Bishop Teresa E. Snorton
About (Bishop) Rev. Dr. Teresa E. Snorton
Bishop Teresa Snorton is the Ecumenical Bishop and Program Development Officer for the CME Church. She previously served as Presiding Bishop of the Fifth Episcopal District of the CME Church, which includes the states of Alabama and Florida (2011-2022) and as Presiding Bishop of the Eleventh Episcopal District, which included ten counties in Central and Eastern Africa (2010-2011). She is a lecturer and mentor in the Doctor of Ministry program at Payne Theological Seminary.
She was the Executive Director of the national Association for Clinical Pastoral Education, Inc. (ACPE) for twelve years prior to her election as Bishop. She is a Certified Educator (ACPE) and a board-certified chaplain (Association of Professional Chaplains, BCCI).
She is the former Executive Director of the Emory Center for Pastoral Services in Atlanta, Georgia and former Director of Pastoral Services at Crawford Long Hospital. She has been adjunct instructor in Pastoral Care at Candler School of Theology at Emory University and the School of Theology at Virginia Union University. Her vocational work also includes serving on the faculty of the Patient Counseling Program at the Medical College of Virginia and as Director of the Emory Center for Pastoral Services at Emory University, and serving as a Psychiatric Staff Chaplain and CPE Educator at Central State Hospital, Louisville, Kentucky.
She is a fourth generation, life-long CME. Her great-grandfather, father and uncle were all CME pastors and her grandmother was an active missionary. Her two sisters are also CME ministers. As an ordained minister in the Christian Methodist Episcopal Church, she was a former pastor in Kentucky.
Bishop Snorton has a B.A. degree from Vanderbilt University, a Master of Divinity degree from Louisville Presbyterian Theological Seminary, a Master of Theology in Pastoral Care from Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, a Post-Graduate Certificate in Patient Counseling from Virginia Commonwealth University, and the Doctor of Ministry degree from United Theological Seminary in Dayton, Ohio.
Bishop Snorton is the immediate past Chair of the Board of Trustees of Miles College, Fairfield, Alabama and immediate past Chair of the Board of Trustees of the Interdenominational Theological Center. She serves on the Pan-Methodist Council, the governing board of the National Council of Churches (Chair from 2020-2023), a former President of Churches Uniting in Christ, a member of the World Council of Churches and as Chair of the Family Life Committee of the World Methodist Council.
Bishop Snorton has been active on several boards and committees of the Christian Methodist Episcopal Church, including the Commission on the Concerns of Women in Ministry, the Board of Directors of the CME Headquarters and a past President of the Chaplains Commission. She is the Chaplain Endorser for the CME Church. She has been a delegate to six CME General Conferences, is a former National Youth Conference officer, and a member of several committees in her region/annual conference, including the Joint Board of Finance, the Committee on Ministry, the Leadership Training School faculty, and the Coordinator of the Renewal Plan for the Second Episcopal District.
She is a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority and a life member of the NAACP. She has received numerous awards and recognitions for her work as a Clinical Pastoral Educator, bishop and author.
She is frequently a guest preacher at churches of all denominations and lecturer and speaker for hospitals, seminaries, conferences, leadership schools and retreats on religion and health, multicultural, ethical and gender issues, pastoral care and spiritual development and program development. She is the author of several articles, chapters and book reviews on topics related to pastoral care and ministr, including chapters in Women Out of Order: Risking Change and Creating Care in a Multi-Cultural World, In Her Own Time: Women and Developmental Isssues, Through the Eyes of Women: Insignts for Pastoral Care, Professional Spiritual and Pastoral Care: A Practical Clergy and Chaplain's Handbook, and Courageous Conversations: The Teaching and Learning of Pastoral Supervision.
Bishop Snorton has two adult sons and two grandchildren.