Having worked with a Director of Ordinands for between nine and 18 months, a candidate may be recommended to proceed to the final part of the Diocesan process, which is to meet with one of the Bishop’s Examining Chaplains and the candidate’s Area Bishop.
On the basis of their reports, together with the advice of the candidate’s Director of Ordinands, the Diocesan Bishop will make a decision as to whether to sponsor the candidate for the national discernment process, known as a Bishops’ Advisory Panel (BAP).
Bishops’ Advisory Panel
From autumn 2021, a new national BAP process will be rolled out involving two stages: the first a half-day series of short interviews; the second a residential event, including interviews and some group exercises and written exercises. The panel will ultimately make a recommendation to the Diocesan Bishop as to your readiness for training; the Bishop will then decide whether or not to accept the Panel’s advice and whether you may move forward to the next phase.
The BAP will look broadly at the following qualities when deciding whether to recommend that you go forward with your training:
- love for God
- call to ministry
- love for people
- wisdom
- fruitfulness
When full details of the new national discernment process is published, further information will appear here.
After the BAP
Once a candidate has been recommended for training by a BAP, they will normally proceed to begin training at a theological training institution, whether residentially or locally. This phase of training is formally known as IME Phase 1. You can find information about this phase on the Vocations training page.
