Presiding Bishop Mark Hanson
The Rev. Mark Hanson is presiding bishop of the ELCA. Originally from Minneapolis and a life-long Lutheran, Bishop Hanson was educated at Augsburg College, Union Theological Seminary, Luther Seminary and Harvard Divinity School. Prior to his election as bishop of the Saint Paul Area Synod in 1995 and as presiding bishop in 2001, he served churches in Minnesota for over 20 years. Bishop Hanson is the author of "Faithful Yet Changing: The Church in Challenging Times."