The Acts of Convention
| Resolution Number: | 2022-A149 |
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| Title: | Amend Constitution Article II.4-8 [Bishops Suffragan--Second Reading] |
| Legislative Action Taken: | Concurred |
| Final Text: | |
Resolved, That Article II.4-8 of the Constitution is hereby amended to read as follows:
ARTICLE II
Sec. 4. It shall be lawful for a Diocese, at the request of the Bishop of that Diocese, to elect not more than two Suffragan Bishops Suffragan, without right of succession, and with seat and vote in the House of Bishops. A Suffragan Bishop Suffragan
shall be consecrated and hold office under such conditions and
limitations other than those provided in this Article as may be provided
by Canons of the General Convention. A Suffragan Bishop Suffragan shall be eligible for election as Bishop Diocesan or Bishop Coadjutor of a Diocese, or as a Bishop Suffragan in another Diocese.
Sec. 5. It shall be lawful for a Diocese to prescribe by the Constitution and Canons of such Diocese that upon the death, removal or deposition of the Bishop or if the Bishop resigns, a Suffragan Bishop Suffragan of that Diocese may be placed in charge of such Diocese and
become temporarily the Ecclesiastical Authority thereof until such time
as a new Bishop shall be chosen and consecrated; or that during the
disability or absence of the Bishop, a Bishop Suffragan of that Diocese
may be placed in charge of such diocese and become temporarily the
Ecclesiastical Authority thereof.
Sec. 6. A Bishop may not resign jurisdiction without the consent of the House of Bishops.
Sec. 7. It shall be lawful for the House of Bishops to elect a Suffragan Bishop Suffragan
who, under the direction of the Presiding Bishop, shall be in charge of
the work of those chaplains in the Armed Forces of the United States,
Veterans’ Administration Medical Centers, and Federal Correctional
Institutions who are ordained Ministers of this Church. The Suffragan Bishop Suffragan so
elected shall be consecrated and hold office under such conditions and
limitations other than those provided in this Article as may be provided
by Canons of the General Convention. The Suffragan Bishop Suffragan shall be eligible for election as Bishop Diocesan, or Bishop Coadjutor or Suffragan Bishop Suffragan of a Diocese.
Sec. 8. A Bishop Diocesan or Coadjutor who has for at least five years next preceding exercised jurisdiction as the Ordinary, served as the Bishop Diocesan or as the Bishop Coadjutor, of a Diocese for any period of time, may be elected as Bishop Diocesan, Bishop Coadjutor, or Suffragan Bishop Suffragan of another Diocese only
if five or more years have passed since the Bishop first served as
Bishop Diocesan or Bishop Coadjutor of the Diocese in which the Bishop
is currently or last served as Bishop Diocesan or Bishop Coadjutor.
Before acceptance of such election a resignation of jurisdiction in the
Diocese in which the Bishop is then serving, conditioned on the required
consents of the Bishops and Standing Committees of the Church to such
election, shall be submitted to the House of Bishops, and also, if the
Bishop be a Bishop Coadjutor, a renunciation of the right of succession.
Such resignation, and renunciation of the right of succession in the
case of a Bishop Coadjutor, shall require the consent of the House of
Bishops.
| Citation: | General Convention, Journal of the General Convention of...The Episcopal Church, Baltimore, 2022 (New York: General Convention, 2023), pp. 503-504. |
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Legislative History
| Author: | Standing Commission on Structure, Governance, Constitution and Canons |
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| Originating House: | House of Bishops |
| Originating Committee: | Constitution and Canons |
House of Bishops
The House of Bishops Committee on Constitution and Canons presented its Report #13 on Resolution A149 (Amend Constitution Article II.4-8 [Bishops Suffragan--Second Reading]) and moved adoption.
Original Text of Resolution:
(A149)
Resolved, the House of Deputies concurring,
Resolved, That Article II.4-8 of the Constitution is hereby amended to read as follows:
ARTICLE II
Sec. 4. It shall be lawful for a Diocese, at the request of the Bishop of that Diocese, to elect not more than two Suffragan Bishops Suffragan, without right of succession, and with seat and vote in the House of Bishops. A Suffragan Bishop Suffragan
shall be consecrated and hold office under such conditions and
limitations other than those provided in this Article as may be provided
by Canons of the General Convention. A Suffragan Bishop Suffragan shall be eligible for election as Bishop Diocesan or Bishop Coadjutor of a Diocese, or as a Bishop Suffragan in another Diocese.
Sec. 5. It shall be lawful for a Diocese to prescribe by the Constitution and Canons of such Diocese that upon the death, removal or deposition of the Bishop or if the Bishop resigns, a Suffragan Bishop Suffragan of that Diocese may be placed in charge of such Diocese and
become temporarily the Ecclesiastical Authority thereof until such time
as a new Bishop shall be chosen and consecrated; or that during the
disability or absence of the Bishop, a Bishop Suffragan of that Diocese
may be placed in charge of such diocese and become temporarily the
Ecclesiastical Authority thereof.
Sec. 6. A Bishop may not resign jurisdiction without the consent of the House of Bishops.
Sec. 7. It shall be lawful for the House of Bishops to elect a Suffragan Bishop Suffragan
who, under the direction of the Presiding Bishop, shall be in charge of
the work of those chaplains in the Armed Forces of the United States,
Veterans’ Administration Medical Centers, and Federal Correctional
Institutions who are ordained Ministers of this Church. The Suffragan Bishop Suffragan so
elected shall be consecrated and hold office under such conditions and
limitations other than those provided in this Article as may be provided
by Canons of the General Convention. The Suffragan Bishop Suffragan shall be eligible for election as Bishop Diocesan, or Bishop Coadjutor or Suffragan Bishop Suffragan of a Diocese.
Sec. 8. A Bishop Diocesan or Coadjutor who has for at least five years next preceding exercised jurisdiction as the Ordinary, served as the Bishop Diocesan or as the Bishop Coadjutor, of a Diocese for any period of time, may be elected as Bishop Diocesan, Bishop Coadjutor, or Suffragan Bishop Suffragan of another Diocese only
if five or more years have passed since the Bishop first served as
Bishop Diocesan or Bishop Coadjutor of the Diocese in which the Bishop
is currently or last served as Bishop Diocesan or Bishop Coadjutor.
Before acceptance of such election a resignation of jurisdiction in the
Diocese in which the Bishop is then serving, conditioned on the required
consents of the Bishops and Standing Committees of the Church to such
election, shall be submitted to the House of Bishops, and also, if the
Bishop be a Bishop Coadjutor, a renunciation of the right of succession.
Such resignation, and renunciation of the right of succession in the
case of a Bishop Coadjutor, shall require the consent of the House of
Bishops.
Motion carried
Resolution adopted
(Communicated to the House of Deputies in HB Message #78)
House of Deputies
The House of Deputies Committee on Constitution and Canons presented its Report #33 on HB Message #78 on Resolution A149 (Amend Constitution Article II.4-8 [Bishops Suffragan--Second Reading]) and moved concurrence.
Ballot #1 - Vote by Orders
A Vote by Orders was taken on Resolution A149.
Ballot #1 taken by orders
Results of Ballot #1: Vote By Orders of Resolution A149
The President read the results of Ballot #1.
| Type | Total | Necessary | Yes | No | Divided | No+Divided | Result |
| Lay: | 107 | 54 | 107 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Yes |
| Clergy: | 106 | 54 | 105 | 0 | 1 | 1 | Yes |
Motion carried
The House concurred
(Communicated to the House of Bishops in HD Message #271)
Resolution Concurred by Both Houses, July 10.
| Abstract: | The 80th General Convention amends Article II, Sections 4 through 8 of the Constitution to make consistent the titles of bishops, clarify conditions under which a Bishop Suffragan may become a temporary Ecclesiastical Authority, and clarify years of service prior to a bishop being elected elsewhere. |
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