What is a deacon?

On June 10th, D.J. Johnson and Robert Little were ordained to the Sacred Order of Deacons in the Anglican Church of North America.  But what exactly does that mean?  Many denominations use the term "deacon," but what they each mean can be vastly different.  Since so many folks at All Saints are new to Anglicanism, I thought that perhaps a quick primer was due.  

What is the Diaconate?
As Anglicans, we view the Diaconate as one of the three orders of ministry along with the Presbyterate (i.e. priests) and the Episcopate (i.e. bishops).  Every priest is first ordained as a deacon, and every bishop is first ordained as a deacon and then a priest.  In the Anglican church, we view ordination as a sacramental act.  Thus, the result is not simply functional, but also ontological.  A person is ordained as a deacon not simply for a local congregation, but rather for the entire church, and he remains an ordained deacon for the rest of his life.  This is because the deacon is under the authority of a bishop rather than a local congregation.  In the ordination service, the new deacon confesses, "And I do swear by Almighty God that I will pay true and canonical obedience in all things lawful and honest to the Bishop of ___________ and his successors:  So help me God."  So even though most deacons serve in a parish, their ministry to that parish is through the Bishop.  Thus, a deacon must always be under the authority of a bishop.

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