The Acts of Convention

House of Bishops

The House of Bishops Committee on Ministry presented its Report #39 on Resolution D048 (Amend Canons: Canon III.11.3; Canon III.11.4(a); Canon III.11.9(b-c); Canon III.11.10(c)(4-6)) and moved adoption.

Original Text of Resolution

(D048)

Resolved, the House of Deputies concurring, That Canon III.11.3, Canon III.11.4(a), Canon III.11.9(b-c) and Canon III.11.10(c)(4-6) be amended to read as follows:

Canon III.11.3

Sec. 3.

(a) When a Diocese desires the ordination of a Bishop-elect, if the date of the election occurs within one hundred twenty days before a meeting of the General Convention, the Standing Committee of the Diocese shall, by its President, or by some person or persons specially appointed, forward to the Secretary of the House of Deputies evidence of the election of the Bishop-elect by the Convention of the Diocese, together with evidence that the Bishop-elect has been duly ordered Deacon and Priest, evidence of acceptance of election, and a testimonial signed by a constitutional majority of the Convention, and a summary of biographical information relating to the Bishop-elect; in the following words:

We, whose names are hereunder written, fully sensible of how important it is that the Sacred Order and Office of a Bishop should not be unworthily conferred, and firmly persuaded that it is our duty to bear testimony on this solemn occasion without partiality, do, in the presence of Almighty God, testify that we know of no impediment on account of which the Reverend A.B. ought not to be ordained to that Holy Office. We do, moreover, jointly and severally declare that we believe the Reverend A.B. to have been duly and lawfully elected and to be of such sufficiency in learning, of such soundness in the Faith, and of such godly character as to be able to exercise the Office of a Bishop to the honor of God and the edifying of the Church, and to be a wholesome example to the flock of Christ.

(Date) __________ (Signed) _______________

The Secretary of the Convention shall certify upon this testimonial that it has been signed by a constitutional majority of the Convention.

(b) The Standing Committee shall also forward to the Secretary of the General Convention, with the testimonial and other documents, certificates from a licensed medical doctor and licensed psychiatrist, appointed by the Ecclesiastical Authority with the approval of the Presiding Bishop, that they have thoroughly examined the Bishop-elect as to that person's medical, psychological and psychiatric condition and have not discovered any reason why the person would not be fit to undertake the work for which the person has been chosen. Forms and procedures agreed to by the Presiding Bishop and The Church Pension Fund shall be used for this purpose.

(c) The Secretary of the House of Deputies shall present the testimonials to the House, and if the House consents to the ordination of the Bishop-elect, notice of its consent, certified by the President and the Secretary of the House, together with the testimonials, shall be sent to the House of Bishops.

(d) If a majority of the Bishops of this Church exercising jurisdiction consent to the ordination, the Presiding Bishop shall, without delay, notify the Standing Committee of the Diocese electing and the Bishop-elect of the consent.

Canon III.11.4(a)

Sec. 43.

(a) If the date of the election of a Bishop occurs more than one hundred and twenty days before the meeting of the General Convention, The Standing Committee of the Diocese for which the Bishop has been elected shall by its President, or by some person or persons specially appointed, immediately send to the Presiding Bishop and to the Standing Committees of the several Dioceses a certificate of the election by the Secretary of Convention of the Diocese, bearing a statement that evidence of the Bishop-elect's having been duly ordered Deacon and Priest as to the Bishop-elect's medical, psychological and psychiatric examination required in Sec. 3(b) of this Canon have been received and that a testimonial signed by a constitutional majority of the Convention must also be delivered in the following form:

We, whose names are hereunder written, fully sensible of how important it is that the Sacred Order and Office of a Bishop should not be unworthily conferred, and firmly persuaded that it is our duty to bear testimony on this solemn occasion without partiality, do, in the presence of Almighty God, testify that we know of no impediment on account of which the Reverend A.B. ought not to be ordained to that Holy Office. We do, moreover, jointly and severally declare that we believe the Reverend A.B. to have been duly and lawfully elected and to be of such sufficiency in learning, of such soundness in the Faith, and of such godly character as to be able to exercise the Office of a Bishop to the honor of God and the edifying of the Church, and to be a wholesome example to the flock of Christ.

(Date) __________ (Signed) _______________

The Presiding Bishop, without delay, shall notify every Bishop of this Church exercising jurisdiction of the Presiding Bishop's receipt of the certificates mentioned in this Section and request a statement of consent or withholding of consent. Each Standing Committee, in not more than one hundred and twenty days after the sending by the electing body of the certificate of the election, shall respond by sending the Standing Committee of the Diocese for which the Bishop is elected either the testimonial of consent in the form set out in paragraph (b) of this Section or written notice of its refusal to give consent. If a majority of the Standing Committees of all the Dioceses consents to the ordination of the Bishop-elect, the Standing Committee of the Diocese for which the Bishop is elected shall then forward the evidence of the consent, with the other necessary documents described in Sec. 3(a) of this Canon, to the Presiding Bishop. If the Presiding Bishop receives sufficient statements to indicate a majority of those Bishops consents to the ordination, the Presiding Bishop shall, without delay, notify the Standing Committee of the Diocese for which the Bishop is elected and the Bishop-elect of the consent.

Canon III.11.9(b-c)

(b) If the election has taken place within one hundred and twenty days before a meeting of the General Convention, the report shall be sent with the evidence of election and testimonials as provided in Section 3(a) of this Canon.

(c) If the election has taken place more than one hundred and twenty days before the meeting of the General Convention, t The report of the Court of Review shall be sent to the Standing Committees of the several Dioceses, with the Certificate of the Secretary of the electing Convention relating to consent to ordain. Likewise, the Presiding Bishop shall include the report in the communication to the Bishops exercising jurisdiction.

Canon III.11.10(c)(4-6)

(4) When a Diocese, entitled to the choice of a Bishop, shall elect as its Bishop Diocesan, or as its Bishop Coadjutor, or as a Bishop Suffragan; a Missionary Bishop of this Church, if such election shall have taken place within one hundred and twenty days before a meeting of the General Convention, evidence thereof shall be laid before each House of the General Convention, and the concurrence of each House, and its express consent, shall be necessary to the validity of said election, and shall complete the same, so that the Bishop thus elected shall be thereafter the Bishop of the Diocese which has elected such Bishop.

(5) If the election of the Missionary Bishop has taken place more than one hundred and twenty days before a meeting of the General Convention, the report shall be sent with the evidence of election and testimonials as provided in Section 3(a) of this Canon.

(6) If the election of the Missionary Bishop has taken place more than one hundred twenty days before a meeting of the General Convention, the Standing Committee of the Diocese electing shall give duly certified evidence of the election to every Bishop of this Church having jurisdiction, and to the Standing Committee of every Diocese. On receiving notice of the concurrence of a majority of such Bishops and of the Standing Committees in the election, and their express consent thereto, the Standing Committee of the Diocese electing shall transmit notice thereof to the Ecclesiastical Authority of every Diocese within the United States. This notice shall state what Bishops and which Standing Committees have consented to the election. On receiving this notice the Presiding Bishop shall certify to the Secretary of the House of Bishops the altered status and style of the Bishop so elected. The Standing Committee of such Diocese shall transmit to every Congregation thereof, to be publicly read therein, a notice of the election thus completed, and also cause public notice thereof to be given in such other way as they may think proper.

Motion carried

Resolution adopted

(Communicated to the House of Deputies in HB Message # 238)