Canonical Matters
Description
The Committee for Canonical Matters is responsible i) for creating and maintaining the registries mentioned in the Message of the Assembly of Bishops, namely: a) the registry of canonical bishops; b) the registry of canonical clergy and their status; and c) the registry of all canonical communities in the United States; ii) for recommending to the Assembly any additions or deletions from these registries; iii) for determining the canonical status of local communities that have no reference to any of the autocephalous churches and addressing issues pertaining to these bodies; and iv) for considering any canonical questions submitted to it by the other committees.
Membership
Bishop Constantine (GOA) - Chairman
Bp. Maxim (Serbia)
Committee Liaison
VACANT
Consultants
Fr. Alexander Rentel
Jamil Samara
Matthew Namee, esq.
Terms of Reference
What is to be accomplished
- Create and maintain a registry of canonical bishops, a registry of canonical clergy and their status, and a registry of all canonical communities in the region
- Monitor any additions or deletions from these registries, with particular reference to disciplined clergy or communities
- Investigate status and history of local communities that have no reference to any of the autocephalous churches and make recommendations to the Assembly pertaining to these bodies
- Prepare to take into consideration canonical questions addressed to it by the other committees of the Assembly
How it is to be accomplished
- Determine what information will be needed to complete each registry
- Design a system for storing the information, a system that will be easily updatable/searchable/publishable and will be able to be updated via a secure website
- Use the current lists from the Secretariat of the Assembly as a basis for the registry of canonical bishops
- Communicate with each jurisdiction in order to gather the needed information on clergy and communities, using the current SCOBA database as a point of origin
With whom it is to be accomplished
- Secretariat of the Assembly
- Chancellors' offices of all jurisdictions/presences
- Webteam of the Assembly
- Other Committee Chairs as appropriate and/or as requested