The Episcopal Polity of Anglicanism

We have a significant and busy month ahead of us as a parish and a diocese. As many of you know, the Diocesan Synod is coming up in two weeks. During this Synod, we will choose a Bishop Coadjutor who will eventually become the Bishop Ordinary for our Diocese when Bishop Manto retires. November 3rd is our Annual Parish Meeting, where we will choose two new vestry members as two current members end their terms and cycle off of the vestry. With all these changes occurring, I thought it might be helpful to give a brief review of the episcopal polity of Anglicanism.

     The local parish’s governance comes from the vestry, the governing body chaired by the rector. The vestry membership is selected by the vestry with the consent of the rector and ratified by the congregation at its annual meeting. The vestry makes decisions for the local parish’s finances and physical plant. However, the vestry needs the approval of the Parish to buy or sell the property or make changes to the bylaws. The Senior Warden assists the rector and in the absence of the rector helps to find a supply for the pulpit and looks after the parish register. While the Junior Warden oversees the care and general oversight of the property.

     The rector is called by the vestry, with the bishop's approval. The Diocesan Canons say "It shall be the duty of every [rector] to preach the Gospel and declare the whole counsel of God according to the Holy Scriptures; to appoint and conduct services for Divine Worship; to visit the members of his congregation, particularly such as are sick, infirm, or aged; to prepare candidates for Baptism and Confirmation; to conduct the funeral services of deceased communicant members; and in every way to seek to strengthen the spiritual life of the members." Once installed, the rector serves as the spiritual authority for the parish, under the authority of the bishop, in cooperation with the vestry. In other words, once a rector is called and approved, he works together with the vestry but not for it. 

     This same model works at all levels of the church. The diocese calls a bishop who works with the standing committee (the diocesan equivalent to the local vestry), but not for it. Likewise, the Archbishop or Presiding Bishop is called by the college of bishops and he works with the Provincial Council, but not for it. Naturally, there are several constitutional safeguards in place to prevent abuse of power by the clergy at all levels. The superstructure of our episcopal governance is designed to provide a balance between godly authority and the ability to stifle ungodly, tyrannical rule.

     So, the local church has as its structure the laity that empowers the vestry. The vestry calls the rector, and the bishop oversees both. At the next level, the diocese elects a standing committee and the standing committee provides for the election of a bishop by the several parishes that make up the diocese. Once a bishop is elected, he must receive consent from the national college of bishops to serve as the diocesan authority (what we call the Ordinary). The diocesan bishop is then under the authority of the archbishop/presiding bishop. So, there are three levels of governance: Province-->Diocese-->Parish.

     Again, the point of this sort of government is that there is a balance between the voice of the laity and the vocation of the clergy. In episcopal polity, the clergy possess broad powers, but that authority comes from the bishop with the consent of the laity. What’s more, with each level of church governance there is more and more authority granted to the clergy, but likewise, there is an ever-increasing responsibility. Many people see this structure as a hierarchy with the Archbishop/Presiding Bishop at the top:

Presiding Bishop-->Bishop-->Rector-->Assisting priests & Deacons-->Laity

      In terms of power, this is right. Yet, I see this structure as reversed in terms of missional responsibility. Imagine the weight that one would feel when they are charged with holding up the lives of so many people. This, after all, is a better way of understanding a leadership role, not domineering power but the responsibility to serve and help people grow in holiness. Consequently, when we think of diagramming responsibility (rather than power) we might just as well diagram the roles in reverse, imagining each layer adding more and more weight to the one below it with the laity at the top; thus:

Laity-->Assisting Priests & Deacons-->Rector-->Bishop-->Presiding Bishop

     Thinking in terms of the mission of the Church, it is the laity that have the most engagement with the world around them. The priest, while involved in the mission of the church, is one person who is in charge of preparing, equipping, and growing people of God. He does this on the authority of the bishop. Through the gifting of Apostolic Succession, the empowerment for ministry is passed down from the bishop to the priest to the deacon. The responsibility, as well as the consequences, for ministering and caring for the people of God, increases the higher up you go in church polity. So please, pray for the election of our Bishop Coadjutor, and pray for our parish as we look for people to join the vestry.

Grace and Peace,

Fr. Aaron