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Section C

Ministers, their ordination, functions and charge

C 1 Of holy orders in the Church of England

1. The Church of England holds and teaches that from the apostles' time there have been these orders in Christ's Church: bishops, priests, and deacons; and no man shall be accounted or taken to be a lawful bishop, priest, or deacon in the Church of England, or suffered to execute any of the said offices, except he be called, tried, examined, and admitted thereunto according to the Ordinal or any form of service alternative thereto approved by the General Synod under Canon B 2, authorized by the Archbishops of Canterbury and York under Canon C 4A or has had formerly episcopal consecration or ordination in some Church whose orders are recognized and accepted by the Church of England.

2. No person who has been admitted to the order of bishop, priest, or deacon can ever be divested of the character of his order, but a minister may either by legal process voluntarily relinquish the exercise of his orders and use himself as a layman, or may by legal and canonical process be deprived of the exercise of his orders or deposed therefrom.

3. According to the ancient law and usage of this Church and Realm of England, the priests and deacons who have received authority to minister in any diocese owe canonical obedience in all things lawful and honest to the bishop of the same, and the bishop of each diocese owes due allegiance to the archbishop of the province as his metropolitan.

4. Where any bishop, priest or deacon ceases to hold office in the Church of England or otherwise ceases to serve in any place he continues to owe canonical obedience in all things lawful and honest to the archbishop of the province or the bishop of the diocese (as the case may be) in which he resides for the time being.

C 2 Of the consecration of bishops

1. No person shall be consecrated to the office of bishop by fewer than three bishops present together and joining in the act of consecration, of whom one shall be the archbishop of the province or a bishop appointed to act on his behalf.

2. The consecration of a bishop shall take place upon some Sunday or Holy Day, unless the archbishop, for urgent and weighty cause, shall appoint some other day.

3. No person shall be consecrated bishop except he shall be at least thirty years of age.

4. No person shall be refused consecration as bishop on the ground that he was born out of lawful wedlock.

5. Nothing in this Canon shall make it lawful for a woman to be consecrated to the office of bishop.

C 3 Of the ordination of priests and deacons

1. Ordination to the office of priest or deacon shall take place upon the Sundays immediately following the Ember Weeks, or upon St Peter's Day, Michaelmas Day or St Thomas's Day, or upon a day within the week immediately following St Peter's Day, Michaelmas Day or St Thomas's Day, or upon such other day, being a Sunday, a Holy Day or one of the Ember Days, as the bishop of the diocese on urgent occasion shall appoint.

2. Ordination of priests and deacons shall be in the cathedral church of the diocese, or other church or chapel at the discretion of the bishop.

3. One of the archdeacons, or his deputy, or such other persons as by ancient custom have the right so to do, shall present to the bishop every person who is to be ordained.

4. The priests taking part in an ordination shall together with the bishop lay their hands upon the head of every person who receives the order of priesthood.

4A. Any form of service of Holy Communion which is authorized by Canon B 1 may be used at an ordination.

5. No person shall be made deacon, except he be at least 23 years of age, unless he have a faculty from the Archbishop of Canterbury.

6. No person shall be ordained priest, except he be at least 24 years of age, unless being over the age of 23 he have a faculty from the Archbishop of Canterbury.

7. No person shall be ordained both deacon and priest upon one and the same day, unless he have a faculty from the Archbishop of Canterbury.

8. A deacon shall not be ordained to the priesthood for at least one year, unless the bishop shall find good cause for the contrary, so that trial may be made of his behaviour in the office of deacon before he be admitted to the order of priesthood. During a vacancy of the see, the power of the bishop under this paragraph shall be exercisable by the archbishop of the province in which the diocese is situate.

C 4 Of the quality of such as are to be ordained deacons or priests

1. Every bishop shall take care that he admit no person into holy orders but such as he knows either by himself, or by sufficient testimony, to have been baptized and confirmed, to be sufficiently instructed in Holy Scripture and in the doctrine, discipline, and worship of the Church of England, and to be of virtuous conversation and good repute and such as to be a wholesome example and pattern to the flock of Christ.

2. No person shall be admitted into holy orders who is suffering, or who has suffered, from any physical or mental infirmity which in the opinion of the bishop will prevent him from ministering the word and sacraments or from performing the other duties of the minister's office.

3. Subject to paragraph 3A of this Canon no person shall be admitted into holy orders who has remarried and, the other party to that marriage being alive, has a former spouse still living; or who is married to a person who has been previously married and whose former spouse is still living.

3A. The archbishop of the province, on an application made to him by the bishop of a diocese on behalf of a person who by reason of paragraph 3 of this Canon could not otherwise be admitted into holy orders, may grant a faculty for the removal of the impediment imposed by that paragraph to the admission of that person into holy orders, and any request made to a bishop for an application to be made on his behalf under this paragraph shall be made and considered, and any application made by the bishop to the archbishop shall be made and determined, in accordance with directions given from time to time by the Archbishops of Canterbury and York acting jointly.

4. No person shall be refused ordination as deacon or priest on the ground that he was born out of lawful wedlock.

Note: The Archbishops' Directions referred to in paragraph 3A above are reproduced here).

C 4A Of women deacons

1. A woman may be ordained to the office of deacon if she otherwise satisfies the requirements of Canon C 4 as to the persons who may be ordained as deacons.

2. A deaconess who is licensed or holds a bishop's permission to officiate, and in either case satisfies the requirements of Canon C 4 as to the persons to be ordained as deacons, may apply to a bishop for his consent to her ordination as a deacon for service in the diocese of that bishop, and the bishop may give that consent notwithstanding -

 

(a)   that she has not after applying to be so ordained been further examined concerning her knowledge of Holy Scripture or of the doctrine, discipline and worship of the Church of England, or

(b)   that she has not exhibited to the bishop any certificate or other document which is required to be so exhibited under Canon C 6.

 

3. Where a bishop is ordaining a woman according to the Order for the Making of Deacons in the Ordinal attached to The Book of Common Prayer the post-communion Collect beginning 'Almighty God, giver of all good things' shall be omitted and it shall be lawful for the bishop to use the variations to that service set out in the schedule to this Canon.

4. The Archbishops of Canterbury and York may jointly authorize forms of service for deaconesses to be ordained deacon, being forms of service which in both words and order are in their opinion reverent and seemly and are neither contrary to, nor indicative of any departure from, the doctrine of the Church of England in any essential matter.

The schedule

 

1. For any relevant reference to 'he' or 'him' there may be substituted the words 'she' or 'her'.

2. For the prescribed Epistle, namely either 1 Timothy 3.18-13 or Acts 6.2-7, there may be substituted either Isaiah 6.1-8 or Romans 12.1-12 or such other lections as may from time to time be duly authorized.

3. For the prescribed Gospel, namely Luke 12.35-38, there may be substituted Mark 10.35-45 or such other lection as may from time to time be duly authorized.

C 4B Of women priests

1 A woman may be ordained to the office of priest if she otherwise satisfies the requirements of Canon C 4 as to the persons who may be ordained as priests.

2. In the forms of service contained in The Book of Common Prayer or in the Ordinal words importing the masculine gender in relation to the priesthood shall be construed as including the feminine, except where the context otherwise requires.

C 5 Of the titles of such as are to be ordained deacons or priests

1. Any person to be admitted into holy orders shall first exhibit to the bishop of the diocese of whom he desires imposition of hands a certificate that he is provided of some ecclesiastical office within such diocese, which the bishop shall judge sufficient, wherein he may attend the cure of souls and execute his ministry.

2. A bishop may also admit into holy orders

 

(a)   any person holding office in any university, or any fellow, or any person in right as a fellow, in any college or hall in the same;

(b)   any master in a school;

(c)   any person who is to be a chaplain in any university or in any college or hall in the same or in any school;

(d)   any person who is to be a member of the staff of a theological college;

(e)   any person who is living under vows in the house of any religious order or community:

 

Provided that the said university, college, hall, school, or house of a religious order or community be situate within his diocese.

3. A bishop may also admit into holy orders persons for service overseas in accordance with the statutory provisions in that behalf in force from time to time.

4. No person shall be admitted into holy orders by any bishop other than the bishop of the diocese in which he is to exercise his ministry, except he shall bring with him Letters Dimissory from the bishop of such diocese.

5. Notwithstanding any provision of the preceding paragraphs of this Canon, the ancient privilege of any fellow or any person in right as a fellow in any college or hall in the University of Oxford or of Cambridge to be admitted into holy orders without Letters Dimissory by any bishop willing to ordain him shall be unimpaired.

C 6 Of the certificates and testimony to be exhibited to the bishop by such as are to be ordained deacons or priests

1. Every person who is to be made a deacon shall exhibit to the bishop of the diocese:

 

(a)   a certificate or other sufficient evidence of the date and place of his birth;

(b)   testimony of his former good life and behaviour from persons specified by the bishop.

 

2. Every person who is to be ordained priest shall exhibit to the bishop of the diocese:

 

(a)   his Letters of Orders;

(b)   testimony of his former good life and behaviour from persons specified by the bishop.

 

C 7 Of examination for holy orders

No bishop shall admit any person into holy orders, except such person on careful and diligent examination, wherein the bishop shall have called to his assistance the archdeacons and other ministers appointed for this purpose, be found to possess a sufficient knowledge of Holy Scripture and of the doctrine, discipline, and worship of the Church of England as set forth in the Thirty-nine Articles of Religion, The Book of Common Prayer, and the Ordinal: and to fulfil the requirements as to learning and other qualities which, subject to any directions given by the General Synod, the bishop deems necessary for the office of deacon.

C 8 Of ministers exercising their ministry

1. Every minister shall exercise his ministry in accordance with the provisions of this Canon.

2. A minister duly ordained priest or deacon, and, where it is required under paragraph 5 of this Canon, holding a licence or permission from the archbishop of the province, may officiate in any place only after he has received authority to do so from the bishop of the diocese or other the Ordinary of the place.

Save that:

 

(a)   The minister having the cure of souls of a church or chapel or the sequestrator when the cure is vacant or the dean or provost and the canons residentiary of any cathedral or collegiate church may allow a minister, concerning whom they are satisfied either by actual personal knowledge or by good and sufficient evidence that he is of good life and standing and otherwise qualified under this Canon, to minister within their church or chapel for a period of not more than seven days within three months without reference to the bishop or other Ordinary, and a minister so allowed shall be required to sign the services register when he officiates; but nothing in this sub-paragraph authorizes

 

(i)   a minister or sequestrator in a parish to which a resolution in the form set out as Resolution A in Schedule 1 to the Priests (Ordination of Women) Measure 1993 applies, or

(ii)   a dean or provost or the canons residentiary of a cathedral church to which a resolution in the form set out as Resolution A in Schedule 2 to the said Measure applies

 

to allow an act in contravention of that resolution to be committed.

(b)   No member of the chapter of a cathedral church shall be debarred from performing the duties of his office in due course and exercising his ministry within the diocese merely by lack of authority from the bishop of the diocese within which the cathedral is situate.

(c)   Any minister who has a licence to preach throughout the province from the archbishop or throughout England from the University of Oxford or of Cambridge, may preach the Word of God in any diocese within that province or throughout England, as the case may be, without any further authority from the bishop thereof.

(d)   A funeral service which may, under section 2 of the Church of England (Miscellaneous Provisions) Measure 1992, be performed in a parish without the consent of the minister of the parish may be performed without any further authority from the bishop of the diocese within which the parish is situated.

 

3. The bishop of a diocese confers such authority on a minister either by instituting him to a benefice, or by admitting him to serve within his diocese by licence under his hand and seal, or by giving him written permission to officiate within the same.

4. No minister who has such authority to exercise his ministry in any diocese shall do so therein in any place in which he has not the cure of souls without the permission of the minister having such cure, except at the homes of persons whose names are entered on the electoral roll of the parish which he serves and to the extent authorized by the Extra-Parochial Ministry Measure 1967, or in a university, college, school, hospital, or public or charitable institution in which he is licensed to officiate as provided by the said Measure and Canon B 41 or, in relation to funeral services, as provided by section 2 of the Church of England (Miscellaneous Provisions) Measure 1992 or in the case of a bishop's mission order to the extent authorized by section 47(11) of the Dioceses, Pastoral and Mission Measure 2007, read with section 47(14) of that Measure.

5. A minister who has been ordained priest or deacon -

 

(a)   by an overseas bishop within the meaning of the Overseas and Other Clergy (Ministry and Ordination) Measure 1967;

(b)   under section 5 of that Measure for ministry overseas;

(c)   by a bishop in a Church not in communion with the Church of England, whose orders are recognized or accepted by the Church of England;

 

may not minister in the province of Canterbury or York without the permission of the archbishop of the province in question under the said Measure: Provided that this paragraph shall not apply to any person ordained priest or deacon by any such bishop on the request and by the commission in writing of the bishop of a diocese in the province of Canterbury or York.

Note: The Churches which are in Communion with the Church of England are listed here).

C 9 Of collation and presentation

1. A vacancy or impending vacancy in any benefice shall be notified by the bishop of the diocese to the patron and to the parochial church council, and the provisions of the law from time to time in force relating to the filling of such vacancy shall be complied with.

2. Every bishop shall have 28 days' space to inquire and inform himself of the sufficiency and qualities of every minister, after he has been presented to him to be instituted to any benefice.

C 10 Of admission and institution

1. No person shall be admitted or instituted to any benefice before such time as he shall have been ordained priest by episcopal ordination in accordance with the provisions of Canon C 1.

2. No bishop shall admit or institute to a benefice any priest who has been ordained by any other bishop, except such priest first show unto him his Letters of Orders or other sufficient evidence that he has been ordained, and bring him sufficient testimony, if the bishop shall require it, of his former good life and behaviour; and lastly, shall appear on due examination to be of sufficient learning.

2A. No bishop shall admit or institute a priest who is a woman to a benefice if a resolution under section 3(1) of the Priests (Ordination of Women) Measure 1993 is in force in the parish concerned or, in the case of a benefice which comprises two or more parishes, in any of the parishes concerned.

3. A bishop may refuse to admit or institute any priest to a benefice

 

(a)   on the ground that at the date of presentation not more than three years have elapsed since the priest who has been presented to him was ordained deacon, or that the said priest is unfit for the discharge of the duties of a benefice by reason of physical or mental infirmity or incapacity, pecuniary embarrassment of a serious character, grave misconduct or neglect of duty in an ecclesiastical office, evil life, having by his conduct caused grave scandal concerning his moral character since his ordination, or

(b)   in the case of a presentee who has not previously held a benefice or the office of vicar in a team ministry, on the ground that he has had no experience or less than three years' experience as a fulltime assistant curate or curate in charge licensed to a parish.

This ground shall not apply in the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man, but the above references to a benefice and the office of vicar in a team ministry and a parish shall be construed as applying to any benefice or any such office and any parish in the provinces of Canterbury and York and to any benefice (or corresponding office) and any parish in the Church in Wales, the Church of Ireland or the Episcopal Church of Scotland.

 

4. No bishop shall admit or institute any priest to a benefice until the expiration of a period of three weeks from the date on which notice in the prescribed form of his intention to do so has been served on the secretary of the parochial church council.

5. After the expiration of three weeks from the serving of that notice on the secretary of the parochial church council, the bishop shall, as speedily as may be, proceed to give institution to the priest to whom he has collated the benefice, or who has been presented to him to be instituted thereto, in accordance with the laws and statutes in that behalf provided; which institution he shall use his best endeavour to give in the parish church of the benefice.

6. The bishop, when he gives institution, shall read the words of institution from a written instrument having the episcopal seal appended thereto; and during the reading thereof the priest who is to be instituted shall kneel before the bishop and hold the seal in his hand.

7. If the bishop for some grave and urgent cause be unable to give institution himself he shall delegate power to some commissary in holy orders to give the same on his behalf.

8. The provisions of this Canon are without prejudice to the right of a patron or a presentee to appeal, in accordance with the laws of this realm, against the refusal of the bishop to institute.

C 11 Of induction

1. The bishop, after giving institution to any priest, shall issue directions for induction to the archdeacon or other the person to whom induction belongs, who shall thereupon induct the said priest into possession of the temporalities of the benefice.

2. The archdeacon or other such person, when he makes the induction, shall take the priest who is to be inducted by the hand and lay it upon the key or upon the ring of the church door, or if the key cannot be had and there is no ring on the door, or if the church be in ruins, upon any part of the wall of the church or churchyard, at the same time reading the words of induction; after which the priest who has been inducted shall toll the bell to make his induction public and known to the people.

3. The archdeacon may authorize the rural dean or any other minister beneficed or licensed in his archdeaconry to make the induction on his behalf.

C 12 Of the licensing of ministers under seal

1. A licence, granted by the bishop under his hand and seal to any minister to serve within his diocese, shall be in the form either -

 

(a)   of a general licence to preach or otherwise to minister subject to the provisions of paragraph 4 of Canon C 8 in any parish or ecclesiastical district, or

(b)   of a licence to perform some particular office or to serve for the purposes of or in connection with a mission initiative endorsed by a bishop's mission order.

 

2. No bishop shall grant any such licence to any minister who has come from another diocese, except such minister first show unto him Letters of Orders or other sufficient evidence that he is ordained, and bring him testimony, from the bishop of the diocese whence he has come, of his honesty, ability, and conformity to the doctrine, discipline, and worship of the Church of England.

3. [Repealed by Amending Canon No. 5.]

4. [Repealed by Amending Canon No. 19.]

5. [Repealed by Amending Canon No. 29.]

6. [Repealed by Amending Canon No. 29.]

C 13 Of the Oath of Allegiance

1. Every person whose election to any archbishopric or bishopric is to be confirmed, or who is to be consecrated or translated to any suffragan bishopric, or to be ordained priest or deacon, or to be instituted, installed, licensed or admitted to any office in the Church of England or otherwise serve in any place, shall first, in the presence of the archbishop or bishop by whom his election to such archbishopric or bishopric is to be confirmed, or in whose province such suffragan bishopric is situate, or by whom he is to be ordained, instituted, installed, licensed or admitted, or of the commissary of such archbishop or bishop, take the Oath of Allegiance in the form following:

2. The aforesaid Oath of Allegiance shall not be required to be taken (a) by any subject or citizen of a foreign state whom either archbishop, calling to assist him such bishops as he thinks fit, shall consecrate to officiate as a bishop in any foreign state, or (b) by any overseas clergyman to whom section 2 of the Overseas and Other Clergy (Ministry and Ordination) Measure 1967 applies or any other person ordained under section 5 of that Measure for ministry overseas, if the bishop dispenses with the said oath.

3. Instead of taking the aforesaid Oath of Allegiance a solemn affirmation may be made in the circumstances mentioned in section 5 of the Oaths Act 1978 in the form following:

C 14 Of the Oaths of Obedience

1. Every person whose election to any bishopric is to be confirmed, or who is to be consecrated bishop or translated to any bishopric or suffragan bishopric, or who is to be licensed as an assistant bishop, shall first take the oath of due obedience to the archbishop and to the metropolitical Church of the province wherein he is to exercise the episcopal office in the form and manner prescribed in and by the Ordinal.

2. Either archbishop consecrating any person to exercise episcopal functions elsewhere than in England may dispense with the said oath.

3. Every person who is to be ordained priest or deacon shall first take the Oath of Canonical Obedience to the bishop of the diocese by whom he is to be ordained in the presence of the said bishop or his commissary, and in the form following:

4. Instead of taking the aforesaid Oath of Canonical Obedience a solemn affirmation may be made in the circumstances mentioned in section 5 of the Oaths Act 1978 in the form following:

5. Every bishop, priest or deacon who is to be translated, instituted, installed, licensed or admitted to any office in the Church of England or otherwise to serve in any place shall reaffirm the Oath of Canonical Obedience or his solemn affirmation taken at his ordination or consecration to the archbishop of the province or the bishop of the diocese (as the case may be) by whom he is to be instituted, installed, licensed or admitted in the presence of the said archbishop or bishop or his commissary in the form set out in this Canon.

C 15 Of the Declaration of Assent

1(1) The Declaration of Assent to be made under this Canon shall be in the form set out below:

(2) The preface which precedes the Declaration of Assent in the form set out above (with in each case such adaptations as are appropriate) shall be spoken by the archbishop or bishop or commissary in whose presence the Declaration is to be made in accordance with the following provisions of this paragraph and shall be spoken by him before the making of the Declaration.

(3) Every person who is to be consecrated bishop or suffragan bishop shall on the occasion of his consecration publicly and openly make the Declaration of Assent in the presence of the archbishop by whom he is to be consecrated and of the congregation there assembled.

(4) Every person who is to be ordained priest or deacon shall before ordination make the Declaration of Assent in the presence of the archbishop or bishop by whom he is to be ordained.

(5) Every clerk in Holy Orders who is to be instituted, installed, admitted or licensed to any office in the Church of England or otherwise licensed to serve in any place shall first make the Declaration of Assent in the presence of the bishop by whom he is to be instituted, installed, admitted or licensed or of the bishop's commissary unless he has been ordained the same day and has made the Declaration.

(6) Where any bishop, priest or deacon ceases to hold office in the Church of England or otherwise ceases to serve in any place the Declaration made under this Canon shall continue to have effect in so far as he continues to minister in the Church.

2. Every archbishop and bishop shall, on the occasion of his enthronement in the cathedral church of his province or diocese, as the case may be, and before he is enthroned, publicly and openly make the Declaration of Assent in the presence of the congregation there assembled.

Before the archbishop or bishop makes the Declaration the preface which precedes the Declaration in the form set out in paragraph 1(1) of this Canon (with the appropriate adaptations) shall be spoken by the dean or provost or, if the dean or provost is absent abroad or incapacitated through illness or the office of dean or provost is vacant, by such one of the residentiary canons as those canons may select.

3. A suffragan bishop who is to be invested by the archbishop of the province in which he is to serve shall on the occasion of his investiture publicly and openly make the Declaration of Assent in the presence of the congregation there assembled.

Before the bishop makes the Declaration the preface which precedes the Declaration in the form set out in paragraph 1(1) of this Canon (with the appropriate adaptations) shall be spoken by the archbishop.

4. Where any minister has been instituted, installed, licensed or admitted to office in some place other than the place where he is to serve he shall -

 

(a)   on the first Lord's Day on which he officiates in the church or one of the churches in which he is to serve, or

(b)   in the case of a minister instituted or licensed to serve in a guild church, in that church on such weekday as the bishop may approve,

 

publicly and openly make the Declaration of Assent at the time of divine service in the presence of the congregation there assembled.

Before the minister makes the Declaration the preface which precedes the Declaration in the form set out in paragraph 1(1) of this Canon (with the appropriate adaptations) shall be spoken by the incumbent or another priest having a cure of souls.

5. Any person who in pursuance of a request and commission from a bishop of any diocese in England is ordained by an overseas bishop within the meaning of the Overseas and Other Clergy (Ministry and Ordination) Measure 1967, or a bishop in a Church not in communion with the Church of England whose orders are recognized or accepted by the Church of England, shall be deemed to be ordained by a bishop of a diocese in England and accordingly shall make the Declaration of Assent.

C 16 Of the declaration against simony

[Repealed by Amending Canon No. 5]

C 17 Of archbishops

1. By virtue of their respective offices, the Archbishop of Canterbury is styled Primate of All England and Metropolitan, and the Archbishop of York Primate of England and Metropolitan.

2. The archbishop has throughout his province at all times metropolitical jurisdiction, as superintendent of all ecclesiastical matters therein, to correct and supply the defects of other bishops, and, during the time of his metropolitical visitation, jurisdiction as Ordinary, except in places and over persons exempt by law or custom.

3. Such jurisdiction is exercised by the archbishop himself, or by a Vicar-General, official, or other commissary to whom authority in that behalf shall have been formally committed by the archbishop concerned.

4. The archbishop is, within his province, the principal minister, and to him belongs the right of confirming the election of every person to a bishopric, of being the chief consecrator at the consecration of every bishop, of receiving such appeals in his provincial court as may be provided by law, of holding metropolitical visitations at times or places limited by law or custom, and of presiding in the Convocation of the province either in person or by such deputy as he may lawfully appoint. In the province of Canterbury, the Bishop of London or, in his absence, the Bishop of Winchester, has the right to be so appointed; and in their absence the archbishop shall appoint some other diocesan bishop of the province. The two archbishops are joint presidents of the General Synod.

5. By ancient custom, no Act is held to be an Act of the Convocation of the province unless it shall have received the assent of the archbishop.

6. By statute law it belongs to the archbishop to give permission to officiate within his province to any minister who has been ordained priest or deacon by an overseas bishop within the meaning of the Overseas and Other Clergy (Ministry and Ordination) Measure 1967, or a bishop in a Church not in communion with the Church of England whose orders are recognized or accepted by the Church of England, and thereupon such minister shall possess all such rights and advantages and be subject to all such duties and liabilities as he would have possessed and been subject to if he had been ordained by the bishop of a diocese in the province of Canterbury or York.

7. By the laws of this realm the Archbishop of Canterbury is empowered to grant such licences or dispensations as are therein set forth and provided, and such licences or dispensations, being confirmed by the authority of the Queen's Majesty, have force and authority not only within the province of Canterbury but throughout all England.

C 18 Of diocesan bishops

1. Every bishop is the chief pastor of all that are within his diocese, as well laity as clergy, and their father in God; it appertains to his office to teach and to uphold sound and wholesome doctrine, and to banish and drive away all erroneous and strange opinions; and, himself an example of righteous and godly living, it is his duty to set forward and maintain quietness, love, and peace among all men.

2. Every bishop has within his diocese jurisdiction as Ordinary except in places and over persons exempt by law or custom.

3. Such jurisdiction is exercised by the bishop himself, or by a Vicar-General, official, or other commissary, to whom authority in that behalf shall have been formally committed by the bishop concerned.

4. Every bishop is, within his diocese, the principal minister, and to him belongs the right, save in places and over persons exempt by law or custom, of celebrating the rites of ordination and confirmation; of conducting, ordering, controlling, and authorizing all services in churches, chapels, churchyards and consecrated burial grounds; of granting a faculty or licence for all alterations, additions, removals, or repairs to the walls, fabric, ornaments, or furniture of the same; of consecrating new churches, churchyards, and burial grounds; of instituting to all vacant benefices, whether of his own collation or of the presentation of others; of admitting by licence to all other vacant ecclesiastical offices; of holding visitations at times limited by law or custom to the end that he may get some good knowledge of the state, sufficiency, and ability of the clergy and other persons whom he is to visit; of being president of the diocesan synod.

5. Where the assent of the bishop is required to a resolution of the diocesan synod it shall not lightly nor without grave cause be withheld.

6. Every bishop shall be faithful in admitting persons into holy orders and in celebrating the rite of confirmation as often and in as many places as shall be convenient, and shall provide, as much as in him lies, that in every place within his diocese there shall be sufficient priests to minister the word and sacraments to the people that are therein.

7. Every bishop shall correct and punish all such as be unquiet, disobedient, or criminous, within his diocese, according to such authority as he has by God's Word and is committed to him by the laws and ordinances of this realm.

8. Every bishop shall reside within his diocese, saving the ancient right of any bishop, when resident in any house in London during his attendance on the Parliament, or on the Court, or for the purpose of performing any other duties of his office, to be taken and accounted as resident within his own diocese.

C 19 Of guardians of spiritualities

[Repealed by Amending Canon No. 23]

C 20 Of bishops suffragan

1. Every bishop suffragan shall endeavour himself faithfully to execute such things pertaining to the episcopal office as shall be delegated to him by the bishop of the diocese to whom he shall be suffragan.

2. Every bishop suffragan shall use, have, or execute only such jurisdiction or episcopal power or authority in any diocese as shall be licensed or limited to him to use, have, or execute by the bishop of the same.

3. Every bishop suffragan shall reside within the diocese of the bishop to whom he shall be suffragan, except he have a licence from that bishop to reside elsewhere.

C 21 Of deans or provosts, and canons residentiary of cathedral or collegiate churches

1. No person shall be capable of receiving the appointment of dean, provost or canon residentiary until he has been six years complete in holy orders and, in the case of a dean or provost, is in priest's orders at the time of the appointment, except in the case of a canonry annexed to any professorship, headship, or other office in any university.

1A. A person who is in deacon's orders and who has been ordained for a period exceeding six years shall be capable of receiving the appointment of canon residentiary of a cathedral church notwithstanding anything in the statutes or customs of that cathedral church to the contrary, but nothing in any such statutes or customs shall be construed as authorising or requiring a person in deacon's orders so appointed to preside at or celebrate the Holy Communion or pronounce the Absolution.

2. The dean, or provost, of every cathedral or collegiate church, and the canons residentiary of the same, shall take care that the statutes and laudable customs of their church (not being contrary to the Word of God or prerogative royal), the statutes of this realm concerning ecclesiastical order, and all other constitutions set forth and confirmed by Her Majesty's authority, and such as shall be enjoined by the bishop of the diocese in his visitation, according to the statutes and customs of the same church, and the ecclesiastical laws of the realm, shall be diligently observed.

3. The dean, or provost, and the canons residentiary shall be resident in their cathedral or collegiate church for the time prescribed by law and by the statutes of the said cathedral or collegiate church, and shall there preach the Word of God and perform all the duties of their office, except they shall be otherwise hindered by weighty and urgent cause.

4. The dean, or provost, and the canons residentiary of every cathedral or collegiate church, together with the minor canons, vicars choral, and other ministers of the same, shall provide, as far as in them lies, that during the time of divine service in the said church all things be done with such reverence, care, and solemnity as shall set forth the honour and glory of Almighty God.

C 22 Of archdeacons

1. No person shall be capable of receiving the appointment of archdeacon until he has been six years complete in holy orders and is in priest's orders at the time of the appointment.

2. Every archdeacon within his archdeaconry exercises the jurisdiction which he has therein as an ordinary jurisdiction.

3. Such jurisdiction is exercised either by the archdeacon in person or by an official or commissary to whom authority in that behalf shall have been formally committed by the archdeacon concerned.

4. Every archdeacon shall within his archdeaconry carry out his duties under the bishop and shall assist the bishop in his pastoral care and office, and particularly he shall see that all such as hold any ecclesiastical office within the same perform their duties with diligence, and shall bring to the bishop's attention what calls for correction or merits praise.

5. Every archdeacon shall within his archdeaconry hold yearly visitations save when inhibited by a superior Ordinary; he shall also survey in person or by deputy all churches, chancels, and churchyards and give direction for the amendment of all defects in the walls, fabric, ornaments, and furniture of the same, and in particular shall exercise the powers conferred on him by the Inspection of Churches Measure 1955; he shall also, on receiving the directions of the bishop, induct any priest who has been instituted to a benefice into possession of the temporalities of the same.

C 23 Of rural deans

1. Every rural dean shall report to the bishop any matter in any parish within the deanery which it may be necessary or useful for the bishop to know, particularly any case of serious illness or other form of distress amongst the clergy, the vacancy of any cure of souls and the measures taken by the sequestrators to secure the ministration of the word and sacraments and other rites of the Church during the said vacancy, and any case of a minister from another diocese officiating in any place otherwise than as provided in Canon C 8.

2. In the case of any omission in any parish to prepare and maintain a church electoral roll or to form or maintain a parochial church council or to hold the annual parochial church meeting, the rural dean on such omission being brought to his notice shall ascertain and report to the bishop the cause thereof.

3. If at any time the rural dean has reason to believe that there is any serious defect in the fabric, ornaments, and furniture of any church or chapel, or that the buildings of any benefice are in a state of disrepair, he shall report the matter to the archdeacon.

4. The rural dean shall be a joint chairman (with a member of the House of Laity) of the deanery synod.

C 24 Of priests having a cure of souls

1. Every priest having a cure of souls shall provide that, in the absence of reasonable hindrance, Morning and Evening Prayer daily and on appointed days the Litany shall be said in the church, or one of the churches, of which he is the minister.

2. Every priest having a cure of souls shall, except for some reasonable cause approved by the bishop of the diocese, celebrate, or cause to be celebrated, the Holy Communion on all Sundays and other greater Feast Days and on Ash Wednesday, and shall diligently administer the sacraments and other rites of the Church.

3. Every priest having a cure of souls shall, except for some reasonable cause approved by the bishop of the diocese, preach, or cause to be preached, a sermon in the church or churches of which he is the minister at least once each Sunday.

4. He shall instruct the parishioners of the benefice, or cause them to be instructed, in the Christian faith; and shall use such opportunities of teaching or visiting in the schools within his cure as are open to him.

5. He shall carefully prepare, or cause to be prepared, all such as desire to be confirmed and, if satisfied of their fitness, shall present them to the bishop for confirmation.

6. He shall be diligent in visiting the parishioners of the benefice, particularly those who are sick and infirm; and he shall provide opportunities whereby any of such parishioners may resort unto him for spiritual counsel and advice.

7. He and the parochial church council shall consult together on matters of general concern and importance to the parish.

8. If at any time he shall be unable to discharge his duties whether from non-residence or some other cause, he shall provide for his cure to be supplied by a priest licensed or otherwise approved by the bishop of the diocese.

C 25 Of the residence of priests on their benefices

1. Every beneficed priest shall keep residence on his benefice, or on one of them if he shall hold two or more in plurality, and in the house of residence (if any) belonging thereto.

2. No beneficed priest,^* shall be absent from his benefice, or from the house of residence belonging thereto, for a period exceeding the space of three months together, or to be accounted at several times in any one year, except he have a licence to be so absent, granted by the bishop of the diocese subject to the statutory provisions in this behalf for the time being in force, or be otherwise legally exempt from residence.

3. Any beneficed priest,* within one month after refusal of any such licence, may appeal to the archbishop of the province, who shall confirm such refusal or direct the bishop to grant a licence, as shall seem to the said archbishop just and proper.

3A. No beneficed priest who is subject to Common Tenure shall be absent from his benefice except in such circumstances as may be permitted by paragraph 4 or by Regulations made under section 2 of the Ecclesiastical Offices (Terms of Service) Measure 2009.

4. The bishop of the diocese may, if he considers it appropriate in all the circumstances, permit a beneficed priest to reside in a house of residence other than a parsonage, whether or not that house is situated in the benefice held by that priest.

*Note: By virtue of paragraph 5 of Amending Canon No. 29, paragraphs 2 and 3 of this Canon do not apply to a beneficed priest who is subject to Common Tenure.

C 26 Of the manner of life of clerks in Holy Orders

1. Every clerk in Holy Orders is under obligation, not being let by sickness or some other urgent cause, to say daily the Morning and Evening Prayer, either privately or openly; and to celebrate the Holy Communion, or be present thereat, on all Sundays and other principal Feast Days. He is also to be diligent in daily prayer and intercession, in examination of his conscience, and in the study of the Holy Scriptures and such other studies as pertain to his ministerial duties.

2. A clerk in Holy Orders shall not give himself to such occupations, habits, or recreations as do not befit his sacred calling, or may be detrimental to the performance of the duties of his office, or tend to be a just cause of offence to others; and at all times he shall be diligent to frame and fashion his life and that of his family according to the doctrine of Christ, and to make himself and them, as much as in him lies, wholesome examples and patterns to the flock of Christ.

C 27 Of the dress of ministers

The apparel of a bishop, priest, or deacon shall be suitable to his office; and, save for purposes of recreation and other justifiable reasons, shall be such as to be a sign and mark of his holy calling and ministry as well to others as to those committed to his spiritual charge.

C 28 Of the occupations of ministers

1. No minister holding ecclesiastical office shall engage in trade or any other occupation in such manner as to affect the performance of the duties of his office, except so far as he be authorized so to do under the statutory provisions in this behalf for the time being in force or he have a licence so to do granted by the bishop of the diocese.

2. The bishop of the diocese shall have power to grant such a licence after consultation with the parochial church council of the parish in which the minister holds office or to refuse such a licence after consultation with that council.

3. If the bishop of the diocese shall refuse such a licence, the minister may within one month of such refusal appeal to the archbishop of the province, who shall confirm or overrule such refusal as may seem good to him.

4. During a vacancy of the see, the powers of the bishop of a diocese under paragraphs 1 and 2 of this Canon shall be exercisable by the archbishop of the province in which the diocese is situate, and paragraph 3 of this Canon shall not apply.