Decision Number 53

Right of Central Conference Bishop to Vote In the Council of Bishops

Digest

The provisions of Paragraph 555, Discipline 1944, giving a Central Conference Bishop the right to vote in the Council of Bishops "whenever the interest of his Central Conference, or the interests common to all Central Conferences are involved," is Constitutional.

Statement of Facts

At a session held May 6, 1948, the General Conference by proper action under the provisions of Paragraph 43, Discipline 1944, requested the Judicial Council to determine the Constitutionality of the last phrase of Paragraph 555, Discipline 1944, which reads as follows: "A Bishop elected by a Central Conference shall have a membership in the Council of Bishops, and shall have the privilege of full participation with vote in the meeting of the Council whenever the interest of his Central Conference or the interests common to all Central Conferences are involved."

Decision

The Constitution, Paragraph 20, Section 2, provides as follows: "The Bishops of the Central Conferences shall have membership in the Council of Bishops with vote limited to matters relating to their respective Central Conferences."

Since the interests common to all are important and are related to each, it is the decision of the Judicial Council that the phrase quoted from Paragraph 555 is Constitutional.