H.G. the Most Serene and Most Reverend Rutherford Johnson, 6th Bishop of the Diocese and 1st Metropolitan of the Archdiocese of the Southwest, Titular Archbishop of Leopontopoli, spent his formative years in the Southern United States. His Grace's long family tradition with the Anglican Rite includes the Church of St. Philip in Charleston, South Carolina, where his 7th great grandfather is entombed, the large monument marker comprising part of the outside wall in the center of the apse. Raised a Methodist, he followed the Anglican roots of that denomination and was confirmed as an Anglo-Catholic as a youth (and later also as a Roman Catholic). He began his studies for priestly formation at the age of 17 with the Anglo-Catholic church authorities. As is often the case with many Anglo-Catholic clerics, all through his formal secular education, he continued his discernment and preparation for the priesthood. He was finally called into the ordained ministry to continue the work for Anglo-Roman unity and to help preserve the traditions and catholic doctrine under the Anglican tradition, the primary historical religion of his family for a millenium (since before the Anglo-Roman split). He was named Bishop Ordinary of the Diocese of the Southwest by his predecessor and subsequently was elevated to Archbishop by the Most Rev. Darel Chase when the Diocese was redesignated an Archdiocese. Possessing a diverse academic background for a cleric, the Archbishop graduated from the Georgia Institute of Technology with a Bachelor of Science degree in Applied Physics, and a Master of Science in Economics. He later completed a PhD in Agricultural Economics. He is also currently a university professor, and was awarded a Doctorate of Divinity (Honoris Causa) from United Theological Seminary in Louisville in 2008. His Grace is also an Eagle Scout, Boy Scouts of America, and holds a Scouting religious award. He has received several religious awards from various churches for his service, and is very active in Christian charitable outreach programs and apostolates. The Archbishop's interests include music, high altitude mountaineering, equestrian, and sailing. He is a member of the Explorers Club and currently has a mountaineering intiative to climb both for the advancement of science and to promote peace and justice around the world. In addition to English, he speaks Italian, French, Spanish, German, and Latin. Pastoral Letters | Sermons | Coat of Arms | Archbishop's Family | Chart of Apostolic Succession | Tables of Apostolic Succession