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The General Convention is the primary governing and legislative body of the
Episcopal Church in the United States of America The Episcopal Church (TEC), also known as the Protestant Episcopal Church in the United States of America (PECUSA), is a member of the worldwide Anglican Communion, based in the United States. It is a mainline Protestant denomination and is ...
. With the exception of the
Bible The Bible is a collection of religious texts that are central to Christianity and Judaism, and esteemed in other Abrahamic religions such as Islam. The Bible is an anthology (a compilation of texts of a variety of forms) originally writt ...
, the ''
Book of Common Prayer The ''Book of Common Prayer'' (BCP) is the title given to a number of related prayer books used in the Anglican Communion and by other Christianity, Christian churches historically related to Anglicanism. The Book of Common Prayer (1549), fi ...
'', and the Constitution and Canons, it is the ultimate authority in the Episcopal Church, being the bureaucratic facility through which the collegial function of the episcopate is exercised. General Convention comprises two houses: the House of Deputies and the
House of Bishops The House of Bishops is the third House in a General Synod of some Anglican churches and the second house in the General Convention of the Episcopal Church in the United States of America.
.The Episcopal Church, ''Constitution and Canons''
Constitution Article I Section 1 It meets regularly once every three years; however, the House of Bishops meets regularly in between sessions of General Convention. The Bishops have the right to call special meetings of General Convention.Title I Canon 1 Section 3 (a) All diocesan, coadjutor,
suffragan A suffragan bishop is a type of bishop in some Christian denominations. In the Catholic Church, a suffragan bishop leads a diocese within an ecclesiastical province other than the principal diocese, the metropolitan archdiocese; the diocese led ...
, and assistant bishops of the Episcopal Church, whether active or retired, have seat and vote in the House of Bishops.Constitution Article I Section 2 Each diocese of the Episcopal Church, as well as the Navajoland Area Mission and the Convocation of Episcopal Churches in Europe, is entitled to representation in the House of Deputies by four
clergy Clergy are formal leaders within established religions. Their roles and functions vary in different religious traditions, but usually involve presiding over specific rituals and teaching their religion's doctrines and practices. Some of the ter ...
deputies, either
presbyter Presbyter () is an honorific title for Christian clergy. The word derives from the Greek ''presbyteros'', which means elder or senior, although many in Christian antiquity understood ''presbyteros'' to refer to the bishop functioning as overseer ...
s or
deacon A deacon is a member of the diaconate, an office in Christian churches that is generally associated with service of some kind, but which varies among theological and denominational traditions. Major Christian denominations, such as the Cathol ...
s, canonically resident in the diocese, and four lay deputies who are confirmed communicants in good standing.Constitution Article I Section 4 The Episcopal Church of Liberia is entitled to representation in the House of Deputies by two
clergy Clergy are formal leaders within established religions. Their roles and functions vary in different religious traditions, but usually involve presiding over specific rituals and teaching their religion's doctrines and practices. Some of the ter ...
deputies and two lay deputies, all with seat and voice but no vote. The Official Youth Presence is a group of eighteen high school youth, two from each
province A province is an administrative division within a country or sovereign state, state. The term derives from the ancient Roman , which was the major territorial and administrative unit of the Roman Empire, Roman Empire's territorial possessions ou ...
. They also have seat and voice but no vote. Resolutions must pass both houses in order to take effect. The convention is divided into committees which consider resolutions. Resolutions arise from four different sources: # "A" resolutions from interim bodies whose work is collected in what is referred to as the "Blue Book" # "B" resolutions which come from Bishops # "C" resolutions which come from diocesan conventions and # "D" resolutions which originate from Deputies. Each properly submitted resolution is referred to a convention committee which makes its recommendation to the House. When one house has acted on the resolution it is sent to the other house for consideration.


Officers


Presiding Bishop

The presiding officer of the House of Bishops is the Presiding Bishop. Both houses take part in the selection of a new Presiding Bishop.Title I Canon 2 Section 1 The members of the Joint Nominating Committee for the Election of the Presiding Bishop are elected from both houses. The House of Deputies elects one clerical and one lay delegate from each province, and the House of Bishops elects one bishop from every province to sit on the joint committee. When a new Presiding Bishop is to be elected, the houses meet together in a joint session, and the nominating committee nominates at least three bishops. During the joint session, any deputy or bishop can nominate additional candidates. The House of Bishops elects the Presiding Bishop from among all nominees. The results of the election are reported to the House of Deputies, which then votes to confirm or not to confirm the election.


Other officers

The presiding officers of the House of Deputies are the president and vice president. A treasurer is elected by the two houses at every regular meeting of General Convention.Title I Canon 1 Section 7 (a-b) The treasurer formulates the budget of the Episcopal Church, receives and disburses all money collected under the authority of the convention, and with the approval of the Presiding Bishop invests surplus funds.Title I Canon 1 Section 7 (a-b), 11. If the office of treasurer becomes vacant, the Presiding Bishop and the President of the House of Deputies appoints a treasurer until a new election is held. The treasurer of the General Convention and the Executive Council is Kurt Barnes.The Episcopal Church
Treasurer
, accessed January 7, 2011.
At each regular meeting of General Convention, the secretary of the House of Deputies is by concurrent action of both houses made the secretary of the General Convention. The secretary oversees the publishing of the Journal of the General Convention.Title I Canon 1 Section 1 (j). In addition, the secretary also notifies the bishops and secretaries of every diocese to actions of General Convention, especially alterations to the ''
Book of Common Prayer The ''Book of Common Prayer'' (BCP) is the title given to a number of related prayer books used in the Anglican Communion and by other Christianity, Christian churches historically related to Anglicanism. The Book of Common Prayer (1549), fi ...
'' and the constitution of the Episcopal Church. If the offices of president and vice president become vacant during the triennium, the secretary performs the duties of president until the next meeting of General Convention. The Secretary is also the corporate secretary of the Domestic and Foreign Missionary Society, the corporate body of the Episcopal Church, and one of the four senior officers of the church. The Rev. Canon Michael Barlowe is the Secretary of the House of Deputies, having been appointed upon the retirement of his predecessor, the Rev. Gregory Straub in 2013. Barlowe is also the Executive Officer of the General Convention, a position filled by joint appointment of the Presiding Bishop and the President of the House of Deputies. The Executive Officer "oversees all aspects of the work of Church governance, from site selection through supervision and funding of the work mandated by the convention".The Episcopal Church
Executive Officer and Secretary
, accessed January 6, 2011.
He supervises the secretary, treasurer, and manager of the General Convention and heads the executive office of the General Convention which coordinates the work of the committees, commissions, boards, and agencies (CCAB's).Title I Canon 1 Section 13.


Interim bodies and standing commissions

Interim bodies, meeting in between sessions of General Convention, include the Executive Council, various standing commissions, and task forces constituted by the Convention which study and draft policy proposals for consideration and report back to General Convention. Task forces may vary in their size, membership, and duration depending on the General Convention resolution that orders their formation.Joint Rule IX The Executive Council, composed of the officers of General Convention and members elected by the General Convention and provinces of the Church, oversees the execution of the programs and policies adopted by General Convention.Title I Canon 4 Each standing commission consists of five bishops, five priests or deacons, and ten laypersons. Priests, deacons, and lay persons are not required to be deputies. Bishops are appointed by the Presiding Bishop while the other clergy and laypersons are appointed by the president of the House of Deputies. Members are appointed to rotating terms so that the term for half of the members expires at the conclusion of each regular meeting of the General Convention.Title I Canon 1 Section 2 (a-c) The standing commissions are:Title I Canon 1 Section 2 (n) *Liturgy and Music *Structure, Governance, Constitution and Canons *World Mission The Presiding Bishop and the President of the House of Deputies are
ex officio An ''ex officio'' member is a member of a body (notably a board, committee, or council) who is part of it by virtue of holding another office. The term '' ex officio'' is Latin, meaning literally 'from the office', and the sense intended is 'by r ...
members of all commissions and can appoint personal representatives to attend commission meetings without the right to vote. They jointly appoint Executive Council members as liaison persons to provide communication between the council and each commission. These liaison persons are not commission members and cannot vote; though, they do have voice. The Presiding Bishop also appoints a staff member to assist each commission in its work.Title I Canon 1 Section 2 (d-e) Either house may refer matters to a commission, but one house cannot instruct a commission to take any action without the consent of the other house.Title I Canon 1 Section 2 (h)


History

The
American Revolution The American Revolution (1765–1783) was a colonial rebellion and war of independence in which the Thirteen Colonies broke from British America, British rule to form the United States of America. The revolution culminated in the American ...
was very disruptive to the Episcopal churches in the
United States The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...
. There had been no Anglican dioceses or bishops in the
Thirteen Colonies The Thirteen Colonies were the British colonies on the Atlantic coast of North America which broke away from the British Crown in the American Revolutionary War (1775–1783), and joined to form the United States of America. The Thirteen C ...
before the Revolution, thus when the American congregations were separated from the
Church of England The Church of England (C of E) is the State religion#State churches, established List of Christian denominations, Christian church in England and the Crown Dependencies. It is the mother church of the Anglicanism, Anglican Christian tradition, ...
, "the chain which held them together asbroken". In 1782, William White, the father of the Episcopal Church, wrote in his pamphlet ''The Case of the Episcopal Churches in the United States Considered'', "it would seem, that their future continuance can be provided for only by voluntary associations for union and good government".William White (1782), ''The Case of the Episcopal Churches in the United States Considered'': Chapter I
Project Canterbury
accessed January 8, 2011.
In America, the central unit of the church would be the congregation, rather than the diocese. White, a disciple of
John Locke John Locke (; 29 August 1632 (Old Style and New Style dates, O.S.) – 28 October 1704 (Old Style and New Style dates, O.S.)) was an English philosopher and physician, widely regarded as one of the most influential of the Enlightenment thi ...
, believed that the church, like the state, should be a democracy. He proposed that congregations in each state should unite to form an annual convention (as opposed to a "convocation" or "synod", terms which denote a body called together by a bishop) of clergy and lay representatives of the congregations. In White's plan, the state conventions would send representatives to three provincial conventions which would elect representatives to the General Convention every three years.Podmore 2008, pp. 128-129. The constitution written in 1789 was very similar to White's plan, except that state conventions would elect representatives directly to the General Convention. Bishops would be democratically elected and responsible to the General Convention and their respective state (later diocesan) conventions. Bishops would be "servants of the Church and not its lords".James R. Gundrum
"The General Convention: Understood Authority or Ecclesiastical Chaos"
, Arrington Lectures 1982, University of the South, p. 2.
It is often said that the Constitutions of the United States and the Episcopal Church were written by the same people. While this is not true, both were written around the same time in Philadelphia by people who knew each other and who sought to "replace hierarchical rule with egalitarian, democratic government".Podmore 2008, pp. 128. The House of Deputies is the older of the two houses having been formed in 1785. William White was the first President of the House of Deputies. The House of Bishops was formed in 1789 to win the support of those who wanted a greater role for bishops. The House of Deputies had the advantage because with an 80 percent majority it could override a veto of the House of Bishops until 1808 when both houses were given absolute vetoes.Podmore 2008, pp. 138. White became the first Bishop of Pennsylvania and the first Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church.


Notable Conventions

* 1785
Philadelphia Philadelphia ( ), colloquially referred to as Philly, is the List of municipalities in Pennsylvania, most populous city in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania and the List of United States cities by population, sixth-most populous city in the Unit ...
—Initial General Convention of the Episcopal Church. * 1817
New York City New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...
—Passed legislation founding
General Theological Seminary The General Theological Seminary of the Episcopal Church (GTS) is an Episcopal Church (United States), Episcopal seminary in New York City. Founded in 1817, GTS is the oldest seminary of the Episcopal Church and the longest continuously operating ...
. * 1865 Philadelphia—After the close of the
Civil War A civil war is a war between organized groups within the same Sovereign state, state (or country). The aim of one side may be to take control of the country or a region, to achieve independence for a region, or to change government policies.J ...
, bishops from two Confederate dioceses are warmly welcomed to General Convention, paving the way for the remaining Southern dioceses to rejoin the church soon afterward. * 1976
Minneapolis, Minnesota Minneapolis is a city in Hennepin County, Minnesota, United States, and its county seat. With a population of 429,954 as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, it is the state's List of cities in Minnesota, most populous city. Locat ...
—Approval of women for
ordination Ordination is the process by which individuals are Consecration in Christianity, consecrated, that is, set apart and elevated from the laity class to the clergy, who are thus then authorized (usually by the religious denomination, denominationa ...
. * 2003 Minneapolis—The Reverend
Gene Robinson Vicky Gene Robinson (born May 29, 1947) is a retired bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of New Hampshire. Robinson was elected Coadjutor bishop, bishop coadjutor in 2003 and succeeded as bishop diocesan in March 2004. Before becoming bishop, he se ...
was confirmed to be the first openly gay bishop in the Episcopal Church. * 2006
Columbus, Ohio Columbus (, ) is the List of capitals in the United States, capital and List of cities in Ohio, most populous city of the U.S. state of Ohio. With a 2020 United States census, 2020 census population of 905,748, it is the List of United States ...
—Election of Katharine Jefferts Schori as 26th Presiding Bishop, the first woman in the office. Response to Windsor Report: Dioceses are asked to exercise restraint in ordaining bishops who may cause further strain to the
Anglican Communion The Anglican Communion is a Christian Full communion, communion consisting of the Church of England and other autocephalous national and regional churches in full communion. The archbishop of Canterbury in England acts as a focus of unity, ...
. * 2015
Salt Lake City Salt Lake City, often shortened to Salt Lake or SLC, is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Utah. It is the county seat of Salt Lake County, the most populous county in the state. The city is the core of the Salt Lake Ci ...
—Election of Michael Bruce Curry as 27th Presiding Bishop, the first African-American in the office. Canonical and liturgical changes removing "language defining
marriage Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognised union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children (if any), and b ...
as between a man and a woman", thus allowing
same-sex marriage Same-sex marriage, also known as gay marriage, is the marriage of two people of the same legal Legal sex and gender, sex. marriage between same-sex couples is legally performed and recognized in 38 countries, with a total population of 1.5 ...
for all Episcopalians. * 2018
Austin, Texas Austin ( ) is the List of capitals in the United States, capital city of the U.S. state of Texas. It is the county seat and most populous city of Travis County, Texas, Travis County, with portions extending into Hays County, Texas, Hays and W ...
—After the
Stoneman Douglas High School shooting On February 14, 2018, a mass shooting occurred when 19-year-old Nikolas Cruz opened fire on students and staff at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, part of the Miami metropolitan area, Parkland, Florida, killing 17 people and injuring 18 ot ...
, a plan to invest in firearms manufacturers and retailers as a form of shareholder advocacy was approved.


See also

* List of General Conventions


References


External links


Office of the General ConventionArchives of the Episcopal Church
{{Authority control Episcopal Church (United States) Governing assemblies of religious organizations Christian conferences Recurring events established in 1785