Provincial episcopal visitor
Encyclopedia
A provincial episcopal visitor (PEV) (popularly known as a flying bishop) is a Church of England
bishop
assigned to minister to many of the clergy
, laity
and parish
es who do not in conscience
accept the ministry of women priests.
The Church of England ordained
its first women priests in 1994. According to acts of the General Synod
passed the previous year, if a parish does not in conscience accept the ministry of women priests it can formally request that none be appointed to minister to it. Likewise, if the local bishop has participated in the ordination of women as priests, a parish can request to be under the pastoral and sacrament
al care of another bishop who has not participated in such ordinations. In such a case the parish still remains in the diocese
of the local diocesan bishop, at whose invitation the "flying bishop" makes his visitation.
To these ends, the act empowers the metropolitans of the Church of England's two province
s to appoint "provincial episcopal visitors", suffragan bishops whose main purpose is to be available for such visits to parishes across the province.
The three PEV bishops are:
Province of Canterbury
:
Province of York
:
Individual dioceses can also appoint suffragan bishops to fulfil this role locally; the Diocese of London
, for example, has designated the Suffragan Bishop of Edmonton
, who additionally performs a similar role as an assistant bishop
licensed in the neighbouring dioceses of Southwark
and Rochester
. Until November 2010, the Bishop of Fulham
filled this role.
In the Church in Wales
, the Rt Revd David Thomas was appointed to the analogous office of Provincial Assistant Bishop in 1996 when the province voted to ordain women to the priesthood. No successor was appointed when Thomas retired in 2008.
In December 2010, the then Bishops of Richborough and Ebbsfleet resigned to join the Roman Catholic Church. On 5 May 2011, their successors as PEVs were announced.
The future of any flying bishops is uncertain beyond the point at which new episcopal ministry legislation might be passed in order to facilitate the appointment of female bishops.
Church of England
The Church of England is the officially established Christian church in England and the Mother Church of the worldwide Anglican Communion. The church considers itself within the tradition of Western Christianity and dates its formal establishment principally to the mission to England by St...
bishop
Bishop
A bishop is an ordained or consecrated member of the Christian clergy who is generally entrusted with a position of authority and oversight. Within the Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox Churches, in the Assyrian Church of the East, in the Independent Catholic Churches, and in the...
assigned to minister to many of the clergy
Clergy
Clergy is the generic term used to describe the formal religious leadership within a given religion. A clergyman, churchman or cleric is a member of the clergy, especially one who is a priest, preacher, pastor, or other religious professional....
, laity
Laity
In religious organizations, the laity comprises all people who are not in the clergy. A person who is a member of a religious order who is not ordained legitimate clergy is considered as a member of the laity, even though they are members of a religious order .In the past in Christian cultures, the...
and parish
Parish
A parish is a territorial unit historically under the pastoral care and clerical jurisdiction of one parish priest, who might be assisted in his pastoral duties by a curate or curates - also priests but not the parish priest - from a more or less central parish church with its associated organization...
es who do not in conscience
Conscience
Conscience is an aptitude, faculty, intuition or judgment of the intellect that distinguishes right from wrong. Moral judgement may derive from values or norms...
accept the ministry of women priests.
The Church of England ordained
Ordination
In general religious use, ordination is the process by which individuals are consecrated, that is, set apart as clergy to perform various religious rites and ceremonies. The process and ceremonies of ordination itself varies by religion and denomination. One who is in preparation for, or who is...
its first women priests in 1994. According to acts of the General Synod
General Synod
-Church of England:In the Church of England, the General Synod, which was established in 1970 , is the legislative body of the Church.-Episcopal Church of the United States:...
passed the previous year, if a parish does not in conscience accept the ministry of women priests it can formally request that none be appointed to minister to it. Likewise, if the local bishop has participated in the ordination of women as priests, a parish can request to be under the pastoral and sacrament
Sacrament
A sacrament is a sacred rite recognized as of particular importance and significance. There are various views on the existence and meaning of such rites.-General definitions and terms:...
al care of another bishop who has not participated in such ordinations. In such a case the parish still remains in the diocese
Diocese
A diocese is the district or see under the supervision of a bishop. It is divided into parishes.An archdiocese is more significant than a diocese. An archdiocese is presided over by an archbishop whose see may have or had importance due to size or historical significance...
of the local diocesan bishop, at whose invitation the "flying bishop" makes his visitation.
To these ends, the act empowers the metropolitans of the Church of England's two province
Ecclesiastical Province
An ecclesiastical province is a large jurisdiction of religious government, so named by analogy with a secular province, existing in certain hierarchical Christian churches, especially in the Catholic Church and Orthodox Churches and in the Anglican Communion...
s to appoint "provincial episcopal visitors", suffragan bishops whose main purpose is to be available for such visits to parishes across the province.
The three PEV bishops are:
Province of Canterbury
Province of Canterbury
The Province of Canterbury, also called the Southern Province, is one of two ecclesiastical provinces making up the Church of England...
:
- The Suffragan Bishop of RichboroughBishop of Richborough__noTOC__The Bishop of Richborough is a suffragan bishop and provincial episcopal visitor for the whole of the Province of Canterbury in the Church of England....
: Norman Banks - The Suffragan Bishop of EbbsfleetBishop of EbbsfleetThe Bishop of Ebbsfleet is a suffragan bishop who fulfils the role of a provincial episcopal visitor for the whole of the Province of Canterbury in the Church of England....
: Jonathan Baker
Province of York
Province of York
The Province of York is one of two ecclesiastical provinces making up the Church of England, and consists of 14 dioceses which cover the northern third of England and the Isle of Man. York was elevated to an Archbishopric in 735 AD: Ecgbert of York was the first archbishop...
:
- The Suffragan Bishop of BeverleyBishop of BeverleyThe Bishop of Beverley is a Church of England suffragan bishop. The title takes its name after the town of Beverley in the East Riding of Yorkshire, England....
: The Rt Revd Martyn JarrettMartyn JarrettMartyn William Jarrett AKC, SSC is the current Bishop of Beverley. He was educated at Cotham Grammar School and King's College London . He was ordained in 1969 and began his ordained ministry with a curacy in Swindon. Following this he held incumbencies in Northolt and then Hillingdon...
Individual dioceses can also appoint suffragan bishops to fulfil this role locally; the Diocese of London
Diocese of London
The Anglican Diocese of London forms part of the Province of Canterbury in England.Historically the diocese covered a large area north of the Thames and bordered the dioceses of Norwich and Lincoln to the north and west. The present diocese covers and 17 London boroughs, covering most of Greater...
, for example, has designated the Suffragan Bishop of Edmonton
Bishop of Edmonton (London)
The Bishop of Edmonton is an episcopal title used by a suffragan bishop of the Church of England Diocese of London in the Province of Canterbury, England...
, who additionally performs a similar role as an assistant bishop
Assistant Bishop
An assistant bishop in the Anglican Communion is a bishop appointed to assist a diocesan bishop.-Church of England:In the established Church of England, assistant bishops are usually are retired bishops – in which case they are honorary assistant bishops...
licensed in the neighbouring dioceses of Southwark
Anglican Diocese of Southwark
The Diocese of Southwark is one of the 44 dioceses of the Church of England, part of the worldwide Anglican Communion. The Diocese forms part of the Province of Canterbury in England. It was formed on May 1, 1905 from part of the Diocese of Rochester...
and Rochester
Diocese of Rochester
The Diocese of Rochester is a Church of England diocese in South-East England and forms part of the Province of Canterbury. It is an ancient diocese, having been established in 604; only the neighbouring Diocese of Canterbury is older in the Church of England....
. Until November 2010, the Bishop of Fulham
Bishop of Fulham
The Bishop of Fulham is a suffragan bishop in the Diocese of London in the Church of England. The bishopric is named after Fulham, an area of south-west London....
filled this role.
In the Church in Wales
Church in Wales
The Church in Wales is the Anglican church in Wales, composed of six dioceses.As with the primus of the Scottish Episcopal Church, the Archbishop of Wales serves concurrently as one of the six diocesan bishops. The current archbishop is Barry Morgan, the Bishop of Llandaff.In contrast to the...
, the Rt Revd David Thomas was appointed to the analogous office of Provincial Assistant Bishop in 1996 when the province voted to ordain women to the priesthood. No successor was appointed when Thomas retired in 2008.
In December 2010, the then Bishops of Richborough and Ebbsfleet resigned to join the Roman Catholic Church. On 5 May 2011, their successors as PEVs were announced.
The future of any flying bishops is uncertain beyond the point at which new episcopal ministry legislation might be passed in order to facilitate the appointment of female bishops.