The Sacraments

Holy Orders (Ordination)

Called, consecrated, and sent — set apart for the ministry of Word, Sacrament, and pastoral care

"How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!" — Romans 10:15

What is Holy Orders?

Holy Orders is the sacramental rite by which men and women are set apart and ordained to the sacred ministry of the Church. Through the laying on of hands by a Bishop and the invocation of the Holy Spirit, the ordinand is consecrated to a particular order of ministry — Deacon, Priest, or Bishop — and commissioned to serve the Church and the world in that role.

Ordination is not a matter of personal ambition or career choice — it is a response to a call: the call of God, discerned within the community of faith and tested by the Church. The ordained person is not set above the rest of the Body of Christ but placed within it, at its service, as a sign and instrument of the ministry of Jesus Christ himself.

"So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up."

— Ephesians 4:11–12
An ordination service in the Diocese of False Bay
The laying on of hands by the Bishop at an ordination service — the central act of the rite of Holy Orders.

The Anglican Understanding of Orders

The Anglican Church of Southern Africa maintains the historic three-fold order of ministry — Bishops, Priests, and Deacons — as it has existed in the Church from ancient times. This order is not a matter of mere tradition; it is rooted in the apostolic structure of the Church and is essential to the Anglican understanding of ministry and sacrament.

Ordination confers not simply a role or function but a permanent character — the ordained person is marked in a new way, given a new relationship to the whole Body of Christ, and entrusted with a ministry that is not theirs but Christ's, exercised in his name and on his authority.

In the Diocese of False Bay, all ordinations are administered by the Bishop — either the Diocesan Bishop or a Bishop acting on his behalf — and take place within a public celebration of the Eucharist, to which the whole people of God are invited as witnesses and participants.

The Three Orders of Ministry

The Anglican Church recognises three distinct orders, each with its own character and calling:

The Diaconate

Deacons are ordained to a ministry of service — to the poor, the marginalised, and those in need. They assist at the Eucharist, proclaim the Gospel, and are a living sign of the Church's calling to serve the world. In ACSA, the diaconate is both a transitional order (on the way to priesthood) and a permanent vocation in its own right.

The Priesthood

Priests are ordained to the ministry of Word and Sacrament. They preach, teach, celebrate the Eucharist, pronounce absolution, bless the people, and exercise pastoral care. They do this not in their own name but as representatives of Christ and his Church, under the authority of their Bishop.

The Episcopate

Bishops are the chief pastors of the Church, successors of the apostles, and guardians of the faith. They ordain priests and deacons, confirm, exercise oversight of a diocese, and are signs of the unity and continuity of the Church across time. The Bishop of False Bay is the father-in-God of all the clergy and people of the diocese.

Discerning a Call to Ordination

The call to ordained ministry is always twofold: an inner sense that God is drawing one toward this vocation, and an outer affirmation from the Church that the call is genuine. Neither alone is sufficient — both are needed. The Diocese of False Bay accompanies those exploring a call through a structured process of discernment:

  1. Prayer and self-examinationBegin with prayer, honest self-reflection, and conversation with a trusted spiritual director or confessor. A call to ordination should be tested patiently, not rushed.
  2. Speak to your parish priestShare your sense of calling with your parish priest, who will offer guidance, prayer, and an honest assessment. Your priest is the first gatekeeper in the discernment process.
  3. Parish and archdeaconry discernmentWith your priest's support, you will be brought before a parish discernment process and, if affirmed, referred to the Archdeacon and then to the Bishop's office for further assessment.
  4. Diocesan Selection ProcessThe Diocese runs a formal selection process, which includes interviews, assessments, psychological evaluation, and a meeting with the Bishop. The Bishop ultimately decides whether to sponsor a candidate for ordination training.
  5. Theological trainingSponsored candidates undertake theological training — either at the College of the Transfiguration (CoTT) in Grahamstown, through the Theological Education by Extension College (TEEC), or through another accredited programme approved by the Bishop.
  6. OrdinationAt the end of training, and following the Bishop's final approval, candidates are ordained — first as Deacon, and subsequently (usually after a year) as Priest. The ordination takes place within the Eucharist, with the laying on of hands by the Bishop.

Is Ordination for Me?

Those who may be called to ordination are often characterised by certain qualities, which the Church looks for in assessing a candidate:

"Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations."

— Jeremiah 1:5

Ordained Ministry and the Whole People of God

Ordained ministry does not exhaust the ministry of the Church. Every baptised Christian is called to ministry — the ministry of witness, service, prayer, and love in daily life. The ordained minister exists to equip, enable, and build up the whole people of God for this common vocation, not to replace it.

The Diocese of False Bay also has a rich and vital tradition of lay ministry — Readers, Lay Pastoral Ministers, and other licensed lay ministers — who exercise significant ministry alongside the clergy. Those who feel called to serve but are uncertain whether ordination is their path are encouraged to explore the full range of lay ministry available in the diocese.