Deposition from Holy Orders, more commonly known as “defrocking” or “unfrocking”[1],[2], is the ecclesiastical penalty for depriving a cleric of their office and the right to exercise the functions of their orders. In addition to its application to disciplinary procedures initiated by the church, it also provides clergy with a means of avoiding future legislative involvement when they formally leave the church[3].
The associated legislation differs between Anglican Churches within the United Kingdom; recent examples within the Church in Wales included the deposition from Holy Orders of a Bishop and his expulsion from the office of Cleric in the Church. Whilst the penalty of deposition has been unavailable in England since the introduction of the Clergy Discipline Measure 2003, (CDM), it is set to return on the enactment of the Clergy Conduct Measure.
Briden[4] emphasizes that “the deposition from Holy Orders (or unfrocking) operates as a ban on the performance of clerical functions. It does not operate to remove the indelible character which theologically ordination and consecration are taken to bestow”. This is encapsulated in Canon C1 §2 which has remained unchanged: this reflects the position in the Roman Catholic Church [5].