The Cathedral Chapter is not the Bishop's Committee. It is the management committee of the Cathedral chaired by the Dean or Provost. The Bishop has his throne in the cathedral but the building is under the control of the Dean. All a bit complicated like much of the organization of the Anglican Church in England. Christopher Richards ----- Original Message ----- From: "David Lamb" <davidlamb@members.shines.net> To: <OLD-ENGLISH-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Thursday, April 08, 2004 7:46 AM Subject: [OEL] Re: church government > Hello, > > As Audrey says, the dean and chapter of a cathedral form a sort of "Bishop's > Committee". The "Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical > Literature" by Rev. John McClintock and James Strong (published 1895) says: > "In England the chapter of a cathedral church consists of persons > ecclesiastical, canons and prebendaries, whereof the dean is chief, all > subordinate to the bishop, to whom they are as assistants in matters > relating to the church, for the better ordering and disposing the things > thereof, and for confirmation of such leases of the temporalities and > officers relating to the bishopric as the bishop from time to time shall > happen to make" > > I couldn't find a reference to "open chapter", but I seem to remember > reading it in one of the "Brother Cadfael" mediaeval whodunit books. > Certainly in a monastery, the chapter was a "business meeting" of the monks > and canons. Possibly a full meeting, with all monks and canons attending, > would be an "open chapter", as opposed to a meeting which only the "top > brass" attended ("closed chapter"?) but I am only guessing. > > David Lamb (Paignton, Devon, UK) > > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "norman.lee1" <norman.lee1@virgin.net> > To: <OLD-ENGLISH-L@rootsweb.com> > Sent: Wednesday, April 07, 2004 8:33 AM > Subject: church government > > > > Dear Folks > > > > Does anyone know the difference between a chapter, as in dean and chapter > (government of a cathedral) and an open chapter. I have a possibility in > mind that it may be that the open chapter would be an open meeting of the > chapter that would be available to the laity to attend. Anyone any ideas or > knowledge? > > > > Audrey > > > > ______________________________ > > > ==== OLD-ENGLISH Mailing List ==== > Going away for a while? > Don't forget to UNSUBSCRIBE! > OLD-ENGLISH-L-request@rootsweb.com > >

Hello Christopher Do I have it wrong when I think I remember being told that the bishop only comes into the cathedral by invitation of the Dean and Chapter? This, I guess, would virtually never be refused but could be if the situation demanded it. When it comes to the 'open chapter', I would love to know to what this refers. There are all sorts of possibilities. The date was, by the way, 1344, and so the monastic system would have been in full force. The cathedral was Lichfield. Brother Cadfael was not so very far away in Shrewsbury, was he? Audrey ----- Original Message ----- From: "Christopher Richards" <cmr1ch6rd7@blueyonder.co.uk> To: <OLD-ENGLISH-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Thursday, April 08, 2004 8:28 AM Subject: Re: [OEL] Re: church government > The Cathedral Chapter is not the Bishop's Committee. It is the management > committee of the Cathedral chaired by the Dean or Provost. The Bishop has > his throne in the cathedral but the building is under the control of the > Dean. All a bit complicated like much of the organization of the Anglican > Church in England. > Christopher Richards > > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "David Lamb" <davidlamb@members.shines.net> > To: <OLD-ENGLISH-L@rootsweb.com> > Sent: Thursday, April 08, 2004 7:46 AM > Subject: [OEL] Re: church government > > > > Hello, > > > > As Audrey says, the dean and chapter of a cathedral form a sort of > "Bishop's > > Committee". The "Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical > > Literature" by Rev. John McClintock and James Strong (published 1895) > says: > > "In England the chapter of a cathedral church consists of persons > > ecclesiastical, canons and prebendaries, whereof the dean is chief, all > > subordinate to the bishop, to whom they are as assistants in matters > > relating to the church, for the better ordering and disposing the things > > thereof, and for confirmation of such leases of the temporalities and > > officers relating to the bishopric as the bishop from time to time shall > > happen to make" > > > > I couldn't find a reference to "open chapter", but I seem to remember > > reading it in one of the "Brother Cadfael" mediaeval whodunit books. > > Certainly in a monastery, the chapter was a "business meeting" of the > monks > > and canons. Possibly a full meeting, with all monks and canons attending, > > would be an "open chapter", as opposed to a meeting which only the "top > > brass" attended ("closed chapter"?) but I am only guessing. > > > > David Lamb (Paignton, Devon, UK) > > > > > > ----- Original Message ----- > > From: "norman.lee1" <norman.lee1@virgin.net> > > To: <OLD-ENGLISH-L@rootsweb.com> > > Sent: Wednesday, April 07, 2004 8:33 AM > > Subject: church government > > > > > > > Dear Folks > > > > > > Does anyone know the difference between a chapter, as in dean and > chapter > > (government of a cathedral) and an open chapter. I have a possibility in > > mind that it may be that the open chapter would be an open meeting of the > > chapter that would be available to the laity to attend. Anyone any ideas > or > > knowledge? > > > > > > Audrey > > > > > > ______________________________ > > > > > > ==== OLD-ENGLISH Mailing List ==== > > Going away for a while? > > Don't forget to UNSUBSCRIBE! > > OLD-ENGLISH-L-request@rootsweb.com > > > > > > > > ==== OLD-ENGLISH Mailing List ==== > THREADED archives for OLD-ENGLISH: > http://archiver.rootsweb.com/th/index?list=OLD-ENGLISH > >