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Hibbs to Take Over Philippines Seminary

Episcopal News Service. March 31, 1977 [77112]

NEW YORK, N.Y. -- The trustees of St. Andrew's Theological Seminary in the Philippines have invited a former faculty member to return as dean to replace the retiring dean, the Very Rev. C. H. Clark.

The appointment of the Rev. Robert B. Hibbs was confirmed by Presiding Bishop John M. Allin and Fr. Hibbs will take up his duties in April.

The new dean served for 11 years on the seminary faculty from 1961 to 1972 as a professor of moral theology. He was also sub-dean from 1966 until he left to take up parish ministry in the Diocese of Northwest Texas.

Pointing out that nine of the 12 full time members of the faculty are Filipino, Dean Hibbs commented that he saw his role as "a John the Baptist one, paving the way for a native dean."

Dean Hibbs described the seminary as "a clearing house for Anglican-type studies in Southeast Asia." It also trains some ordinands for the Philippine Independent Church and is in a process of "transition away from traditional clerical roles toward the increasing awareness of a priest as an enabler of the total ministry of the community," he said.

He noted that the seminary had always had a deep concern to incorporate its work and theological reflection into the needs of Filipino society and that this role was becoming increasingly important as changes come into the "traditionally free and open society."

Dean Hibbs is a native of Philadelphia and was educated at Trinity College and the General Theological Seminary. He holds an M.A. from the University of Toronto and has completed most of his course work for a doctorate. While in the Philippines last, he also served as civilian chaplain to Clark Air Force Base.

In the Diocese of Northwest Texas, he was priest-in-charge of St. Peter's, Borger, and vicar of St. Paul, Dumas. He was instrumental in setting up the Panhandle Area Schools of Sacred Studies. He and his wife Nancy have three children.