Louie's Index

By Louie Crew

 

How many bishops in the Episcopal Church, USA (ECUSA) are theoretically eligible to be elected the 26th Presiding Bishop?

85. The new PB will be elected at General Convention in Columbus, OH in 2006, from a slate of nominees presented in advance by the nominating committee elected at General Convention in August 2003. My latest compilation of those who are eligible is listed online with additional statistics. (30 of the 85 could only serve a six-year term, rather than a full nine-year term. Only 66 of the 85 are currently diocesan bishops with jurisdiction.)

 

Where do I find out how an ECUSA bishop has voted on controversial resolutions?

I have created a tabulation of each bishop's voting record. To write to a bishop, you may contact them by email or snail mail.

What juridical authority does the Lambeth Conference have over the provinces which are members of the Anglican Communion?

0. The Lambeth Conference meets every 10 years, next to be in 2008, at the invitation of the Archbishop of Canterbury. Only bishops with jurisdiction are invited.

How many primates are there in the Anglican Communion?

38. That represents one for each of the 38 provinces. See the online directory.

How many "out" gay bishops are in ECUSA?

2. The Rt. Rev. Otis Charles, Retired Bishop of Utah, and the Rt. Rev. Gene Robinson, Bishop of New Hampshire

How many canons of the Episcopal Church refer to "sexual orientation"?

2. Title 1, Canon 17, Sec. 5, p. 53 guarantees "rights, status or access to an equal place in the life, worship, and governance of this Church, regardless of sexual orientation." Title 3, Canon 4, Sec. 1 assures that sexual orientation will not block access to the ordination process.

How many ECUSA students are currently enrolled in Masters of Divinity programs in U.S. seminaries?

847. The latest data available was for Fall 2002: 283 juniors, 288 middlers, and 276 seniors.

Where can I find background information about any priest in the Episcopal Church?

The Episcopal Clerical Directory, published by the Church Publishing Company.

Where can I find information about the leadership of any diocese in one place?

The Episcopal Church Annual from Morehouse Publishing.

I know someone who would make a good bishop. How do I find out which elections have been announced and how to nominate this person?

See my website. Most announcements link to official sites with more details.

How many ECUSA bishops retired between the last two General Conventions in 2000 and 2003?

24.

How many ECUSA bishops were elected between the General Conventions in 2000 and 2003?

31.

How many ECUSA bishops died between January 1, 2000 and the General Convention in July/August, 2003?

19.

How many people form the decision-making body for the Episcopal Church in the three-year period in between General Conventions?

40. This is the membership with seat, voice and vote of the Executive Council, which meets three times a year. 18 of the Council members are elected by the nine ECUSA provinces. 20 are elected by the General Convention. The Presiding Bishop serves as president of the Council and the President of the House of Deputies serves as its vice-president. The 38 elected members serve six-year terms, half of the body being elected every three years.

Where can I find what the General Convention and the Executive Council have decided in the past?

Through the Episcopal Church Archives, established in 1845.

What body in the Church of England parallels the U.S. church's General Convention?

"General Synod."  The lay and clergy members at the Synod are elected by dioceses. Bishops, clergy and laity meet as one body, not in two houses as the U.S. church does (a House of Bishops and House of Deputies). The Synod meets twice each year, not triennially as we do.

Who is the head of the Church of England?

The ruling monarch as the "supreme governor," not the Archbishop of Canterbury

 

Louie Crew is a writer and a well-known collector and disseminator of statistics and little-known facts about the Anglican Communion, which may be found on his website. He is a contributing editor to The Witness and publishes a regular column on "A Globe of Witnesses." Louie may be reached by email at lcrew@andromeda.rutgers.edu