Meet the
Dean of the Cathedral
The
Very Reverend Robert E. Brodie
The Very Reverend
Robert Earle Brodie was called as Dean of the Cathedral Church of St.
Paul, Springfield, Illinois on February 1, 2006. The son of Earle Wilder
Brodie Jr. and June Virginia Williams Brodie (deceased), Dean Brodie was
born in Miami, Florida on December 7, 1946.
He attended the Police
Academy, Florida Post Commission, Miami, FL, graduating in 1969. He
graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Miami in
Florida, majoring in History and Music (1970), a Master of Divinity
degree from the Episcopal Seminary, University of the South, Sewanee, TN
(1978) and was made a George K. Zain Foundation Fellow, a Master of
Education degree in Community Counseling from the University of
Tennessee, Chattanooga, TN (1985). He has a Doctor of Ministry from
Bethany Theological Seminary and is presently pursuing a second Doctor
of Ministry (ABD) from Vanderbilt University/University of the South,
Nashville and Sewanee, TN. His dissertation is titled “The Development
of a Chaplaincy Program for the Tennessee Highway Patrol”. Father
Brodie has completed a number of graduate, continuing education programs
and professional training and is currently enrolled in other master’s
and doctoral online degree programs. He also holds a Doctor of Divinity
(honorsis causa) from Regis University, London, England and a Doctor of
Canon Law (honoris causa) from Dublin Metropolitan University in
Ireland. He has completed the College of Preachers Core Curriculum
Program at the National Cathedral in Washington, D. C.
Fr. Brodie was ordained
to the diaconate and priesthood in the Episcopal Diocese of Southeast
Florida on June 4, and December 17, 1978 respectively. He served as
Curate, St. Philip’s Episcopal Church, Coral Gables, FL. (1978-1980);
Rector, Christ Episcopal Church
South Pittsburg, TN.
(1980 – 1987), where, under his leadership, the size of the parish was
doubled. He was then called to be Rector of St. Paul’s Episcopal Church,
Athens, TN. (1987 - 1993), overseeing the complete renovation of the
nave and educational wing before being called as the Canon to the
Ordinary, Episcopal Diocese of East Tennessee Knoxville, Tennessee (1994
– 1996). His last position was Canon for Ministry in the Episcopal
Diocese of Tennessee until his call to be the Dean of the Cathedral in
Springfield, Illinois.
In the National Church,
the new Dean presently serves as Deputy Chief of Security of the General
Convention Staff, a member of the National Task Force on Healing of
Congregations after Sexual Misconduct, and a member of the Conference of
Diocesan Executives (CODE). He also served as an Episcopal Delegate to
the Church World Services, Disaster Division, appointed by Presiding
Bishop Edward Browning, through the Presiding Bishop’s Fund for World
Relief (1994 – 1996). Dean Brodie is a member of several Ministry and
Clinical Counseling professional associations, Emergency Planning and
Response, Law Enforcement and Intelligence Associations. He has been a
Chaplain to the Federal Bureau of Investigation - Nashville Resident
Agency, Nashville, TN, and has been transferred to the Springfield, IL
division.
Father Brodie has
published a white paper for the Wackenhut Security Studies Center
entitled “A Discussion of the Ethical Implications of the Policy of
Détente in View of the Soviet Definition of Détente” and an article for
the Journal of American Association of Crisis Intervention titled “The
Use of Religious Language in Suicide Attempts.”
Prior to Ordination,
Father Brodie was in the Security and Intelligence Community, holding
various top secret clearances.
Dean Brodie is married
to Linda McBrayer Brodie and they have one son, Jon Ellis Meacham. In
his free time, the Dean enjoys reading and music. He continues to
engage in research on terrorism and is studying Arabic. He and Linda
enjoy going to the movies.
