St. Matthew.

Abp. Provence enlisted in the United States Marine Corps in 1966 and served for six years. Following his service in the Marine Corps, Abp. Provence began a career as a broadcast engineer in radio and television before transferring his skills to the motion picture industry. It was during this time that changes in the Episcopal Church and its Book of Common Prayer caused him to leave St. Matthew's and become a founding member of a new congregation of traditional Episcopalians, one of the original six that started the Anglican Province of Christ the King.

In 1980, Abp. Provence was called to the priestly vocation and entered St. Joseph of Arimathea Anglican Theological College, graduating in 1983 with a Bachelor of Sacred Theology degree followed by post-graduate studies in canon law. He has been a member of the faculty of St. Joseph's since 1990 teaching classes in ecclesiology and canon law.

Ordained Deacon in 1983 and Priest in 1989, Abp. Provence served several California congregations. He was consecrated Bishop Coadjutor for the Diocese of the Western States in 2003 and became Diocesan Ordinary in 2004.

On June 29, 2007, Abp. Provence was elected Archbishop of the Anglican Province of Christ the King, becoming the second Archbishop since the Province was formed in 1977. In accordance with the canons of the Province, Abp. Provence also serves as rector of St. Thomas' Anglican Church in San Francisco.

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