The College of Bishops of the Anglican Church in North America (ACNA) today unanimously approved a final version of a new Episcopal Election Customary, completing a significant effort to strengthen the discernment, vetting, and election of bishops across the Province.
The Episcopal Election Customary establishes a consistent framework for episcopal elections across the Province while preserving the historic authority of dioceses to elect their own bishops. The Customary outlines expectations and procedures for dioceses, standing committees, search committees, and provincial leaders, providing greater clarity throughout the discernment and election process.
The Customary was developed through an extensive process of consultation, discussion, and refinement among bishops and church leaders from across the Province. The resulting framework will ensure that candidates for episcopal office complete a robust review process and are subject to thorough vetting and background checks while maintaining the appropriate balance between provincial oversight and diocesan authority.
The Customary, which takes immediate effect, follows commitments made by the College of Bishops in January 2026 to strengthen the processes surrounding episcopal elections, to promote healthy leadership throughout the Church, and inspire greater confidence in the ACNA’s systems of accountability and oversight.
The Rt. Rev. Julian Dobbs, Dean of the Province, welcomed the approval of the Customary.
“The unanimous approval of this Customary reflects our shared commitment to healthy leadership, careful discernment, and mutual accountability, each of which are vital to the Church and evidence of faithful service to the Lord,” Bishop Dobbs said.
“Clear guidance is a blessing for our life together and an expression of the values we hold together in the Province. I am deeply grateful for the collaborative spirit that shaped this work and for the bishops’ shared desire and sacrifice to serve Christ’s Church with wisdom, integrity, and faithfulness.”
The approval of the final version represents an important milestone in the College of Bishops’ ongoing efforts to strengthen the health and governance of the Province and support the flourishing of dioceses across North America.
The College of Bishops will continue its ongoing work to foster healthy dioceses and faithful leadership when it gathers in Tulsa, Oklahoma, June 15-17, immediately preceding Provincial Council on June 17-19.
In church governance, a Customary is an authoritative handbook or set of guidelines that codifies the localized traditions, ceremonial practices, and administrative protocols of a specific province, diocese or parish. It lacks the strict legal force of statutory canon law, but it carries normative and regulatory weight within its designated jurisdiction. It functions as a bridge between broad church law and practical application.