Beresford had served as priest-in-charge and incumbent at the Church of St. Mary Magdalene in Toronto since 2022. Photo: Contributed
Canon Eric Beresford, an influential church ethicist and theologian and the longest-serving president of the Atlantic School of Theology (AST), died suddenly of a heart attack Dec. 31. He was 67 years old.
Rector’s warden Mark Stenabaugh and people’s warden Ian Bell of the Church of St. Mary Magdalene in Toronto, where Beresford had served as priest-in-charge and incumbent since 2022, said on Facebook that Beresford’s death was “a tremendous loss to the parish and to us personally.”
“He was a very compassionate, caring man—very, very intelligent,” Stenabaugh told the Anglican Journal. “If you brought up any topic, he could tell you the ins and outs of it. He had musical abilities. He was a wonderful singer. He had a good sense of humour and he was a very strong leader.”
Colleagues and friends on Facebook remembered Beresford as a brilliant theologian and cherished congregational leader. Judy Paulsen, professor emerita of evangelism at Wycliffe College, said Beresford was a gift to the Church of St. Mary Magdalene and the diocese of Toronto as a whole. “Even when dealing with contentious issues he was always theologically focused, thoughtful, and full of grace,” Paulsen said. “He will be missed.”
Canon John Simons, assistant priest emeritus at the Church of St. John the Evangelist in Montreal, recalled meeting Beresford more than 30 years prior when the latter was a graduate student at McGill University and had an office in his basement. “I admired his brilliant mind and sense of humour,” Simons said.
Born and raised in Manchester, U.K., Beresford studied genetics at the University of Liverpool and theology at Oxford University. He was ordained in the diocese of Chester and served as an assistant curate at St. Mary’s Upton before moving to Canada in 1985. He served as a full-time priest in the diocese of Montreal for a time before switching to part-time ministry during his studies at McGill. Beresford moved on to become a research assistant at the Institut de Recherches Cliniques de Montreal and an assistant professor of ethics at McGill’s Faculty of Religious Studies.
Starting in 1996, Beresford served as the Anglican Church of Canada’s consultant for ethics and interfaith relations, playing a leading role in developing education and resources on issues including human sexuality, medical assistance in dying, biotechnology and just war theory. He was also seconded to the Anglican Consultative Council as an ethics consultant, travelling across the Anglican Communion and working with the council and primates.
“One of Eric’s great gifts was he was a really clear thinker,” said David Hamid, retired suffragan bishop of the Church of England diocese in Europe, who worked alongside Beresford in the Anglican Communion office as director of ecumenical affairs and studies. Hamid said his colleague’s sharp mind came from his training in both scientific methodology and theological thought.
“He had a really good analytical mind, theologically very well prepared,” Hamid said. “But you could see when something was being discussed, you got a look on Eric’s face and you could tell that [his] brain was working very hard at trying to understand precisely what was being said and was always able to come back with a really good incisive set of questions … He really wanted to push people to be very clear about what they’re thinking and what they’re trying to articulate and helped us with that.”
In 2004 Beresford returned to the academic world when he became president of AST in Halifax, holding the post for 10 years—the longest of anyone in the school’s history. “He was a natural teacher,” Hamid said. “So it wasn’t a surprise to me when he went back to the Atlantic School of Theology to take up work that was really dealing with the preparation for the next generation of theologians and leaders.”
In 2015 Beresford returned to parish ministry in the diocese of Toronto, serving as theologian in residence at Trinity Anglican Church in Aurora and then priest of St. Timothy’s Anglican Church in North York before his move to St. Mary Magdalene. Stenabaugh said Beresford left the Church of St. Mary Magdalene far stronger than he found it, with a larger congregation and better finances. “He calmed the waters and settled and stabilized the boat,” the rector’s warden said.
Those who knew Beresford highlighted his love of music, books, travel and craft beer. Hamid recalled the late priest as a hard worker, productive writer and excellent preacher and educator—but also someone who enjoyed relaxing at the pub with colleagues at the end of the day.
“Other members of the Anglican Communion office staff at that time … were, I think, always impressed by Eric,” Hamid said. “He wasn’t bothered by hierarchy … Whether you were the receptionist or whether you were another director like him, you were all together and being able to have a laugh and have fun and unwind. That was a very human side to him, which I think everybody appreciated.”
Beresford is survived by his wife Janet Marshall, two adult children, three stepdaughters, and seven grandchildren. A requiem mass and celebration of his life will be held at St. Mary Magdalene, Toronto on Jan. 22. Donations can be made to the Church of St. Mary Magdalene or Faithworks (Toronto).