Chancellor (ecclesiastical)

This article is about the clerical office. For other uses, seeChancellor (disambiguation).

Chancelloris an ecclesiastical title used by several quite distinct officials of someChristianchurches.

• In some churches, the Chancellor of adioceseis alawyerwho represents the church in legal matters.
• In theCatholic Churcha chancellor is the chief record-keeper of a diocese oreparchyor their equivalent. Normally a priest, sometimes a deacon or layperson, the chancellor keeps the official archives of the diocese, as a notary certifies documents, and generally manages the administrative offices (and sometimes finances and personnel) of a diocese. They may be assisted by vice-chancellors. Though they manage the paperwork and office (called the "chancery"), they have no actual jurisdictional authority: thebishopof the diocese exercises decision-making authority through hisjudicial vicar,in judicial matters, and thevicar generalfor administrative matters.
• In theChurch of England,the Chancellor is thejudgeof theconsistory courtof the diocese. The office of diocesan chancellor technically combines that of Official Principal (who presides over, and represents the bishop in, the consistory court) with that ofVicar General(who acts as the bishop's deputy in non-judicial legal and administrative affairs).The office was also known historically in some dioceses as Commissary or Commissary General, and Commissary General remains the usual title in theDiocese of Canterbury.
• In Church of Englandcathedrals,theCanon Chancellor(more usually known simply as the Chancellor) is one of thecanonsof the cathedral who has a particular responsibility for matters of education and scholarship, often acting as the cathedrallibrarianandarchivist.The Chancellor is generally one of four chief dignitaries in thecathedral chapter,the others being theDean,thePrecentorand theTreasurer.
• In theUnited Methodist Church,eachAnnual Conferencehas a Conference Chancellor, who is either an active or retired lawyer or judge who serves as the Annual Conference's legal adviser and representative. While the Annual Conference will usually hire outside professional counsel in legal matters requiring legal representation, that hiring and representation is done under the supervision, and with the consent, of the Conference Chancellor.

See also

• Chancellor#Ecclesiastical
• Catholic Church hierarchy#Positions within a diocese at diocesan level