Tory Baucum

Tory K. Baucum (born 1960) is a former American Anglican priest. He is married to Elizabeth Tyndall Baucum and they have three daughters.

Rev. Baucum attended the Trinity School for Ministry, in Ambridge, Pennsylvania, where he received his MA in 1986 and his Master of Divinity in 1988. He also received his doctorate there in 2005. He was rector of All Saints Church, in Kansas City, Missouri, and also served on the clergy staffs of St. Andrew's Episcopal Church in Kansas City and Trinity Episcopal Cathedral in Little Rock, Arkansas. He was Associate Professor of Preaching and Church Renewal at Asbury Theological Seminary, in Wilmore, Kentucky. He also received a PhD in intercultural theology.

In April 2007, Rev. Baucum was unanimously chosen to be the new rector of Truro Church in Fairfax, Virginia. Truro Church is an Anglican Parish with roots in Colonial Virginia as well as a founding member of the Anglican Church of North America.[1]   

He was appointed in January 2014 by the Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, as one of the Six Preachers of Canterbury Cathedral, after being unanimously approved in December 2013 by their chapter. Archbishop Justin stated upon his appointment that he was expecting that it would help promote "reconciliation and unity" in the Anglican Communion.[2][3]

Baucum announced in April 2017 the launching of the Truro Institute: a School of Peace and Reconciliation, a ministry that will included representation by Truro Anglican, the Episcopal Diocese of Virginia, the Dean of Coventry Cathedral and the Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby.[4] This decision was criticized by both Bishop John Guernsey and Archbishop Foley Beach, of the Anglican Church in North America, because in their views it doesn't show an attempt to what they believe would be true reconciliation and for having been made without their approval.[5]

Truro Anglican Church's states that his mission is "learning to love like God." In September 2019, Truro announced the launch of the Truro Institute, an ecumenical ministry outreach that seeks to embody that mission. Thus the Truro Institute's vision is "inspiring Americans to love the other as other for the common good."[6] The Institute's two stated goals are: to help deepen the solidarity between Jews and Christians in fostering shalom in America; and to help heal the wounds of racial division, especially between black and white Christians.[7] Rev. Baucum serves as the founding director of the Institute. His peacemaking efforts, which led to the formation of the Institute, have been lauded by Justin Welby, Archbishop of Canterbury.[8]

Baucum renounced his Anglican ministry on November 29, 2019, and announced that he will be converting to the Roman Catholic Church, along with his wife.[9]

Rev. Baucum has written two books: Constructing Faith Cultures (2005) and Evangelical Hospitality (2008).