CANON 5: OF THE ELECTION AND MINISTRY OF THE ARCHBISHOP OF CAPE TOWN AND OF THE BISHOP OF TABLE BAY

Provisions of Canon 4 to apply

1. Subject to the provisions of this Canon the provisions of Canon 4 shall be applicable to the election of the Archbishop of Cape Town and to the election and ministry of the Bishop of Table Bay.

Summoning of Advisory Committee and Elective Assembly

2. When the Metropolitical See of Cape Town is vacant, the Dean of the Province shall summon the Advisory Committee to meet at such place as he may decide and shall issue his mandate to the Dean, Senior Priest or Vicar-General of the Diocese of Cape Town to summon the Elective Assembly. He shall also summon the Bishops of the Province.

President of Assembly

3. The Dean of the Province shall be president of the Elective Assembly. When the Dean of the Province is a candidate, or is unavailable, the bishops of the Province shall appoint one of their number to preside, provided he or she is not a candidate.

Provincial Representatives

4. At the meeting of the Advisory Committee two members from each House (in terms of section 9 of Canon 4 Of the Election of Bishops) shall represent the Province. At the Elective Assembly two persons from each of the Clergy and the Laity of each diocese of the Province (excluding Cape Town) shall attend and have the right to speak and vote as members respectively of the Houses of Clergy and Laity of the Diocese of Cape Town. Such persons shall be chosen from among the Advisory Committees of those dioceses of the Province (as constituted in terms of section 9 of Canon 4 Of the Election of Bishops) by any method decided upon by the respective Advisory Committees. The bishops of the Province shall attend the Elective Assembly and shall have the right to speak and nominate, but shall not vote in the Elective Assembly.

Consultation with bishops

5. The assembly may at any time send a deputation of its members, not exceeding five, to consult with the bishops of the Province.

Consideration by bishops of nominations

6. After nominations have been made for election to the vacant see the bishops shall withdraw from the Elective Assembly to consider the nominations. On their return they may at their discretion communicate their views to the Elective Assembly through the President and may at that time move further nominations. The bishops may remain in the Elective Assembly during the debate and voting. If no election is made on the nominations, and further names are proposed, the same procedure shall be followed.

Majority needed for election

7. No person shall be deemed to be elected unless he shall have received not less than two thirds of the number of votes of each of the Houses (the House of Clergy of the Diocese of Cape Town together with the Provincial clergy, and the House of Laity of the Diocese of Cape Town together with the Provincial laity, as provided in terms of section 4 of this Canon) voting at the same time.

Consideration with bishops

8. When the Elective Assembly shall have made an election in terms of this Canon, the bishops shall withdraw from the Elective Assembly to consider whether they will accept the decision.

Confirmation and consecration

9. If the bishops accept the decision of the Elective Assembly, the procedure prescribed by Canons 7 and 8 for the Confirmation and (if he be not already a bishop) for the Consecration of the Archbishop-Elect, shall be followed in due order.

Deadlock between Bishops and Assembly

10. If the Bishops of the Province and the Elective Assembly fail to come to an agreement within four days, then the choice shall be delegated to the Advisory Committee and four other bishops, of whom two shall be chosen by the Elective Assembly and two by the Synod of Bishops.

Summoning of Diocesan Synod

The Ministry of the Archbishop in the Diocese of Cape Town

11. As Archbishop of Cape Town and Diocesan, the Archbishop shall summon and chair Diocesan Synod.

Ministry of Archbishop and Archbishops seat

12. The Archbishop shall share with the Bishop of Table Bay in the ministry of teaching, pastoral care and apostolic leadership in the life of the diocese, together with whatever leadership responsibilities as shall be agreed upon by the Archbishop and the Bishop of Table Bay in terms of their respective God-given ministries. The Archbishop shall perform certain liturgical and episcopal functions in the diocese and retain liturgical precedence at all diocesan events. The Archbishop’s seat of ministry shall be the Cathedral Church of St George, Cape Town

Final court of appeal

13. The Archbishop, as Metropolitan, shall act as a final court of appeal in the diocese of Cape Town, in the same way as in any other diocese.

Relationship with institutions, trusts and parishes

14. The Archbishop, as Diocesan, will continue as Chair, Visitor, Patron and President (by whatever name the office in question is called by the relevant body) with respect to those institutions, trusts and parishes currently in relationship with the Archbishop of Cape Town (for example, without this list being exhaustive, Zonnebloem, Diocesan College, Leliebloem and St John’s Parish Wynberg,).

Spokesperson for the diocese

15. The Archbishop shall act as spokesperson for the diocese and may at times delegate this function to the Suffragan-Bishop of Cape Town holding the office of the Bishop of Table Bay.

Symbol of Unity

16. The Archbishop shall be a symbol of unity for the diocese and the whole Province.

Rights and powers of Bishop of Table Bay

The Office and Ministry of the Bishop of Table Bay
17. The Bishop-Suffragan of Cape Town elected to the office of the Bishop of Table Bay shall have the powers, rights and authority in accordance with those normally afforded to a diocesan bishop, while retaining suffragan status in relation to the Archbishop, who remains the Diocesan Bishop of Cape Town.

Other Bishops-Suffragan

18. Any other Bishop-Suffragan of Cape Town, elected in terms of Canon 10, but not to the office of the Bishop of Table Bay, shall be a bishop-suffragan to the Archbishop, as Diocesan Bishop of Cape Town, in terms of Canon 10 with the status and powers described in Canon 10.

Ministry and responsibility of Bishop of Table Bay

19. The Bishop of Table Bay shall:
a) be responsible for the day-to-day running, and leadership of the Diocese of Cape Town;
b) have a special seat in the Cathedral of St George the Martyr, Cape Town;
c) chair Diocesan Council;
d) have oversight on all committees responsible to Diocesan Council.
e) convene and chair Diocesan Chapter; and
f) have responsibility for the placement, wellbeing, pastoral care and discipline of clergy.

The terms ‘Diocesan Council’ and ‘Diocesan Chapter’ shall be interpreted to cover any similar bodies with similar responsibilities (in part or in whole or as an extension thereof) created in the Diocese from time to time in place of or alongside the said Council or Chapter.

20. Under the direction of the Archbishop, the Bishop of Table Bay shall have responsibility for all matters pertaining to the selection and training of ordinands and the ordaining of deacons and priests.

21. The Bishop of Table Bay shall lead the Diocese in its mission and ministry, and share with the Archbishop in the process of visioning and planning.

Election of the Bishop of Table Bay

22 The election of the Bishop of Table Bay shall follow the normal process, as provided for in Canon 4, read with section 5 of Canon 10.