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Constitution & Canons Constitution & Canons Constitution & Canons Together with the Rules of Order For the government of the Protestant Episcopal Church in the United States of America Otherwise Known as The Episcopal Church Adopted and Revised in General Convention, 1789-2006 2006 Edited by The Archives of the Episcopal Church General Convention Office 815 Second Avenue New York, New York 10017 Church Publishing Incorporated TABLE OF CONTENTS CONSTITUTION OF THE GENERAL CONVENTION Preamble.....................................................................................................................................1 Article I: Of the General Convention.........................................................................................1 II: Of Bishops......................................................................................................................3 III: Of Bishops Consecrated for Foreign Lands..............................................................4 IV: Of the Standing Committee.........................................................................................4 V: Of Admission of New Dioceses.................................................................................5 VI: Of Missionary Dioceses................................................................................................6 VII: Of Provinces...................................................................................................................7 VIII: Of Requisites for Ordination.......................................................................................7 IX: Of Courts........................................................................................................................8 X: Of The Book of Common Prayer...............................................................................8 XI: Of Dioceses and Missionary Dioceses.......................................................................9 XII: Of Amendments to the Constitution.........................................................................9 CANONS OF THE GENERAL CONVENTION Title I Organization and Administration Canon 1: Of the General Convention.......................................................................................11 2: Of the Presiding Bishop.............................................................................................26 3: Of the Domestic and Foreign Missionary Society.................................................30 4: Of the Executive Council...........................................................................................30 5: Of the Archives of the Episcopal Church...............................................................36 6: Of the Mode of Securing an Accurate View of the State of This Church.........37 7: Of Business Methods in Church Affairs..................................................................38 8: Of The Church Pension Fund...................................................................................40 9: Of Provinces.................................................................................................................42 10: Of New Dioceses........................................................................................................45 11: Of Missionary Jurisdictions........................................................................................46 12: Of Standing Committees............................................................................................49 13: Of Parishes and Congregations.................................................................................49 14: Of Parish Vestries........................................................................................................50 15: Of Congregations in Foreign Lands.........................................................................51 16: Of Clergy and Congregations Seeking Affiliation with This Church..................53 17: Of Regulations Respecting the Laity........................................................................53 18: Of the Solemnization of Holy Matrimony..............................................................56 19: Of Regulations Respecting Holy Matrimony: Concerning Preservation of Marriage, Dissolution of Marriage, and Remarriage.........................................57 20: Of Churches in Full Communion.............................................................................58 v CONTENTS Title II Worship Canon 1: Of the Due Celebration of Sundays.........................................................................59 2: Of Translations of the Bible......................................................................................59 3: Of the Standard Book of Common Prayer.............................................................59 4: Of the Authorization of Special Forms of Service.................................................61 5: Of the Music of the Church.......................................................................................61 6: Of Dedicated and Consecrated Churches...............................................................62 Title III Ministry Canon 1: Of the Ministry of All Baptized Persons..................................................................63 2: Of Commissions on Ministry....................................................................................63 3: Of Discernment...........................................................................................................64 4: Of Licensed Ministries................................................................................................64 5: Of General Provisions Respecting Ordination.......................................................65 6: Of the Ordination of Deacons..................................................................................67 7: Of the Life and Work of Deacons............................................................................71 8: Of the Ordination of Priests......................................................................................74 9: Of the Life and Work of Priests................................................................................81 10: Of Reception of Clergy from other Churches........................................................92 11: Of the Ordination of Bishops...................................................................................98 12: Of the Life and Work of a Bishop..........................................................................106 13: Of Dioceses without Bishops..................................................................................113 14: Of Religious Orders and Other Christian Communities....................................113 15: Of the General Board of Examining Chaplains...................................................115 16: Of the Board for Church Deployment..................................................................117 Title IV Ecclesiastical Discipline Canon 1: Of Offenses for Which Bishops, Priests, or Deacons May be Presented and Tried, and Of Inhibitions.................................................................................119 2: Of Voluntary Submission to Discipline (A) Of a Priest or Deacon...................................................................................122 (B) Of a Bishop.....................................................................................................123 3: Of Presentments (A) Of a Priest or Deacon...................................................................................124 (B) Of a Bishop Charged with the Offense of Holding and Teaching Publicly or Privately, and Advisedly, Any Doctrine Contrary to that Held by This Church.......................................................129 (C) Of a Bishop Charged with Other Offenses...............................................130 4: Of Diocesan Courts, and Courts of Review for the Trial of a Priest or Deacon, Their Membership and Procedure (A) Diocesan Courts for the Trial of a Priest or Deacon...............................136 (B) Appeals to Courts of Review for the Trial of a Priest or Deacon........................................................................................................139 5: Of the Court for the Trial of a Bishop...................................................................144 6: Of Appeals to the Court of Review of the Trial of a Bishop.............................149 vi CONTENTS 7: Of a Priest or Deacon in Any Diocese Chargeable with Offense in Another...................................................................................................................152 8: Of Renunciation of the Ministry by Members of the Clergy Amenable for Presentment for an Offense...........................................................153 9: Of Abandonment of the Communion of This Church by a Bishop................154 10: Of Abandonment of the Communion of This Church by a Priest or Deacon...................................................................................................................155 11: Of a Priest or Deacon Engaging in Secular Employment without Consent, Being Absent from the Diocese, or Abandoning the Work of the Ministry............................................................................................................156 12: Of Sentences..............................................................................................................157 13: Of the Remission or Modification of Sentences..................................................160
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