Previous General Ordination Examinations

Visit the National Church Website to view General Board of Examining Chaplains and General Ordination Examination History Questions for last ten years

www.episcopalchurch.org/index_new.htm

Click on Life and Work of the Church
Click on Your Ministry (left side of screen)
Scroll down text and Click on Office of Ministry Development
Click on Exploring Ministry (left side of screen)
Scroll down text and Click on Ordained Ministry
Scroll down and Click on General Ordination Exams

---

Previous General Ordination Examination: 2007
Previous General Ordination Examination: 2006
Previous General Ordination Examination: 2005

Previous General Ordination Examination: 2008

SET 1: Holy Scripture

LIMITED RESOURCES: An annotated Bible, such as the New Oxford Annotated Bible or the HarperCollins Study Bible, and a concordance.

Read Deuteronomy 28:1-14 and Luke 18:18-25 and address the following in a three-page essay:

A.  What is the relationship between prosperity and faithfulness in each passage?

B.  Readers use a variety of hermeneutical principles to interpret the Bible.  Using these two passages as examples, articulate and explain the principles of interpretation that guide your reading of the Bible, especially when texts may present significantly different theological understandings.

C.  You have been asked to preach a sermon using the two passages named above.  Summarize the main points you would make in your sermon.  Be sure it engages both passages.

---

SET 2: Christian Ethics and Moral Theology

OPEN RESOURCES

Are there any acts that are intrinsically evil?

Answer this question in a three-page essay, building a case for your answer that makes use of resources from the Christian ethical tradition

---

SET 3: Christian Theology

OPEN RESOURCES

In a three-page essay,

1.  Identify briefly foundational elements for creating a contemporary doctrine of the church (ecclesiology) within the Episcopal/Anglican traditions.

2. Expand and elucidate the elements identified, using scriptural references and the theological traditions of the church, both historical and contemporary, to substantiate your thinking.  Include in your essay specific illustrations of these theological elements as they are manifested in the ways The Episcopal Church orders itself for mission and ministry.
   
   

---

SET 4: Contemporary Society

LIMITED RESOURCES: Annotated Bible, Book of Common Prayer, and other authorized liturgical texts of The Episcopal Church

Many consider today's health care system in the United States to be in crisis.  Numerous studies have shown that health insurance coverage improves access to and quality of medical care and can contribute to the overall health of Americans.  The latest available health insurance statistics from the National Health Interview Survey reports that:

• In 2006, 14.8% of Americans, or 43.6 million, were without health insurance, a 6% increase over 2005.
• Among working-age adults (those aged 18-64), 19.8% did not have health insurance in 2006, an increase in the uninsured from 18.9% the year before.
• Approximately 9.3% of children under the age of 18 did not have health insurance in 2006, a slight increase in the uninsured from 8.9% in 2005.

The report added that the increase was primarily in the non-elderly adult population because of "diminishing employer coverage and pricier private insurance."

In an integrated essay of three pages:

A.  Develop a theological response to this situation using relevant biblical texts and  resources from the Book of Common Prayer or other authorized liturgical texts of The Episcopal Church.

B.   In light of the answer above, how can this church respond to the issues of access to adequate health care?  In the essay include at least two practical examples each for two of the following: individuals, congregations, dioceses, The Episcopal Church.

---

SET 5: Church History

OPEN RESOURCES

Throughout the history of the church, most Christians have known the Old and New Testaments only through translations.  Three seminal translations for western Christianity have been the Vulgate Bible (V), the Authorized or King James Version (AV), and the Revised Standard Version (RSV).

Write a three-page essay in which you answer the following questions regarding these influential translations (you may use abbreviations as indicated above).

1. What were, briefly, the historical circumstances motivating those responsible for conceiving and executing these three translations?

2. How did each of these translations represent significant change from earlier versions available at the time?

3. What have been some of the important repercussions of each of these translations for the Christian church and the wider culture?
   
   

---

SET 6: Theory and Practice of Ministry

NO EXTERNAL RESOURCES

The parents of a young woman who was murdered in the shootings at Virginia Tech in April, 2007, are still deep in mourning.  She was their only child and was a gifted student.  As their pastor you helped them plan the funeral and then were the officiant at the service.  Now, much later, the parents are questioning you about God's presence with them, most especially asking how God can allow such a tragedy. They are desperately trying to find answers in their time of grief. 

In a three-page essay:

1. Identify and explain the major theological issues raised for you in this situation.

2. In light of these issues, what pastoral counsel would you offer to this couple and what other resources would you commend to them?
   
   

---

SET 7: Liturgy and Church Music

LIMITED RESOURCES: Book versions of the following: Bible, Book of Common Prayer (in English, Spanish, or French), Enriching Our Worship, Hymnal 1982, Lift Every Voice and Sing II, Wonder Love and Praise, Voices Found, El Himnario, Flor y Canto, and their accompanist editions. No electronic resources.

As the rector in a parish with a strong music program you have decided to offer an after-church adult forum organized around the question, "How are the hymns chosen for the Sunday service of Holy Eucharist?"

The congregation customarily uses Rite II , Eucharistic Prayer B, for the celebration of the Holy Eucharist.  The Sunday that you propose as an example for this forum is Proper 19, Year C; the appointed texts for the day are: Exodus 32:1,7-14; Psalm 51:1-18; 1Timothy 1:12-17; Luke 15:1-10.  Your parish is also beginning its church school year on that Sunday.

In preparing the adult forum do the following, using three pages:

1. List the places in the BCP Eucharist, Rite II, in which hymns are allowed and describe the function of hymns in these places.
   
   
2. List the hymns that you would choose for this service and where they would be used in this liturgy.
   
   
3. Explain, in an annotated outline or essay, your reasons for choosing these hymns: include explanations for the specific ways these hymns communicate the theology of the readings, the collect of the day and the eucharistic celebration; note the hymnal(s) used and your reasons for choosing these hymnal(s); show the specific ways in which the hymns that you have chosen convey or amplify the action of the liturgy.