Selwyn, George Augustus (1809-1878), was the first Anglican bishop of New Zealand. He held the position from 1841 to 1868. He created new dioceses, introduced a system of church government by synod, and supported missionary work in the South Pacific islands. Selwyn developed a constitution for the New Zealand church that strongly influenced the colonial church as well as the church in the United Kingdom. He mastered the Māori language and worked to protect Māori land rights. His sympathy for Māori made him unpopular with the European settlers. In 1868, Selwyn was installed as bishop of Lichfield, England, a position he held until his death on April 11, 1878.
Selwyn was born on April 5, 1809, in London. He was educated at Cambridge University, where he received a B.A. degree in 1831, an M.A. degree in 1834, and a D.D. degree in 1842. He was ordained a deacon in 1833.
