Bishops in Foreign Countries Act 1841
1841 c.6 5_Vict
An Act to amend an Act made in the Twenty-sixth Year of the Reign of His Majesty King George the Third, intituled
“An Act to empower the Archbishop of Canterbury or the Archbishop of York for the Time being to consecrate to the Office of a Bishop Persons being Subjects or Citizens of Countries out of His Majesty’s Dominions.” [5th October 1841]
[1.] Archbishops of Canterbury and York may consecrate British subjects or foreigners to be bishops in foreign countries, without the royal licence for election, &c.
It shall and may be lawful to and for the archbishop of Canterbury or the archbishop of York for the time being, together with such other bishops as they shall call to their assistance, to consecrate British subjects, or the subjects or citizens of any foreign kingdom or state, to be bishops in any foreign country, whether such foreign subjects or citizens be or be not subjects or citizens of the country in which they are to act, and without the Queen
’s licence for their election, or the royal mandate under the great seal for their confirmation and consecration, and without requiring such of them as may be subjects or citizens of any foreign kingdom or state to take the oaths of allegiance and supremacy, and the oath of due obedience to the archbishop for the time being.
2. Spiritual jurisdiction of such bishops.
Such bishop or bishops so consecrated may exercise, within such limits as may from time to time be assigned for that purpose in such foreign countries by her Majesty, spiritual jurisdiction over the ministers of British congregations of the United Church of England and Ireland, and over such other Protestant congregations as may be desirous of placing themselves under his or their authority.
3. Archbishops to obtain her Majesty’s licence for consecration, and to ascertain the fitness of persons to be consecrated.
Provided always, that no person shall be consecrated a bishop in the manner herein provided, until the archbishop of Canterbury or the archbishop of York for the time being shall have first applied for and shall obtained her Majesty
’s licence, by warrant under her royal signet and sign manual, authorizing and empowering him to perform such consecration, and expressing the name of the person so to be consecrated, nor until the said archbishop has been fully ascertained of the sufficiency of such person in good learning, of the soundness of his faith, and of the purity of his manners.
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5. Archbishop to give a certificate of consecration.
Provided always, that the archbishop who so consecrates shall give to the person consecrated a certificate under his hand and seal, containing the name of the country whereof he is a subject or citizen, and the name of the church in which he is appointed bishop; and in case of such person being the subject or citizen of any foreign kingdom or state, then such certificate shall further mention that he has not taken the said oaths, he being exempted by virtue of this Act from taking them.
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