PRIMATE OF THE EPISCOPAL CHURCH - DR. GIL HAAS, ST. AUGUSTINE OF CANTERBURY EPISCOPAL CHURCH

The Archbishop of Canterbury is the Primus inter pares or first among equals of the Anglican Communion.  The Episcopal church is a member of the Anglican Communion, and therefore we are in communion with the Archbishop of Canterbury.  However, each member of the Anglican Communion is an independent body headed by a primate.  The Archbishop of Canterbury is also called the Primate of All England.  For historic reasons, the Church of England also calls its second most senior bishop primate. Therefore, the Archbishop of York is considered the Primate of England, without the “All”.  Many primates in the Anglican Communion are called archbishops; for example, the Archbishop of Cape Town, South Africa.  The Scottish Episcopal Church uniquely calls its primate Primus.  The Episcopal Church, and many other churches, call their primates Presiding Bishops.  Primates of churches in much of India and Pakistan are called Moderators, reflecting their Protestant heritage.  Sometimes, the Anglican Communion is divided into groups of dioceses called provinces which is headed by a primate called a Metropolitan.  This paradigm is not employed in the Episcopal Church.  However, the Archbishop of Sydney, Australia, is always the Metropolitan of the Australian Province of New South Wales.

~Dr. Gil Haas, St. Augustine of Canterbury Episcopal Church