Court of Ecclesiastical Causes Reserved

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The Court of Ecclesiastical Causes Reserved, an ecclesiastical court, is an appellate court of the Church of England. In cases involving church doctrine, ceremony or ritual Court of Ecclesiastical Causes Reserved hears the case. It has jurisdiction over both of the provinces of Canterbury and York. The Court, however, meets very rarely.

The Court for Ecclesiastical Causes Reserved was created in 1963 with appellate jurisdiction in matters of doctrine, ritual or ceremonial. Five judges are appointed by Her Majesty The Queen. Two must be or have held high judicial office and be a communicant; three must be or have been diocesan bishops. In criminal matters there must be not less than three nor more than five advisers selected by the Dean of the Arches and Auditor from a panel of eminent theologians and liturgiologists.

A complaint against a priest or deacon may be vetoed by his bishop, and one against a bishop by his archbishop. Before a case is heard, a preliminary enquiry by a Committee decides whether there is a case to answer. In the case of a priest or deacon, the Committee of Inquiry consists of the diocesan bishop, two members of the Lower House of Convocation of the Province, and two diocesan chancellors. There are other provisions where the accused is a bishop.

If the Committee allows the case to proceed, the Upper House of Convocation appoints a complainant against the accused in the Court for Ecclesiastical Causes Reserved, where the procedure resembles that of an assize court exercising jurisdiction but without a jury. However, the Court sits with five advisers chosen from panels of theologians or liturgiologists.

The members at present are the Right Honourable Lord Justice Gibson (1986-), Lord Lloyd of Berwick, DL PC, the Right Reverend Eric Kemp, MA FRHistS (Bishop of Chichester), the Right Reverend Ronald Gordon, MA (former Bishop of Portsmouth) (1991-), and the Right Reverend Alexander Graham, MA DD DipTh (Bishop of Newcastle).

Former members include the Rt Revd Richard Say, MA DD (Bishop of Rochester), Rt Revd Kenneth Woollcombe, MA (former Bishop of Oxford).