Policy
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Last Updated July 2019
Ordination is the responsibility of the Archbishop of Sydney and while he may choose whom he may ordain, he has determined the following minimum qualifications for ordination in the Diocese of Sydney.
1. Ordination to the diaconate is a lifelong vocation open to men and women:
a) who have successfully completed at least two years of observation and supervision in ministry, and discernment as a candidate for ordination;
b) who are baptised, communicant members of the Anglican Church of Australia;
c) who have made the required Solemn Promises and satisfactorily completed the Working with Children Check and the Diocesan Lifestyle Questionnaire, and hold a current certificate of safe ministry training;
d) who have normally completed the four year Bachelor of Divinity at Moore Theological College, including the subject Anglican Identity & Liturgy;
e) who have an appointment to a full-time (or substantially full-time) pastoral ministry position; and
f) who are neither divorced nor married to a person who has been divorced.
Exceptions to paragraph 1(d) above may apply to:
i. those who are over the age of 40 years and have completed the three year Bachelor of Theology at Moore College; and
ii. those who are not seeking to be further ordained as a Presbyter, who have completed the subject Anglican Identity & Liturgy and have completed at least the two year Associate Degree in Theology at Moore College or the Associate Degree in Ministry at Youthworks College, or completed a theological degree in a language (other than English) and the Moore College PTC. However, such deacons will not be ordained Presbyter without completing the requisite study.
2. Ordination to the presbyterate is open to men who have been ordained deacon in the Diocese of Sydney:
a) who have successfully completed the three year Ministry Development Program;
b) who have successfully completed at least two years of observation and supervision as a Deacon and discernment by the Archbishop’s Presbyteral Panel as a candidate for ordination; and
c) who have an appointment to a full-time (or substantially full-time) pastoral ministry position.
3. For persons seeking to be ordained as deacon or presbyter, who have completed a theological degree other than through Moore College, further study at Moore College is normally required.