The Acts of Convention
| Resolution Number: | 1985-A151 |
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| Title: | Substitute Canon I.2.1 [Nomination and Election of the Presiding Bishop] |
| Legislative Action Taken: | Concurred As Amended |
| Final Text: | |
Resolved, That Title I, Canon 2, Section 1, be amended by striking the same in its entirety and substituting in lieu thereof the following:
Of the Presiding Bishop
Sec. 1(a) At each General Convention the House of Deputies shall elect one Clerical and one Lay Deputy from each Province as members of the Joint Nominating Committee for the Election of the Presiding Bishop. A Deputy from a particular Province may be nominated only by another Deputy from the same Province, but the election of each member of the Committee shall be by the entire membership of the House of Deputies, with a majority of those voting necessary for election. Prior to the election, the Clerical and Lay Deputies from each Province shall hold a caucus, at which two nominees in each order shall be selected by the caucus and these shall be the only nominees upon which the House of Deputies shall vote in electing the members of the Joint Nominating Committee.
(b) At each General Convention the House of Bishops shall elect one Bishop from each Province as members of the Joint Nominating Committee for the Election of the Presiding Bishop. A bishop from a particular Province may be nominated only by another Bishop from the same Province, but the election of each member of the Committee shall be by the entire membership of the House of Bishops, with a majority of those voting necessary for election. Prior to the election, the Bishops from each Province shall hold a caucus, at which two Bishops as nominees shall be selected by the caucus, and these shall be the only nominees upon which the House of Bishops shall vote in electing the members of the Joint Nominating Committee.
(c) In the event vacancies shall occur in the Joint Nominating Committee after the election of its members due to death, disability, resignation, or otherwise within one year of the next General Convention, the vacancies shall not be filled and the remaining members shall constitute the Joint Nominating Committee. In the event such vacancies shall occur more than one year prior to the next General Convention, the Presiding Officer of the House of Bishops shall appoint Bishops and the President of the House of Deputies shall appoint Clerical and Lay Deputies in all cases from the same Provinces as those Bishops or Deputies whose positions are being filled. An elected or appointed member who shall not be a Deputy to the next General Convention shall continue as a member of the Joint Nominating Committee until the adjournment of such next General convention. A member of the Committee who transfers from one Province to another or a Lay Deputy who is ordained Presbyter or Deacon, or a Presbyter or Deacon who is consecrated a Bishop, shall not thereby become ineligible to continue to serve on the Joint Nominating Committee through the next succeeding General Convention.
(d) The Joint Nominating Committee shall remain in office until the adjournment of the next General Convention at which a new Joint Nominating Committee shall be elected. Members of the Committee are eligible for reelection.
(e) At the General Convention at which a Presiding Bishop is to be elected, the Joint Nominating Committee shall present to the House of Bishops and the House of Deputies in Joint Session the names of not fewer than three members of the House of Bishops for the consideration of the two Houses in the choice of a Presiding Bishop. At the Joint Session to which the Joint Nominating Committee shall report, any Bishop or Deputy may nominate any other member of the House of Bishops for the consideration of the two Houses in the choice of a Presiding Bishop, and there may be discussion of all nominees. Commencing on the day following the Joint Session, election shall be by the House of Bishops from among such nominees. If the House of Bishops shall find itself unable to elect a Presiding Bishop from among such nominees, another Joint Session shall be held, at which additional nominations may be received, and on the following day, election shall be by the House of Bishops from among all of the nominees. After the election by the House of Bishops, the House of Deputies shall vote to confirm or not to confirm such choice of Presiding Bishop.
(f) In the event a vacancy in the office of Presiding Bishop shall occur in the interim between meetings of the General Convention, as specified in the second paragraph of Article I, Section 3 of the Constitution, the Joint Nominating Committee, subject to the said article, shall submit to the Secretary of the House of Bishops the names of not fewer than three members of the House of Bishops for the consideration by that House in the choice of a Presiding Bishop to fill the vacancy, and simultaneously therewith shall transmit a copy of such report to the Secretary of the House of Deputies for mailing to all Deputies. Such report shall also be released to the Church and secular press. Thereafter, the House of Bishops shall hold a special meeting for the purpose of electing a Presiding Bishop to fill the vacancy; and, in such election, the vote shall be upon the nominees of the Joint Nominating Committee and any further nominations made by any voting member of the House of Bishops. Immediately following the election by the House of Bishops, the Secretary of the House of Bishops shall inform the president and secretary of each Diocesan Standing Committee requesting a meeting at the earliest possible date to consider approval. Upon receipt of the approval of the majority of the Standing Committees of the Dioceses, the Presiding Bishop-Elect shall be declared elected.
| Citation: | General Convention, Journal of the General Convention of...The Episcopal Church, Anaheim, 1985 (New York: General Convention, 1986), p. 202. |
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Legislative History
| Author: | The Standing Commission on the Structure of The Church |
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| Originating House: | House of Bishops |
| Originating Committee: | Committee on Structure |
House of Bishops
Original Text of Resolution:
(A151)
Resolved, the House of Deputies concurring, That Title I, Canon 2, Section 1, be amended by striking the same in its entirety and substituting in lieu thereof the following:
Of the Presiding Bishop
Sec. 1(a). At each General Convention the House of Deputies shall elect one Clerical and one Lay Deputy from each Province as members of the Joint Nominating Committee for the Election of the Presiding Bishop. A Deputy from a particular Province may be nominated only by another Deputy from the same Province, but the election of each member of the Committee shall be by the entire membership of the House of Deputies, with a majority of those voting necessary for election. Prior to the election, the Clerical and Lay Deputies from each Province shall hold a caucus, at which two nominees in each order shall be selected by the caucus and these shall be the only nominees upon which the House of Deputies shall vote in electing the members of the Joint Nominating Committee.
(b) . At each General Convention the House of Bishops shall elect one Bishop from each Province as members of the Joint Nominating Committee for the Election of the Presiding Bishop. A Bishop from a particular Province may be nominated only by another Bishop from the same Province, but the election of each member of the Committee shall be by the entire membership of the House of Bishops, with a majority of those voting necessary for election. Prior to the election, the Bishops from each Province shall hold a caucus, at which two Bishops as nominees shall be selected by the caucus and these shall be the only nominees upon which the House of Bishops shall vote in electing the members of the Joint Nominating Committee.
(c) . In the event vacancies shall occur in the Joint Nominating Committee after the election of its members due to death, disability, resignation, or otherwise within one year of the next General Convention, the vacancies shall not be filled and the remaining members shall constitute the Joint Nominating Committee. In the event such vacancies shall occur more than one year prior to the next General Convention, the Presiding Officer of the House of Bishops shall appoint Bishops and the President of the House of Deputies shall appoint Clerical and Lay Deputies in all cases from the same Provinces as those Bishops or Deputies whose positions are being filled. An elected or appointed member who shall not be a Deputy to the next General Convention shall continue as a member of the Joint Nominating Committee until the adjournment of such next General convention. A member of the Committee who transfers from one Province to another or a Lay Deputy who is ordained Presbyter or Deacon, or a Presbyter or Deacon who is consecrated a Bishop shall not thereby become ineligible to continue to serve on the Joint Nominating Committee through the next succeeding General Convention.
(d) . The Joint Nominating Committee shall remain in office until the adjournment of the next General Convention at which a new Joint Nominating Committee shall be elected. Members of the Committee are eligible for re-election.
(e) . At the General Convention at which a Presiding Bishop is to be elected, the Joint Nominating Committee shall present to the House of Bishops and the House of Deputies in Joint Session the names of not fewer than three members of the House of Bishops for the consideration of the two Houses in the choice of a Presiding Bishop. At the Joint Session to which the Joint Nominating Committee shall report, any Bishop or Deputy may nominate any other member of the House of Bishops for the consideration of the two Houses in the choice of a Presiding Bishop, and there may be discussion of all nominees. Commencing on the day following the Joint Session, election shall be by the House of Bishops from among such nominees. If the House of Bishops shall find itself unable to elect a Presiding Bishop from among such nominees, another Joint Session shall be held, at which additional nominations may be received, and on the following day, election shall be by the House of Bishops from among all of the nominees. After the election by the House of Bishops, the House of Deputies shall vote to confirm or not to confirm such choice of Presiding Bishop.
(f) . In the event a vacancy in the office of Presiding Bishop shall occur in the interim between meetings of the General Convention, as specified in the second paragraph of Article I, Section 3 of the Constitution, the Joint Nominating Committee, within three months after the creation of such vacancy, shall submit to the Secretary of the House of Bishops the names of not fewer than three members of the House of Bishops for the consideration by that House in the choice of a Presiding Bishop to fill the vacancy, and simultaneously therewith shall transmit a copy of such report to the Secretary of the House of Deputies for mailing to all Deputies. Such report shall also be released to the Church and secular press. Thereafter, the House of Bishops shall hold a special meeting for the purpose of electing a Presiding Bishop to fill the vacancy; and in such election, the vote shall be upon the nominees of the Joint Nominating Committee and any further nominations made by any voting member of the House of Bishops. The Presiding Bishop elected to fill the vacancy shall hold office until the installation of a Presiding Bishop elected at the next succeeding General Convention; and the Bishop elected to fill the vacancy, if otherwise qualified, shall be eligible for re-election.
Proposed Committee Amendment:
Strike the last sentence in paragraph (f), which reads "The Presiding Bishop elected to fill the vacancy shall hold office until the installation of a Presiding Bishop elected at the next succeeding General Convention; and the Bishop elected to fill the vacancy, if otherwise qualified, shall be eligible for re-election.";
substitute the sentences:
"Immediately following the election by the House of Bishops, the Secretary of the House of Bishops shall inform the president and secretary of each Diocesan Standing Committee requesting a meeting at the earliest possible date to consider approval. Upon receipt of the approval of two-thirds of the Standing Committees of the Dioceses, the Presiding Bishop Elect would be declared elected."
Seconded by the Bishop of Florida.
Motion carried
Resolution adopted
(Communicated to the House of Deputies in HB Message #5)
House of Deputies
The Chairman of Dispatch of Business called for immediate consideration of A151 Amended, moving concurrence with Message #5 from the House of Bishops.
Deputy Wainwright of Rochester, Chairman of the Committee on Structure, recommended concurrence with the House of Bishops.
Deputy Lockwood of Hawaii carried on an extended dialogue with Deputy Wainwright on the content of A151a, and the question was asked whether the matter had been considered by the House Committee on Canons. Upon ascertaining that it had not (although it had passed the House of Bishops Committee on Canons), the President asked that the matter be referred to the Committee on Canons.
Motion withdrawn
Referred to Canons
The Committee on Structure presented its Report #9 on A151 (Presiding Bishop) and moved concurrence with HB Message #5 with amendment by changing the word "would" to "shall" in the last line.
Motion carried
The House concurs, with amendment
(Communicated to the House of Bishops in HD Message #114)
The President appointed a Conference Committee for A151 composed of Frank Storey of Spokane and Richard Kallenberg of Fond du Lac.
House of Bishops
The following message was received from the House of Deputies:
HD Message #114: A151 Amended (Concerning the Election of a Presiding Bishop).
The House concurred
(Communicated to the House of Deputies in HB Message #144)
Resolution Concurred by Both Houses, September 12.
| Report Reference: | Standing Commission on the Structure of the Church, Reports to the 68th General Convention, 1985, pp. 298-307. |
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| Abstract: | The 68th General Convention amends Canon Title I.2.1 concerning the office of the Presiding Bishop. |