Published
Published
Pastoral records relating to the House of Bishops, diocesan visitations, ongoing episcopal relationships with active and retired bishops, participation in governance bodies, pastoral letters and official communications; formal addresses and sermons; may include the Council of Advice; also includes confidential communications and records of the Ecclesiastical Discipline process, such as official inquiries, charges, proceedings, and accords and orders; also confidential incident or case files of in the oversight of bishops, employees, diocesan entities, and similar bodies.
From 1789 until 1919 (except for the brief period from 1792-1804), the senior bishop by date of consecration was automatically the Presiding Bishop (PB). In 1919 the PB was made president of the National Council which serves as the Board of Directors of the Domestic and Foreign Missionary Service. Duties established at that time included presiding over meetings of the House of Bishops, acting as the executive head of all programs and mission departments, having authority to appoint interim officials and officers, and maintaining oversight of bishops. In 1964 the office was granted authority to appoint the President and Chair of the Executive Council.
In 1967, the duties of PB were brought together under one canon (Canon 2) and stipulated that the term of office be 12 years or until the PB reaches 65 years of age. It also named the PB as chief pastor and gave the office the responsibility for representing the church in its corporate capacity as well as responsibilities involving initiating and developing policy.
The Standing Commission on Structure studied the office further and reported in 1976 concerning the method of electing a PB. They concluded that the PB should continue to be elected by the House of Bishops and approved by the House of Deputies, rather than a joint session of the two houses. The General Convention gave the PB joint authority with the President of the House of deputies to appoint the General Convention Executive Secretary (this position was changed to Executive Officer in 1982).
The Presiding Bishop is the Chief Pastor and Primate of The Episcopal Church, which includes the United States and dioceses or congregations in Europe, Asia and Latin America that maintain continuing ties to the American province of the Anglican Communion. The Presiding Bishop is responsible for initiating new work, developing Church policy and strategy, leading the staff of the DFMS, and representing the Episcopal Church in major public engagements, the Anglican Communion, and ecumenical relationships. In addition, the PB acts as chairperson of Executive Council, President of the DFMS, and is presiding officer of the House of Bishops.
Published
The records of the Office of the Presiding Bishop consist of minutes, reports, and correspondence primarily from the period when the Most Reverend John Maury Allin was Presiding Bishop. Some materials date from Allin’s successor, Edmund Lee Browning. Also included are materials relating to the Presiding Bishop’s Fund for World Relief and the Venture in Mission program.
Photographs, 1986
Organizational Files: Presiding Bishop’s Fund for World Relief, 1979-1983
Organizational Files: Committees, Consultations, and Conferences, 1976-1983
Venture in Mission Correspondence, 1976-1980
Access to Episcopal Church records is governed by the Archives Public Access Policy. Research requests must be submitted in writing.
The Archives is able to respond to limited requests for reproductions subject to copyright restrictions, internal policy, and the condition of the source documents.
Published
Records created in the conduct of official business by the Presiding Bishop or his/her office assistants, administrative and program canons, and other agents acting on the primate's behalf. May include events, special program records, employee management, activities of representatives to ecumenical bodies, other Episcopal agencies, projects, outside activities and networks, name correspondence, and miscellany; also includes confidential correspondence and other records of the Presiding Bishop's Chancellor.
Published
Includes records of bishops suffragan and assisting and their offices, which are authorized to engage in such jurisdictional areas as the Pastoral Care and Oversight of Bishops, Chaplaincy Endorsement and Oversight, the charge of Episcopal Churches in Europe, and similar non-geographical Episcopal authorities and jurisdictions.
The Office of the Suffragan Bishop for the Armed Forces grew out of the Army and Navy Commission established by General Convention in 1919 "to press upon the attention of Congress the need for Army and Navy Chaplains." For the next 25 years the Commission raised money to aid churches near military camps, provided portable altars and communion sets to chaplains, distributed A Prayer Book for Soldiers and Sailors, paid the pension premiums of chaplains when needed, and contributed to chaplains' discretionary funds to help them respond to emergencies among service men.
In September 1945, the Commission decided to dissolve the existing body and on January 1, 1946, the Army and Navy Commission became the Army and Navy Division of the National Council, reporting to the Presiding Bishop. Since WWII had ended there was no longer an immediate need for chaplains, allowing the focus of the work to shift from wartime ministrations to reintegrating the soldiers into a peacetime society.
In 1946, General Convention determined that a position of Suffragan Bishop for the Armed Forces was required. However, the call for a bishop was not made until 1964 with the election of Arnold M. Lewis, which was due in part to the Unites States becoming fully involved in the Vietnam War. In 1988, the office expanded its scope, and was renamed under the umbrella of Federal Ministries.
Published
This archive consists of materials that document the Office of the Suffragan Bishop for the Armed Forces from when General Convention established the Office of the Suffragan Bishop to 1975. Earlier materials collected by the office relate to the history and legislation on military chaplains date back to 1924. Included in the collection are meeting minutes, correspondence, diocesan files, topical files, records of grant applications and conferences, and publicity materials.
Administrative Records, 1957-1972
Correspondence, 1954-1971
Grant Records, 1960-1966
Military Relations, 1956-1971
Subject Files, 1950-1971
The records were filmed onto 5 reels of 16 mm microfilm in 1992 (MIC 156)
Access to Episcopal Church records is governed by the Archives Public Access Policy. Research requests must be submitted in writing.
The Archives is able to respond to limited requests for reproductions subject to copyright restrictions, internal policy, and the condition of the source documents.
Published
A category used for rare instances of records documenting an event that is outside the official duties of the office that may be sponsored or nominally led by the primate by but not directly operated or overseen by a position within the office operation.