Background
Braxton, Edward Kenneth was born on June 28, 1944 in Chicago, Illinois, United States. Son of Cullen L. and Evelyn Braxton.
Braxton, Edward Kenneth was born on June 28, 1944 in Chicago, Illinois, United States. Son of Cullen L. and Evelyn Braxton.
Studied, Quigley Preparatory Seminary. Studied, Niles College Seminary. Master of Arts, St. Mary of the Lake Seminary, Mundelein, Illinois.
Licentiate of Sacred Theology, St. Mary of the Lake Seminary, Mundelein, Illinois. Doctor of Philosophy in Religious Studies, Catholic University, Louvain, Belgium, 1975. STD in Systematic Theology, Catholic University, Louvain, Belgium, 1975.
Post-doctoral fellowship, University Chicago Division School, 1975—1976.
Early life and education Ordination and ministry Braxton was ordained as a priest of the Archdiocese of Chicago on May 13, 1970. Auxiliary Bishop of Saint Louis Braxton was appointed an Auxiliary Bishop of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Saint Louis by Pope John Paul II on March 28, 1995. He was consecrated by Justin Francis Rigali on May 17, 1995 at the Cathedral Basilica of Saint Louis.
Bishop of Lake Charles, Louisiana Bishop Braxton was installed as Bishop of Lake Charles on February 21, 2001. Bishop of Belleville, Illinois On June 22, 2005 he was installed as Bishop of Belleville in the Cathedral of Saint Peter. He succeeded a fellow African American prelate, Wilton D. Gregory.
He serves as the convenor of the African American Catholic Bishops. He earned his MA and S.T.L. from St. Mary of the Lake Seminary in Mundelein, Illinois and a Ph.D in Religious Studies and S.T.D. in Systematic Theology from the Catholic University of Leuven in Belgium. Braxton, a native of Chicago, has long been involved in interracial and intercultural dialogue.
He has lectured in major cities and townships of South Africa during their annual "winter school." His participation in Jewish-Christian dialogue has taken him to Israel several times. Bishop Braxton's personal interest in the impact of the arts (especially film, television, music, architecture, sculpture, and painting) on religion in contemporary culture is a key factor in his current research. In August 1997, he addressed the National Black Catholic Congress on the topic "Take Into account Various Situations and Cultures: Evangelization and African-Americans".
The Bishop's writings have appeared in the Harvard Theological Review, Theological Studies, Irish Theological Quarterly, The New Catholic Encyclopedia, Origins, Commonweal, America, The National Catholic Reporter, and other journals. According to the Belleville News-Democrat, the Diocese of Belleville finance council filed a complaint with the Vatican that Braxton allegedly misused funds. In February 2012, the Rev.
William Rowe, pastor of Saint Mary's Church in Mount Carmel, Illinois, resigned after ongoing concern from Braxton about "how Father Rowe celebrated the Mass". The resignation specifically followed the "implementation of the new Roman Missal in late November" 2011, after which Braxton placed greater emphasis on following the translation exactly during mass. However, Braxton's concerns were not new, and "several meetings ... over the last five years failed to resolve the bishop's concerns."
On one hand, "Bishop Braxton said one of Father Rowe's parishioners had expressed dismay about the manner in which he celebrated Mass." On the other hand, Rev.
Rowe explained that he was changing the wording because the church starts with the people".
These sentiments were first expressed in a letter written by Sister Jan. E. Renz, the U.S. regional superior of the Adorers of the Blood of Christ.
Member United States Conference Catholic Bishops. (chairman committee on American College Seminary at University Louvain. Member committee on liturgy, member committee on evangelization).