Michael Barlowe, Executive Officer of the General Convention of The Episcopal Church, send a letter to all deputies, bishops, and alternate deputies on Friday, May 1, 2015,, announcing the release of the names of the nominees for presiding bishop of The Episcopal Church. The full text of the letter is below. The election will be on Saturday, June 27, 2015, at the 78th General Convention in Salt Lake City.
The nominees are:
The Rt. Rev. Thomas Breidenthal, Southern Ohio
The Rt. Rev. Michael Curry, North Carolina
The Rt. Rev. Ian Douglas, Connecticut
The Rt. Rev. Dabney Smith, Southwest Florida
The Joint Nominating Committee for the Election of the Presiding Bishop outlined the schedule: “All of the nominees will be given the opportunity to address both houses of General Convention on June 24.The names will be officially placed in nomination at a joint session of the House of Bishops and the House of Deputies on June 26. Next, on June 27th the House of Bishops will elect and the House of Deputies will vote whether or not to confirm one of the nominees to be the next Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church. The new Presiding Bishop will begin his or her 9-year term on November 1, 2015. Members of the Joint Nominating Committee for the Election of the Presiding Bishop include a Bishop, a member of the clergy, and a layperson from each province and two members of the youth appointed by the President of the House of Deputies.”
According to the canons, candidates have to be young enough to not reach retirement age before the end of the nine-year term and had to be a bishop diocesan for at least 5 years. The only woman bishop who met that criteria is the Rt. Rev. Mary Gray-Reeves, bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of El Camino Real, and she did not stand for election.
The deadline for nominations from the floor is May 12, 2015.
Canon Barlowe’s letter:
Dear Deputies, Bishops, and Alternate Deputies,
The Joint Nominating Committee for the Election of the Presiding Bishop has released its list of nominees, which you will find at the General Convention website:
http://www.generalconvention.
We are all grateful to the JNCPB for their hard work and prayer discernment, and to the nominees for their commitment and willingness to serve.
Faithfully,
Michael Barlowe
Executive Officer of the General Convention
The Episcopal Church