aboutus4

A professor of Literature, Philosophy, and Religion since 1962, Dr. Persson was co-founder
and Director of St. Ephrem’s Institute for Eastern Studies (1964), National Chancellor for the
International Association of Educators for World Peace {UNESCO} (1972), Corresponding
Professor at the Peoples University of the Americas, New York (1976), Principal in the
Swedish school system (1977-1999), Consultant to the Swedish National Board of
Education, Corresponding Professor at the Central School of Religion, United Kingdom
(1984), Professor for Scandinavia at University for Peace {UNESCO} (1988), President of
Svenska Dyslexiföreningen [The Swedish Dyslexia Association] (1998-2001), and Academic
Fellow, Council for Human Rights and Religious Freedom (2002).

+Persson’s theological development explicitly demonstrates the driving philosophy of
ecumenical cooperation which lies at the heart of the Apostolic Episcopal Church. Dr.
Persson was ordained a priest in the Church of Sweden in 1962, and would later receive
ministerial standing in the Moravian Church (1965-1971) and within independent Anglican
orders (1969). He served as Consultant to The Syrian Patriarchate of Antioch and All the
East and to the Church of the East (1974-1977), Consultant to Slaviska Missionen [The
Slavic Mission] and the Swedish Church Youth Society (1974), assisted in the establish-
ment of the Caribbean Episcopal Church, United Kingdom (1984), Chaplain of the
Patriarchal Order of the Holy Cross of Jerusalem (1988), and Ambassador for Peace at
the Interreligious and International Federation for World Peace, Universal Peace Federation
{ECOSOC} (2001).

Dr. Persson has made considerable contributions within the fields of Education and
Religion, and is the author of numerous books and articles including Cults, Sects,
Congregations (1970, 1971), The Pharisees and the Scribes (et al, 1971), From the
Language of Jesus (et al, 1975), The Concept of God in the World Religions (1985),
Speaking Signs. An Encyclopedia of Symbols (1990), Apostolic Episcopal Ministry (1992),
and Applied Scholastics. The Key to Efficient Education (2006).

Bishop Persson was instrumental in early research regarding the use of Aramaic among
the Jewish people during the First Century, and made significant contributions in the areas
of comparative religious studies, dyslexia research, and inductive homiletics. He would
serve as Presiding Bishop of the Apostolic Episcopal Church until his retirement in 1980,
and continues to serve the mission of the AEC as Primate Emeritus.

At the close of Bishop Cedarholm’s supervisory tenure of
service, noted researcher and academician, Nils Bertil
Persson, was formally installed as Presiding Primate of
the Apostolic Episcopal Church (1986) by Bishop Robert
R. Ramm (tenure, 1976-1986), then Presiding Bishop of
the AEC, Province of the West.

Born in Trelleborg, Sweden, on November 10, 1941,
+Persson would distinguish himself in both academic
and theological circles throughout his life. His vast
academic career has included several graduate degrees
within various professional disciplines, numerous
teaching posts, the publication of noteworthy educational
and theological research, as well as receiving the honor
of being named a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts,
London (1982).