Chch's controversial new bishop

LIBERAL: The Right Reverend Victoria Matthews, who has been elected Christchurch's next Anglican bishop.

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A controversial Canadian woman has been elected Christchurch's next Anglican bishop.

The Right Reverend Victoria Matthews, who is bishop-in-residence at Wycliffe College in Toronto, will become the eighth Bishop of Christchurch at a ceremony on August 30.

Bishop Matthews, a former bishop of Edmonton, Canada, has signalled support for blessing gay marriages, but is not expected to break with tradition.

She has twice been in the running to be Primate of the Anglican Church in Canada, the highest post in the country.

In 2004, Bishop Matthews chaired the Task Force on Alternate Episcopal Oversight which looked at the issue of same sex-marriage in Canada.

At the 2007 General Synod of the Canadian church Bishop Matthews voted in favour of a resolution stating "the blessing of same-sex unions is not in conflict with the core doctrine of the Anglican Church" but voted against permitting those blessings.

Christchurch MP Tim Barnett told The Press newspaper earlier this month he understood the appointment was "a very exciting choice".

Primate of the Anglican Church in Aotearoa, NZ and Polynesia, Archbishop Brown Turei said he looked forward to welcoming Bishop Matthews into the church in New Zealand.

"I'm sure that, with all her experience, she will make a good contribution to our life and witness."

Bishop Matthews, 54 and unmarried, is only the second woman to become a diocesan bishop in New Zealand.

The first was the Rt Rev'd Dr Penny Jamieson, Bishop of Dunedin from 1989-2004.

Bishop Matthews chairs the Canadian Primate's Theological Commission, and has just been appointed to the Windsor Continuation Group, which will look at crucial questions about the shape of Anglican common life around the world.

In 2004 Bishop Matthews underwent major surgery for breast cancer.

She walked the 800km pilgrimage trail to Santiago De Compostela in northern Spain last year to celebrate a clean bill of health.

In her spare time she enjoys hiking and walking her Anatolian shepherd dog Jethro, swimming, and reading history and theology.

The present Bishop, the Rt Rev'd Dr David Coles, takes up the position of Vicar of Wakatipu in Queenstown on April 12.

- NZPA