When a number of planters from Virginia and North Carolina brought their Anglicanism with them to Tennessee, they largely bypassed the rugged, mountainous terrain of the eastern part of the state, in favor of fertile lands in the middle and western parts of the state to grow tobacco and cotton.

It was not until well into the 20th century that significant growth occurred in East Tennessee, facilitated in large measure by mission-minded bishops and priests.

[1] Prior to the division of the diocese, the seat of the bishop was St. Mary's Cathedral in Memphis, over 250 miles away from most of the eastern part of the state.

When Sanders succeeded John Vander Horst as diocesan in 1977, talks began to separate the statewide diocese into three territories; the plans were approved by the General Convention in 1982.

This is largely because the main constituencies protesting the action, evangelicals and conservative Anglo-Catholics, have relatively little presence in the diocese, most of whose parishes and missions prefer a tolerant, Broad Church understanding of doctrine and practice.