Most Rev Philip Freier
1955-
Most. Rev. Philip Freier
Most. Rev. Philip Freier
Archbishop Philip Freier, co-chair of ARCIC III, at the dialogue meeting in Larnaca, Cyprus
Archbishop Philip Freier, co-chair of ARCIC III, at the dialogue meeting in Larnaca, Cyprus. Photo credit: Neil Vigers ~ 11 May 2023
Dr Kristin Colberg, member of ARCIC III, and Archbishop Philip Freier, co-chair, at the dialogue meeting in Larnaca, Cyprus
Dr Kristin Colberg, member of ARCIC III, and Archbishop Philip Freier, co-chair, at the dialogue meeting in Larnaca, Cyprus. Photo credit: Neil Vigers ~ 11 May 2023
Archbishop Philip Freier, co-chair of ARCIC III, celebrated a Sung Eucharist with the members of the dialogue at St Paul Anglican Cathedral in Nicosia, Cyprus
Archbishop Philip Freier, co-chair of ARCIC III, celebrated a Sung Eucharist with the members of the dialogue at St Paul Anglican Cathedral in Nicosia, Cyprus. Photo credit: Martin Browne ~ 14 May 2023
Archbishop Philip Freier, co-chair of ARCIC III, offers the benediction at a Sung Eucharist with the members of the dialogue at St Paul Anglican Cathedral in Nicosia, Cyprus
Archbishop Philip Freier, co-chair of ARCIC III, offers the benediction at a Sung Eucharist with the members of the dialogue at St Paul Anglican Cathedral in Nicosia, Cyprus. Photo credit: Martin Browne ~ 14 May 2023

ARCIC-III (Member, 2018-) and ARCIC-III (Co-Chair, 2018-)

Philip Leslie Freier (born 9 February 1955) is an Australian Anglican bishop. He was the 13th Archbishop of Melbourne from 2006 until his retirement in 2025. He was Primate of Australia from June 2014 until March 2020. Previously, he served as Bishop of the Northern Territory between 1999 and 2006.

In addition to a PhD from James Cook University, he has received the degrees of Master of Educational Studies from the University of Newcastle, Bachelor of Divinity from the Melbourne College of Divinity, Diploma of Education from the University of Queensland and Bachelor of Applied Science from the Queensland Institute of Technology. He was a science teacher for six years prior to being ordained.

He grew up in a working class suburb of Brisbane, and trained as a teacher. He experienced a powerful conversion to Christ while working with indigenous Christians in North Queensland – where he also met his wife, Joy, and decided to seek ordination. He was ordained a priest in 1984 and a bishop in 1999. In 2000 he completed a PhD at James Cook University with a thesis on ‘Living with the Munpitch: The History of Mitchell River Mission, 1905-1967’.

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