Canon law of the Episcopal Church in the United States

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The Anglican Communion does not have a centralised canon law of its own, unlike the canon law of the Catholic Church. [1] Each of the autonomous member churches of the communion, however, does have a canonical system. Some, such as the Church of England, has an ancient, highly developed canon law while others, such as the Episcopal Church in the United States have more recently developed canonical systems originally based on the English canon law.

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Unlike the system of canon law in the Church of England, which continues to be drawn from the canon law of the Western church, English ecclesiastical law did not remain in force in the Episcopal Church after the American Revolution. [2] There are two parallel systems of canon law within the church operating on a national level, governed by the General Convention, and on a diocesan level, with each diocesan convention empowered to create constitutions and canons. Diocesan constitutions do not require the approval of the General Convention. The Episcopal Church is notable among Anglican churches for the extent to which the Constitution and Canons of the General Convention leave matters to regulation at the diocesan and parochial levels. [3]

Constitution and Canons of the Episcopal Church in the United States

List of Diocesan Constitutions and Canons

DioceseStateConstitution/Charter & Canons
Alabama Alabama links at Policies page
Alaska Alaska links at Constitutions & Canons page, under “Our Constitution and Canons”
Albany New York links at Albany Diocese Documents page
Arizona Arizona link at The Constitution & Canons page
Arkansas Arkansas link at Canons & Policies page
Atlanta Georgia links at Governance page
Bethlehem Pennsylvania links at Constitution & Canons page
California California links at Constitution & Canons page
Central Florida Florida links at Policy Handbook page under “Constitution and Canons”
Central Gulf Coast Florida link to canons at Governance page under “Canons of the Diocese”
Central New York New York link at Governance & Administration page under “Constitution & Canons of the Diocese”
Central Pennsylvania Pennsylvania link at Constitution and Canons page
Chicago Illinois link at Governance page under “Download the Canons of the Diocese”
Colorado Colorado link at Constitution & Canons page
Connecticut Connecticut link at Governance page under “Constitution & Canons”
Dallas Texas link at Constitution & Canons page under “EDOD Constitution and Canons”
Delaware Delaware link at Governing Documents page under “Constitution and Canons Diocese”
East Carolina North Carolina link at Constitutions & Canons page
East Tennessee Tennessee link at “Resources” tab, under “Constitution & Canons (DioET)”
Eastern Michigan Michigan link at Governance page under “Constitution and Canons”
Eastern Oregon Oregon link at Governance/Policy page under “The Constitution and Canons”
Easton Maryland link at Constitution and Canons page
Eau Claire Wisconsin link at bottom of Home page under “Eau Claire Constitution and Canons”
El Camino Real California link at Constitution & Canons page
Florida Florida link at Forms page, under “Guidelines”, then “Diocesan Canons”
Fond du Lac Wisconsin link at Constitution and Canons page, under “Diocesan Canons”
Georgia Georgia link at Resource Library page, under “Diocese of Georgia Constitution & Canons”
Hawai’i Hawai’i links at “Forms & Documents” page, under “Legal”
Idaho Idaho link under “Policies and Canons”
Indianapolis Indiana link under “Resources for Diocesan Leaders”
Iowa Iowa links at Constitution & Canons page
Kansas Kansas links at Diocesan Constitution and Canons page
Kentucky Kentucky links at Governance Documents page
Lexington Kentucky link at DioLex Resources page, under “Resources for Clergy and Churches”, then “Diocesan Constitution and Canons”
Long Island New York link at Church Governance page, under “Canons of the Episcopal Diocese”
Los Angeles California link at this Directory page, under “Constitution and Canons, Diocesan”
Louisiana Louisiana links at Constitution & Canons page
Maine Maine link at Constitution & Canons page
Maryland Maryland link at Diocesan Constitution and Canons page
Massachusetts Massachusetts link at Constitution and Canons page
Michigan Michigan link at this page
Milwaukee Wisconsin link at Constitution and Canons page
Minnesota Minnesota link at Governing Structure page, under “Constitutions & Canons”
Mississippi Mississippi link at Governance page
Missouri Missouri link at Constitution and Canons page
Montana Montana link at this page, under “Diocese Canons and Constitution”
Nebraska Nebraska link at Diocese of Nebraska & Episcopal Church Canons page
Nevada Nevada links at Governance page
New Hampshire New Hampshire link at Governance page
New Jersey New Jersey link at Constitution and Canons page
New York New York link at this page under “Diocesan Constitution & Canons”
Newark New Jersey link at Constitution and Canons of the Diocese page
North Carolina North Carolina link at Constitution and Canons page
North Dakota North Dakota link at Diocesan Council page, under "The-Constitution-and-Canons-Diocese-of-North-Dakota"
North Texas Texas links at Constitution & Canons page
Northern California California links at Constitution and Canons page
Northern Indiana Indiana link at Diocesan Governance page, in right-hand column under photo of bishop
Northern Michigan Michigan link to Constitution & Canons
Northwest Texas Texas link at Diocesan Documents and Information page, under “Constitution and Canons”
Northwestern Pennsylvania Pennsylvania link at Constitution and Canons page
Ohio Ohio link at Governance page
Oklahoma Oklahoma link at Constitution and Canons page for canons; no apparent link to diocesan constitution
Olympia Washington link at “Constitution & Canons”
Oregon Oregon link at Constitution and Canons page
Pennsylvania Pennsylvania link at this page, under “Constitution and Canons”
Pittsburgh Pennsylvania link at Documents & Forms page, under “Governance”
Rhode Island Rhode Island link at Diocesan Constitution & Canons page
Rio Grande New Mexico link at Documents page, under “DRG Constitution & Canons”
Rochester New York link at Parish Forms & Documents page, under “Parish Finance and Administration”, then “Governance”, then “Episcopal Diocese of Rochester Constitution & Canons”
San Diego California link at Governance page, under “Constitutions & Canons”
San Joaquin California links at Governance page, under “Canons and Constitution”
South Carolina South Carolina links at Constitution & Canons page
South Dakota South Dakota link at “Diocesan Constitution & Canons”
Southeast Florida Florida link at “Diocesan Constitution & Canons”
Southern Ohio Ohio link at Resources page, under “Constitution and Canons of the Diocese”
Southern Virginia Virginia link at Governance page, under “Constitution & Canons”
Southwest Florida Florida link at Constitution and Canons of the Church page, under “Constitution and Canons of the Episcopal Diocese of Southwest Florida”
Southwestern Virginia Virginia links at Constitution and Canons page
Spokane Washington link at Governance page, under “Constitution & Canons”
Springfield Illinois link in Diocesan Documents & Reports page
Tennessee Tennessee link at Constitution and Canons page
Texas Texas link at Constitution & Canons page
Upper South Carolina South Carolina link at Constitution & Canons page
Utah Utah links at Governing Bodies page, at “For full descriptions of these diocesan offices, refer to the constitution and canons”
Virginia Virginia link at Constitution & Canons page
Washington District of Columbia link at Constitution and Canons page
West Missouri Missouri link at Documents page, under “Constitution and Canons”
West Tennessee Tennessee link at Constitution & Canons page
West Texas Texas link at Constitution & Canons page
West Virginia West Virginia link at Constitution & Canons page
Western Kansas Kansas link at Canons page
Western Louisiana Louisiana for Canons for Constitution
Western Massachusetts Massachusetts link at Resources, Policies & Forms page, in the “For Clergy” dropdown menu, then “Constitution & Canons”
Western Michigan Michigan link at Governance page, under “Constitution and Canons”
Western New York New York link at Constitution and Canons page
Western North Carolina North Carolina link at Our Governance page, under "Constitutions and Canons of the Diocese"
Wyoming Wyoming link at "Constitution & Canons" page

See also

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