Rural dean: Difference between revisions

In the [[AnglicanRoman CommunionCatholic Church]] and the [[RomanAnglican Catholic ChurchCommunion]] as well as some [[Lutheranism|Lutheran]] denominations, a '''rural dean''' is a member of [[clergy]] who presides over a "rural [[deanery]]" (often referred to as a deanery); "ruridecanal" is the corresponding adjective. In some [[Church of England]] [[diocese]]s rural deans have been formally renamed as '''area deans'''.

The title "dean" (Latin ''decanus'') may derive from the custom of dividing a [[Hundred_Hundred (county_divisioncounty division)|hundred]] into ten [[tithings]], not least as rural deaneries originally corresponded with thewapentakes, [[hundred (county subdivision)|hundreds]] or, [[commote]]s or [[cantref]]i in Wales. Many rural deaneries retain these ancient names.<ref name="Cross1957">Cross, F. L., ed. (1957) ''The Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church''. London: Oxford University Press; p. 1188.</ref>

The first mention of rural deans comes from a law made by [[Edward the Confessor]], which refers to the rural dean being appointed by the [[bishop]] “to"to have the inspection of clergy and people from within the district to which he was incumbent…incumbent... to which end [he] had power to convene rural chapters.”"<ref name="GSMisc984">[http://www.churchofengland.org/media/1283676/gs%20misc%20984.pdf General Synod Misc Paper 984 2011]</ref> The first known rural dean is Robert de Eclesfield, who was appointed to the position in the diocese of York in 1148.<ref name="ChichesterGuide">[http://www.chichester.anglican.org/media/documents/document/2012/09/Guidelines_For_Rural_Deans.pdf Chichester Diocese Guidelines for Rural Deans 2009]</ref>

In the Church of England, the office of rural dean was revived by the Bishop of Norwich in 1836/1837.<ref name="ChichesterGuide" /><ref name="Cutts1895" /> During the nineteenth century the office became more significant, and by the middle of the century rural deaneries were established in law,<ref name="GSMisc984" /> which also made provision for the modification of deanery boundaries, through the provisions of the [[Archdeaconries and Rural Deaneries Act of 1874]] ([[37 & 38 Vict.,]] capc. 63).<ref name="Cutts1895" />

[[Canon law (Anglican Communion)|Canon]] C23 sets out the legal basis of the current role of rural deans. It sets out that rural deans will report to the bishop on significant matters, including illness and vacancies, and will investigate if there are problems in the parish. It also sets out that the rural dean will be joint chair, with the Lay Chair, of the [[deanery synod]].<ref name="CanonC">[{{cite web | url = http://www.churchofengland.org/about-us/structure/churchlawlegis/canons/section-c.aspx | title = Canons of the Church of England section C] | publisher = Church of England | format = pdf | url-status=dead | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20160330141416/https://churchofengland.org/about-us/structure/churchlawlegis/canons/section-c.aspx | archive-date = 30 March 2016}}</ref>

# helping the Bishop in his episcopeepiscopate and care of the deanery

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