Many claim they are canonically consecrated bishops but they are not based on the canons.

Example: Canon 1 of the 85 c. stated a bishop may be ordained by 2 or 3 other bishops. Later canons demand a minimum of 3 bishops with other requirements i.e. canon 13 of the 141c and canon 1 of the 2c.

Also a bishop must know the canons and vows to keep them when he is ordained. An important point is the age limits as set in the canons. The canons direct a min. age for all to be ordained. How many so called orthodox clergy are or were ordained younger than the age directed in the canons.

Example: A bishop must be at least 50 when consecrated (ordained) by at least 3 bishops.

The Canons listed herein were taken from our copy of the Rudder (and from on line information) that is presently out of print. Our copy was printed in 1957 and states "First Printed and Published A.D. 1800".

We believe our online listing of the Rudder is in the Public Domain based on the following informaton from the U.S. Copyright Office.

Essentially, all works first published in the United States prior to 1923 are considered to be in the public domain in the United States, as are works published between 1923 and 1963 on which copyright registrations were not renewed.

Public domain materials generally fall into one of four categories, three are listed below:

A) Generic information, such as facts, numbers and ideas. You cannot obtain a copyright for a compilaton work in many cases.

B) Works whose copyrights have lapsed due to the passage of time or the failure of the copyright holder to renew a registration (a requirement that applies to works created before 1978).

C) Works created prior to March 1989 that failed to include a proper notice of copyright.

The present (original) Rudder was originaly published in 1800 according to the copy we have. Our copy that is published in English contains no copyright information and is dated 1957 (B and C above). Also it should be noted that we do not publish the complete Rudder as printed. The main canons are printed on these pages.

From time to time someone will contact some church members or clergy and claim this material is theirs and under their copyright. They may own all rights to a certain style of the work but an unregistered claim is not sufficient to uphold such a claim. Especially when the work is over 50 years old and prior to the updated copyright laws.

+ + + + + + +