A Presiding Abbot is the Head a Presbyter Council for an Abbey, or the Basileia Alliance, or a Basileia Community, or a Vocational Society, and thus by definition is tasked with facilitating the consensus decision-making process in the governing of those jurisdictions. In addition to Presiding Abbots, Basileia also has Abbots at-large who may be on sabbatical, or having served as Presiding Abbots sometime in the past are presently serving as general members of any of Basileia’s Presbyter Councils, maintaining the title of Abbot in recognition of the appointment or consecration to that role. Some Abbots may take on an at-large role in being Soul Friends and mentoring others or focusing on publishing or entering into an extended period of asceticism. While an Abbot at-large may command a greater capacity of spiritual authority in certain dimensions than, say, another Abbot or Presbyter who may be presiding as a Head of a jurisdiction, this does not mean that an Abbot at-large may usurp or replace the role of that Head either wittingly or unwittingly. Some Abbots at-large may have a disproportionate weighty contribution to make in the consensus decision-making process even though they may not be serving presently in a formal presiding role as the Head of a jurisdiction. Therefore, humility on the part of all is needed to actualize the contributions of all in this and similar situations that emerge with having Abbots at-large actively serving alongside others serving as Heads. Furthermore, the general principles here regarding the consensus decision-making process as it applies to Abbots may also be applied to the respective roles of Presbyters, Deacons, Commissioned Governing Members and baptized members in any jurisdiction.
Also see Abbot.