We are seeing more and more female in the ministerial field, and also married couples. With the recent selection of a female Bishop in the A.M.E. Church are their policies changes in place to indicate who is eligble to run for this position? Can the husband and wife apply for this position simultaneously? If a married female is selected Bishop whose husband is already a pastor what will be the responsibilty of her spouse? Are their policies or guidelines governing marriage of one Bishop to another in the A.M.E Church?

-- Anonymous, November 20, 2000

Answers

I believe that we will have to deal with some of these situations as they arise. To establish policies prematurely may open us up to something that we will regret down the road, unless you are suggesting that we should exclude persons through establishing policies. If a female is elected to the office of Bishop and her (the Bishop's) spouse is pastoring, they will have some issues to work out between them. I do not think we should try to resolve their issues as we will not know now what confronts them at that time.

-- Anonymous, August 26, 2001

The current requirements for election to the episcopacy (page 141, 2000 - 2004 Discipline) does not preclude a husband and/or wife from running and being elected to the office of Bishop. I know of one Presiding Elder whose spouse served as a pastor in the same PE district (He was her Presiding Elder.) This could present a morale problem within the district.

Blessings,

Pastor Paris

-- Anonymous, August 27, 2001