Archdeacon

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Part of the series on Anglicanism
Anglican Communion
Background
Christianity English Reformation Apostolic Succession Catholicism Episcopal polity
People
Thomas Cranmer Thomas Cromwell Henry VIII Hugh Latimer Richard Hooker Elizabeth I
Instruments of Unity
Archbishop of Canterbury Lambeth Conferences Anglican Consultative Council Primates' Meeting
Liturgy and Worship
Book of Common Prayer High Church · Low Church Broad Church Oxford Movement Thirty-Nine Articles Book of Homilies Doctrine Ministry Sacraments Saints in Anglicanism This box: view • talk • edit

For the Major League Baseball player, see Maurice Archdeacon.

A position of archdeacon is a senior position in Anglicanism and in some other Christian denominations, above that of most clergy and below a bishop. An archdeacon is responsible for administration of an archdeaconry, which is the principal subdivision of the diocese.

Contents 1 Anglican Communion 2 Eastern Orthodox Church 3 Roman Catholic Church 4 History 5 Function

[edit] Anglican Communion

In the Anglican Communion, an archdeacon is styled "The Venerable" instead of the usual clerical style "The Reverend". In the Church of England the position of Archdeacon can only be held by an ordained Priest who has been practising for 6 years; in some other parts of the Anglican Communion the position can be held by a deacon as well. In parts of the Anglican Communion where women cannot be ordained priests and/or enthroned bishops, the position of Archdeacon is effectively the most senior office a clergywoman can be promoted to - this being the current situation, for example, in the Anglican Diocese of Sydney.

[edit] Eastern Orthodox Church

In the Eastern Christian Churches (Eastern Orthodox Church and Catholic Byzantine Rite), an archdeacon is an ordained deacon who holds a senior position of responsibility and honor on the staff of a bishop—an archdeacon is part of the "monastic" (that is, celibate) clergy, as distinguished from a similar position of seniority and honor, the protodeacon (for married clergy).

[edit] Roman Catholic Church

In the Roman Catholic Church, the post of archdeacon was once one of great importance as a senior official of a diocese. It has fallen into disuse, and its duties are now part of the work of such officials as the vicar general and episcopal vicar, the vicar forane and deans.

[edit] History

In 11th-century England, a bishopric was meant to be about 3,000 square miles (8,000 km²). In theory, this meant that every part was reachable within a single day's ride. In practice, some bishoprics were much larger, taking up to five days in some cases to go end to end. Additionally, some had topographical considerations that greatly limited travel within them (meaning that much shorter distances could be covered in a single day than in other areas). The response to the demands of such distances and terrain, and the increasing demands of church business, was territorial subdivision. The primary unit of subdivision of a bishopric was the archdeaconry. An ecclesiastical council held at Windsor in 1070 ordered "that bishops should appoint archdeacons in their churches".

[edit] Function

The archdeacon acted as the bishop's representative with the duty of supervising parish churches, for example ensuring they had proper training in how to lead Mass and use the proper equipment.

These words, slightly adapted from the text of an archdeacon's installation in England in 2001, are indicative of the form that this ministry now takes:

"Archdeacons are called to share in the mission of the church, and to exercise their ministry in conjunction with the Bishop. They each have a part in the oversight, discipline and pastoral care of the clergy and people in their archdeaconry. They are to ensure that the Bishop is aware of the needs and concerns of clergy and people, and to foster in them a fuller sense of their responsibilities as members of Christ's body. Archdeacons share the ordinary jurisdiction of the Bishop of the diocese, and exercise the juridiction of the Consistory Court of the diocese as the Chancellor directs. They present candidates to the Bishop for ordination as deacons and priests. They are to induct and install ministers as priests of their parishes, to conduct visitations of the parishes, and to admit Churchwardens to their office on behalf of the Bishop. By word and deed, and by their own example, they are to encourage good administration and observance of the law of the church, exercising their authority with wisdom, gentleness and vision; in all things remembering that they minister as priests and pastors in the church of God."

In practice archdeacons are concerned with decisions relating to resourcing and deployment and in the setting-up and evaluation of experimental and innovative patterns of ministry. They are ex-officio members of principal diocesan committees. In certain circumstances the archdeacon may be required to act as complainant in order to initiate an action under the Clergy Discipline Measure 2003.