Glossary of Terms, Names, and Abbreviations

ACC: short for the Anglican Church of Canada, a group of Canadian churches in the Anglican tradition.
ACCtoo: a movement seeking reform in how the Anglican Church of Canada responds to survivors of sexual violence.
Alan Perry: the current General Secretary of the Anglican Church of Canada, identified by General Synod as being responsible for circulating the draft Anglican Journal article to the four institutions that mishandled the survivors’ allegations.
The Anglican Journal: a monthly newspaper published by the Anglican Church of Canada.
Anglican Journal editorial board: a committee that advises the editor of The Anglican Journal.
Archbishop: a bishop who typically oversees a group of dioceses.
Archdeacon: a senior church administrator designated by a bishop.
Bishop: a member of the clergy who oversees other priests in a diocese (a local group of churches).
Canon: a honorary title given to some priests by a bishop.
Chaplain: a priest who works in a specific context, such as a hospital, a school, a university, or the military.
Cydney Proctor: one of the three survivors who signed the ACCtoo open letter.
Council of General Synod: the highest governing body of the ACC between meetings of General Synod; the equivalent of a Board of Directors of a non-religious organization.
Deacon: either 1. someone dedicated to a particular role of service in the church or 2. someone preparing to become a priest.
Dean: a priest who is the senior member of a group of clergy; usually also the senior priest at a cathedral.
Diocese: a local group of churches.
FAQ: short for Frequently Asked Questions.
General Synod: 1. the national meeting of the Anglican Church of Canada, which gathers delegates from all across Canada and is usually held every three years or 2. the national Anglican Church of Canada office led by the Primate and General Secretary, sometimes referred to as Church House.
General Secretary: the most senior administrator of the ACC; the equivalent of a CEO of a non-religious organization.
John Fraser: the external reviewer chosen by the Primate to review the privacy breach described in the open letter.
Lent: a time when Christians prepare to celebrate Easter by practising prayer, fasting, and self-discipline.
Linda Nicholls: the current Primate of the Anglican Church of Canada.
Matthew Townsend: the former editor of the Anglican Journal.
Parish: an individual church and its surrounding area.
Postulant: someone preparing to become a priest.
Priest: an ordained minister in the Anglican Church of Canada.
Primate: the most senior spiritual leader of the ACC; roughly equivalent of a President of a non-religious organization.
PWRDF: short for the Primate’s World Relief and Development Fund, the ACC’s international aid organization and a separately incorporated body.
Rector: the most senior priest of a local church.
Reverend (Rev.): a title of priests and other ministers.
Right Reverend (Rt. Rev.): a title for bishops.
Survivors: the preferred term for those who have experienced sexual abuse or violence.
Venerable (Ven.): a title for archdeacons.
Very Reverend (Very Rev.): a title for deans.