Frederick H. Talbot, 57 M.Div.

2007Lux et Veritas

Frederick Hilborn Talbot, a native of Guyana, was elected and consecrated the 90th bishop of the African Methodist Episcopal Church in 1972, serving Episcopal districts in the Caribbean, Georgia, Arkansas/Oklahoma, and Kentucky/Tennessee until his retirement in 2004. He was a driving force behind growth of the denomination's "Sons of Allen" men-in-ministry movement.

Talbot has had a long and distinguished record of service not only as an AME bishop but also as a pastor and teacher, in the diplomatic service of Guyana, and in ecumenical relations.

He began his career as a teacher of Latin and French in Guyana and subsequently held teaching positions at Payne Theological Seminary in Xenia, OH and in the English Department at Shorter College in North Little Rock, AR, where he also served as college minister. Talbot held pastorates in the Little Mountain Circuit in South Carolina, and in three congregations in Guyana.

From 1971-73 he served as representative for Guyana to the United Nations, followed by two years as resident ambassador for Guyana to the United States. From 1975-80 he served Guyana further as resident high commissioner to Jamaica and high commissioner to the Bahamas, Trinidad & Tobago, Grenada and Barbados and ambassador to Haiti.

His ecumenical activity has included service as president of the Guyana Council of Churches, Caribbean coordinator in family life education for Church World Service, delegate to the 6 th General Assembly of the World Council of Churches in Vancouver, Canada, president of the Georgia Council of Churches, and ecumenical officer of the A.M.E. in a number of locales in the Middle East, Europe, Australia and Asia.

The holder of numerous honorary degrees, Talbot has written three books, composed texts and music for several hymns, and produced a musical CD entitled A Bishop Sings of His Faith.

He holds a B.A. from Allen University in Columbia, SC, the M.Div. from Yale Divinity School, an S.T.M. from the Pacific School of Religion, and a D.Min. from Columbia Theological Seminary.

A naturalized citizen of the U.S., he is married to Sylvia Ross of St. Croix '57 M.S. since 1958.