MOORE, Paul, Jr. 1919-2003

OBITUARY NOTICE—See index for CA sketch: Born November 15, 1919, in Morristown, NY; died of complications from lung and brain cancer May 1, 2003, in New York, NY. Religious leader and author. As the thirteenth Episcopal bishop of New York, Moore lent a powerful liberal voice to debates about social issues. Born to a wealthy, well-connected family, he did his undergraduate work at Yale University. After receiving his B.A. in 1941, he served as a captain in the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve, saw action at Guadalcanal and Guam, and received the Purple Heart, the Silver Star, and the Naval Cross. When he returned, he studied for the ministry at General Theological Seminary in New York City, where he received his S.T.B. in 1949, the same year he was ordained an Episcopal priest. After a short time as a pastor in New York City, Moore was assigned an inner-city church in Jersey City, where he worked from 1949 to 1957. He became dean of the Episcopal Cathedral in Indianapolis from 1957 to 1964, followed by an appointment as a suffragan bishop in the Washington, D.C., diocese, where his political activism began to evolve as the civil rights movement was in full swing. In 1970 he was made bishop coadjutor in New York, becoming the city's bishop two years later. As bishop, Moore often spoke strongly against such issues as racism, inadequate public housing, police brutality, corporate greed, war and military spending, and discrimination against the homosexual community. He was, in fact, the first Episcopalian bishop to ordain a lesbian as a priest, which he did in 1977. He also did much to make the Episcopal cathedral a center for culture and a welcoming place for the city's poor. Musicians, dancers, and circuses often performed there; homeless people could sleep there in a supervised shelter. Although Moore retired in 1989, he continued to voice his liberal opinions for the remainder of his life, insisting that political and religious issues are inexorably linked. He was the author of three books: The Church Reclaims the City (1965; second edition, 1970), Take a Bishop like Me (1979), and Presences: A Bishop's Life in the City (1997).

OBITUARIES AND OTHER SOURCES:

PERIODICALS

Los Angeles Times, May 3, 2003, p. B20.

New York Times, May 2, 2003, p. C12.

Times (London, England), May 12, 2003.

Washington Post, May 3, 2003, p. B6.