According to the Ordinal, the biblical DNA of ministerial responsibility diverges between presbyters and bishops at this particular point. The Apostle Paul's instruction to Timothy - 'what you have heard from me before many witnesses entrust to faithful men who will be able to teach others also' (2 Timothy 2:2 - RSV) - would therefore apply to the bishop rather than to the presbyter.

The bishop has the responsibility to entrust the apostolic deposit to faithful ministers by identifying them and ordaining them. Of course, given the profound Apostolic concern for the continuation of authentic gospel proclamation, local church leaders should be on the look-out for men who may have a vocation to ordained ministry. But not being bishops they are not authorised to ordain them. They have a responsibility to refer these men to the senior pastors who are. In the Reformed Anglican tradition such senior pastors are bishops.

The benefit of the distinction between bishop and presbyter in this respect is that the man being ordained is not the sole property of the local church minister. If he were, that would make ministers of God's Word and Sacrament vulnerable to cloning and personality cult following.

So, Bishop Rod has a vital role to play in upholding the biblical doctrine of Canon A5 in the perpetuation, Lord willing, of faithful biblical ministry in local churches. He deserves the full support of all conservative evangelicals in the Church of England in his godly calling as an episcopal minister of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Julian Mann is vicar of the Parish Church of the Ascension, Oughtibridge, South Yorkshire - http://bit.ly/2jlDzaZ