Vocation & cultural As the candidate Anglican / Episcopal 5 min read

Anglican ordination as the candidate

What is asked of an Anglican or Episcopal candidate for ordination, across TEC and ACNA practice.

01 Discernment and postulancy

The Anglican / Episcopal ordination process begins with discernment at the parish level, typically with the parish priest and a parish discernment committee that meets with the candidate over several months. The committee makes a recommendation to the diocesan bishop and the diocesan Commission on Ministry.

If the recommendation is positive, the candidate is admitted to postulancy, the formal recognition by the bishop that the candidate is in discernment for ordination. Postulancy is a probationary period during which the candidate continues parish ministry preparation and (in most dioceses) begins seminary study. Candidacy follows; candidacy is the formal commitment to ordination.

02 Seminary formation

Most TEC and ACNA dioceses require a Master of Divinity (M.Div.) from an approved seminary, normally three years residential. Principal Anglican seminaries in the US include the General Theological Seminary (NYC), Virginia Theological Seminary, Sewanee, Berkeley at Yale, and Trinity School for Ministry (Pittsburgh, the principal ACNA seminary). Candidates from dioceses without strong seminary preferences may attend any accredited program.

The M.Div. covers scripture, theology, church history, liturgy, pastoral care, ethics, and supervised ministry. Most programs include a Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) requirement.

03 The examinations

TEC candidates take the General Ordination Examination (GOE) before priestly ordination. The GOE is a comprehensive examination in seven canonical areas: scripture, church history, theology, ethics and moral theology, studies in contemporary society, liturgy, and theory and practice of ministry. The GOE is administered annually in early January.

ACNA candidates take diocesan or province-level examinations rather than the GOE. The specific exams vary by diocese.

04 The ordination rite

The candidate is normally ordained to the transitional diaconate first; ordination to the priesthood follows after a period of diaconal ministry (commonly six months, sometimes longer). Both ordinations are celebrated within a Eucharist at the diocesan cathedral, with the bishop presiding.

The 1979 BCP ordination rite includes the presentation of the candidate by their sponsors, the examination by the bishop (the bishop asks specific questions about the candidate's commitment to the ministry), the litany of saints, the prayer of ordination with the laying on of hands by the bishop (and, for priestly ordination, by concelebrating priests), the vesting of the newly ordained in the vestments of the new order, and the giving of the Bible. The Eucharist follows; the newly ordained concelebrate.

05 Women's ordination

The Episcopal Church (TEC) ordains women to all three orders. TEC ordained women to the priesthood beginning in 1976 (the "Philadelphia Eleven" in 1974 was the first irregular ordination; the 1976 General Convention regularized the practice) and women to the episcopate beginning in 1989. The ACNA, formed in 2009, retains a more restrictive position: some ACNA dioceses ordain women to the priesthood, others do not; no ACNA diocese ordains women to the episcopate. The candidate's diocese is the source for the local practice.

06 Common questions

Are women ordained?
In The Episcopal Church (TEC), yes, to all three orders (bishop, priest, deacon). TEC has ordained women priests since 1976 and women bishops since 1989. In the Anglican Church in North America (ACNA), practice varies by diocese: some ACNA dioceses ordain women to the priesthood, others do not; no ACNA diocese ordains women to the episcopate. The candidate's diocese is the source.
What is the General Ordination Examination?
The GOE is a comprehensive examination required of TEC candidates before priestly ordination. It tests competence in scripture, church history, theology, ethics, liturgy, and pastoral ministry. ACNA candidates take diocesan or province-level examinations rather than the GOE.
How long does the process take?
From initial discernment to ordination, typically three to seven years, depending on prior education and the diocesan timeline. The seminary M.Div. itself is normally three years residential; postulancy and candidacy add formal recognitions before and during seminary.
Is there a celibacy requirement?
No. Anglican ordained ministry has never required celibacy. Married candidates are normal and welcome in both TEC and ACNA. Candidates considering marriage during the discernment or formation period normally discuss the timing with the diocesan vocations office.
What does the ordination rite involve?
The 1979 BCP (TEC) and the 2019 BCP (ACNA) ordination rites are celebrated within a Eucharist at the diocesan cathedral, with the bishop presiding. The rite includes the presentation of the candidates, the examination, the litany of saints, the prayer of ordination with the laying on of hands by the bishop (and, for priestly ordination, by concelebrating priests), the vesting of the newly ordained, and the giving of the Bible. The Eucharist follows.

07 Pastoral note

Last reviewed against primary sources: May 17, 2026