Stephen H. Bancroft is the retired Dean of the Cathedral Church of St. Paul in Detroit, Michigan. He has a bachelor's degree in History and Economics from Texas A&M and a Masters in Divinity from Virginia Theological Seminary. He first came to prominence as Rector of the Trinity Episcopal Church in Houston, Texas. By 1994 he was being interviewed by the press in response to the ongoings of the Texas Diocese. While at the Trinity Church he was responsible for the creation of the Tax Incremental Refinance Zone #2 in Midtown Houston, which led to a $372,531,950 capture in appraised value in only eight years—more than doubling the previous land values of the region. In 2002 he was announced as a nominee for Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Texas, and as one of only three nominees for Bishop