A bishop is an
ordained or
consecrated member of the
Christian clergy who is generally entrusted with a position of authority and oversight. Within the
Roman Catholic,
Eastern Orthodox,
Oriental Orthodox Churches, in the
Assyrian Church of the East, in the
Independent Catholic Churches, and in the
Anglican churches, bishops claim
Apostolic succession, a direct historical lineage dating back to the original
Twelve Apostles. Within these churches, bishops can ordain clergy including other bishops. Some
Protestant churches including the
Lutheran and
Methodist churches have bishops serving similar functions as well, though not always understood to be within
Apostolic succession in the same sense. The
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints also has bishops, who serve as spiritual leaders of local congregations (
wards). Bishops are of a higher rank than priests.
The office of bishop was already quite distinct from that of
priest in the writings of
Ignatius of Antioch (died c. 107), and by the middle of the second century all the chief centres of Christianity were headed by bishops, a form of organization that remained universal until the
Protestant Reformation."bishop." Cross, F. L., ed. The Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church. New York: Oxford University Press. 2005
Etymology
Bishop comes from the
Greek word ἐπίσκοπος, epískopos (from ἐπί, epí, "over", "on"; and σκοπεῖν, skopeîn, "to watch") which can be translated overseer, superintendent, supervisor, or foreman. From the word epískopos are derived the
Latin word episcopus and various equivalents in all European languages, such as German (Bischof), Spanish (Obispo), French (Évêque), Italian (Vescovo), Portuguese (Bispo), Russian (Епископ, Episkop), and others, as well as the English words episcopacy, episcopate and episcopal. The system of church government by bishops is called episcopacy.
History
The earliest organization of the
Christian churches in
Judea was similar to that of
Jewish synagogues, which were governed by a council of elders (presbyteroi). In
Acts 11:30 and 15:22, we see this collegiate system of government in Jerusalem, and, in Acts 14:23, the
Apostle Paul ordains elders in the churches he founded.
Some modern comentators believe that these presbyters may have been identical to the overseers (episkopoi, i.e.,
bishops) and cite such passages as Acts 20:17,
Titus 1:5,7 and
1 Peter 5:1 to support this claim.Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church, 1997 edition revised 2005, page 211: "It seems that at first the terms 'episcopos' and 'presbyter' were used interchangeably ..."Cambridge History of Christianity, volume 1, 2006, "The general consensus among scholars has been that, at the turn of the first and second centuries, local congregations were led by bishops and presbyters whose offices were overlapping or indistinguishable." The earliest post-apostolic writings, the
Didache and
Clement for example, show the church recognized two local church offices—elders (interchangeable term with overseer) and deacon.
The beginnings of a single ruling bishop can perhaps be traced to the offices occupied by Timothy and Titus in the New Testament. We are told that Paul had left Timothy in Ephesus and Titus in Crete to oversee the local church (1 Tim. 1:3 and Titus 1:5). Paul commands them to ordain presybters/bishops and to exercise general oversight, telling Titus to "rebuke with all authority" (Titus 2:15).
Various Christian communities would have had a group of presbyter-bishops functioning as leaders of the local church. Eventually this evolved into a monarchical episcopacy in certain cities. The monarchical episcopacy probably developed in other churches in Christianity before it took shape in Rome. For example, it has been conjectured that Antioch may have been one of the first Christian communities to have adopted such a structure. The emergence of a single bishop in Rome probably did not arise until the middle of the second century. Linus, Cletus and Clement were probably prominent presbyter-bishops but not necessarily monarchical bishops. Eventually, Rome followed the example of other Christian communities and structured itself after the model of the empire with one presbyter bishop in charge ..." The organizational structure Catholic Church subsequently evolved into the present form of one bishop supported by a college of presbyters.
It is certain that the office of bishop and presbyter were clearly distinguished by the second century, as the church was facing the dual pressures of persecution and internal schism, resulting in three distinct local offices: bishop, elder (presbyter) and deacon. This is best seen in the 2nd century writings of St.
Ignatius of Antioch.
The bishop was understood mainly as the president of the council of presbyters, and so the bishop came to be distinguished both in honor and in prerogative from the presbyters, who were seen as deriving their authority by means of delegation from the bishop. Each church had its own bishop and his presence was necessary to consecrate any gathering of the church.
Eventually, as the Church grew, individual congregations no longer were served directly by a bishop. The bishop in a large city would appoint a presbyter to pastor the flock in each congregation, acting as his delegate.
The New Testament
The
New Testament uses the word episkopos five times.
Words related to episkopos are used in two other verses. Some English Bibles transliterate this word as bishop (
KJV,
RSV,
NRSV, etc.), while others use a more basic translation such as "overseer" (
NIV,
ESV, etc.). Biblical scholars differ on which, if any, of these verses refer specifically to ordained bishops as we understand them, and which simply refer to a generic "overseer" capacity.
The ministry of these
New Testament episkopoi, according to some writers, was not explicitly commissioned by
Jesus as far as the
Gospels tell, but appears to be a natural, practical development of the church of the apostles during the first and second centuries AD. Others maintain that the episcopal structure of the Church was present from the beginning, being a direct institution by Jesus, referring to the
apostles who clearly led the first local churches, governed and
laid hands on the clergy and faithful. Supporting this latter view, the portions of the New Testament that mention episkopoi do not appear to be ordering a new type of ministry, but giving instructions for an already existing position within the early Church. In places (particularly in the verses from the
Epistle to Titus) it appears that the position of episkopos is often similar or the same as that of
presbyter (πρεσβυτερος), or
elder and (or)
priest. The Epistle to Timothy mentions
deacons (διακονοι) in a manner that suggests that the office of deacon differs from the office of the bishop, and is subordinate to it, though it carries similar qualifications. Some references (e.g.
Epistle to the Philippians ) indicate that a congregation might have multiple episkopoi, which is different than the bishop's role as it came to be established in the 2nd century.
In the
Acts of the Apostles, episkopoi are mentioned as being shepherds of the flock, imagery that is still in use today. The other passages from the
New Testament describe them as stewards, leaders or administrators, and teachers. In
1 Timothy episkopoi are required to be 'the husband of but one wife'. Thus, it is clear that the New Testament has no prohibition against bishops being married and already having children. The most famous example of this is the
Apostle Peter himself, who was married and had children. It remains unclear however, whether a kind of
celibacy or abstinence had to be practiced by these first bishops and apostles after their appointment or
episcopal consecration (see also
clerical celibacy).
In the second chapter of
1 Peter, Jesus is described as 'the Shepherd and Episkopos of your souls' (τον ποιμενα και επισκοπον των ψυχων υμων).
The Apostolic Fathers
Around the end of the first century, the church's organization becomes clearer in historical documents. In the works of the
Apostolic Fathers, and
Ignatius of Antioch in particular, the role of the episkopos, or bishop, became more important or, rather, already was very important and being clearly defined.
"Plainly therefore we ought to regard the bishop as the Lord Himself" — Epistle of Ignatius to the Ephesians 6:1."your godly bishop" — Epistle of Ignatius to the Magnesians 2:1."the bishop presiding after the likeness of God and the presbyters after the likeness of the council of the Apostles, with the deacons also who are most dear to me, having been entrusted with the diaconate of Jesus Christ" — Epistle of Ignatius to the Magnesians 6:1."Therefore as the Lord did nothing without the Father,
united with Him, either by Himself or by the Apostles, so neither do ye anything without the bishop and the presbyters." — Epistle of Ignatius to the Magnesians 7:1."Be obedient to the bishop and to one another, as Jesus Christ was to the Father
to the flesh, and as the Apostles were to Christ and to the Father, that there may be union both of flesh and of spirit." — Epistle of Ignatius to the Magnesians 13:2."In like manner let all men respect the deacons as Jesus Christ, even as they should respect the bishop as being a type of the Father and the presbyters as the council of God and as the college of Apostles. Apart from these there is not even the name of a church." —
Epistle of Ignatius to the Trallesians 3:1."follow your bishop, as Jesus Christ followed the Father, and the presbytery as the Apostles; and to the deacons pay respect, as to God's commandment" —
Epistle of Ignatius to the Smyrnans 8:1."He that honoureth the bishop is honoured of God; he that doeth aught without the knowledge of the bishop rendereth service to the devil" — Epistle of Ignatius to the Smyrnans 9:1.— Lightfoot translation.
It is clear that, by this period, a single bishop was expected to lead the church in each centre of Christian mission, supported by a council of
presbyters (a distinct and subordinate position at least by this time) with a pool of
deacons. As the Church continued to expand, new churches in important cities gained their own bishop. Churches in the regions outside an important city were served by Chorbishop, an official rank of bishops. However, soon, presbyters and deacons were sent from bishop of a city church. Graudually priests replaced the chorbishops. Thus, in time, the bishop changed from being the leader of a single church confined to an urban area to being the leader of the churches of a given geographical area.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chorbishop
Clement of Alexandria (end of the 2nd century) writes about the ordination of a certain Zachæus as bishop by the imposition of
Simon Peter Bar-Jonah's hands. The words bishop and ordination are used in their technical meaning by the same Clement of Alexandria.Clement, "Hom.", III, lxxii; cfr.
Stromata, VI, xiii, cvi; cf. "Const. Apost.", II, viii, 36 The bishops in the 2nd century are defined also as the only clergy to whom the ordination to
priesthood (
presbyterate) and diaconate is entrusted: "a priest (presbyter) lays on hands, but does not ordain." (cheirothetei ou cheirotonei"Didascalia Syr.", IV; III, 10, 11, 20; Cornelius, "Ad Fabianum" in Eusebius,
Historia Ecclesiastica, VI, xliii.)
At the beginning of the 3rd century,
Hippolytus of Rome describes another feature of the ministry of a bishop, which is that of the "Spiritum primatus sacerdotii habere potestatem dimittere peccata": the primate of sacrificial priesthood and the power to forgive sins.
Bernard Botte, O.S.B., La Tradition apostolique de saint Hippolyte: Essai de reconstitution, LQF 39 (Munster-Westfalen, 1963). English Translation added at website.
Bishops and civil government
The efficient organisation of the
Roman Empire became the template for the organisation of the church in the fourth century, particularly after the
Edict of Milan. As the church moved from the shadows of privacy into the public forum it acquired land for churches, burials and clergy. In 391,
Theodosius I decreed that any land that had been confiscated from the church by Roman authorities be returned.
The most usual term for the geographic area of a bishop's authority and ministry, the
diocese, began as part of the structure of the
Roman Empire under
Diocletian. As Roman authority began to fail in the western portion of the empire, the church took over much of the civil administration. This can be clearly seen in the ministry of two
popes:
Pope Leo I in the fifth century, and
Pope Gregory I in the sixth century. Both of these men were statesmen and public administrators in addition to their role as Christian pastors, teachers and leaders. In the Eastern churches,
latifundia entailed to a bishop's
see were much less common, the state power did not collapse the way it did in the West, and thus the tendency of bishops acquiring secular power was much weaker than in the West. However, the role of Western bishops as civil authorities, often called
prince bishops, continued throughout much of the
Middle Ages.
Bishops holding political office
As well as being archchancellors of the
Holy Roman Empire, bishops generally served as
chancellors to medieval monarchs, acting as head of the
justiciary and chief
chaplain. The
Lord Chancellor of
England was almost always a bishop up until the dismissal of
Thomas Cardinal Wolsey by
Henry VIII. Likewise, the position of
Kanclerz in the
Polish kingdom was always a bishop until the sixteenth century.
In
France before the
French Revolution, representatives of the clergy — in practice, bishops and
abbots of the largest
monasteries — comprised the
First Estate of the
Estates-General, until their role was abolished during the
French Revolution.
The more senior bishops of the
Church of England continue to sit in the
House of Lords of the
Parliament of the United Kingdom, as representatives of the
established church, and are known as
Lords Spiritual. The
Bishop of Sodor and Man, whose
diocese lies outside of the
United Kingdom, is an
ex officio member of the
Legislative Council of the
Isle of Man. In the past, the
Bishop of Durham, known as a
prince bishop, had extensive viceregal powers within his northern diocese — the power to mint money, collect taxes and raise an army to defend against the
Scots.
Eastern Orthodox bishops, along with all other members of the clergy, are
canonically forbidden to hold political office. Occasional exceptions to this rule are tolerated when the alternative is political chaos. In the Ottoman Empire, the Patriarch of Constantinople, for example, had de facto administrative, fiscal, cultural and legal jurisdiction, as well as spiritual, over all the Christians of the empire. A recent prominent example of this was Archbishop
Makarios III of
Cyprus, who served as President of the Republic of Cyprus from 1960 to 1977.
In 2001,
Peter Hollingworth,
AC,
OBE – then the
Anglican Archbishop of
Brisbane – was controversially appointed
Governor-General of Australia. Though Hollingworth gave up his episcopal position to accept the appointment, it still attracted considerable opposition in a country which maintains a formal separation between Church and State.
Episcopacy during the English Civil War
During the period of the
English Civil War, the role of bishops as wielders of political power and as upholders of the
established church became a matter of heated political controversy.
John Calvin formulated a doctrine of
Presbyterianism, which held that in the New Testament the offices of presbyter and episkopos were identical; he rejected the doctrine of apostolic succession. Calvin's follower
John Knox brought Presbyterianism to
Scotland when the Scottish church was reformed in 1560. In practice, Presbyterianism meant that committees of lay elders had a substantial voice in church government, as opposed to merely being subjects to a ruling hierarchy.
This vision of at least partial
democracy in
ecclesiology paralleled the struggles between
Parliament and
the King. A body within the
Puritan movement in the
Church of England sought to abolish the office of bishop and remake the Church of England along Presbyterian lines. The
Martin Marprelate tracts, applying the
pejorative name of
prelacy to the church hierarchy, attacked the office of bishop with satire that deeply offended
Elizabeth I and her
Archbishop of Canterbury John Whitgift. The
vestments controversy also related to this movement, seeking further reductions in church ceremony, and labelling the use of elaborate vestments as "unedifying" and even
idolatrous.
King James I, reacting against the perceived contumacy of his Presbyterian Scottish subjects, adopted "No Bishop, no King" as a slogan; he tied the hierarchical authority of the bishop to the absolute authority he sought as king, and viewed attacks on the authority of the bishops as attacks on his own authority. Matters came to a head when King
Charles I appointed
William Laud as the Archbishop of Canterbury; Laud aggressively attacked the Presbyterian movement and sought to impose the full Anglican liturgy. The controversy eventually led to Laud's
impeachment for
treason by a
bill of attainder in 1645, and subsequent execution. Charles also attempted to impose episcopacy on Scotland; the Scots' violent rejection of bishops and liturgical worship sparked the
Bishops' Wars in 1639–1640.
During the height of Puritan power in
the Commonwealth and
the Protectorate, episcopacy was abolished in the Church of England in 1649. The Church of England remained Presbyterian until the
Restoration of the monarchy with
Charles II in 1660.
Churches
The Catholic Church, Orthodox churches and Anglican churches
Bishops form the leadership in the
Roman Catholic Church, the
Eastern Orthodox Church, the
Oriental Orthodox Churches, the
Anglican Communion, the
Lutheran Church, the
Independent Catholic Churches, the
Independent Anglican Churches, and certain other, smaller, denominations.
The traditional role of a bishop is as pastor of a
diocese (also called a bishopric,
synod,
eparchy or
see), and so to serve as a "diocesan bishop," or "eparch" as it is called in many Eastern Christian churches . Dioceses vary considerably in geographical and population. Some dioceses around the
Mediterranean Sea which were Christianised early are rather compact, whereas dioceses in areas of rapid modern growth in Christian commitment—as in some parts of
Sub-Saharan Africa,
South America and the
Far East—are much larger and more populous.
As well as traditional diocesan bishops, many churches have a well-developed structure of church leadership that involves a number of layers of authority and responsibility.
- Patriarch:Patriarchs are the bishops who head certain ancient autocephalous or sui iuris churches, which are a collection of metropolitan see or provinces. Some of these churches call their leaders Catholicos; the Patriarch of the Orthodox Church of Alexandria, Egypt, is called Pope, meaning 'Father'. While most patriarchs in the Eastern Catholic Churches have jurisdiction over a "ritual church" (a group or diocese of a particular Eastern tradition), all Latin Rite patriarchs, except for the Pope, have only honorary titles. In 2006, Pope Benedict XVI gave up the title of Patriarch of the West. The first recorded use of the title by a Roman Pope was by Theodore I in 620. However, early church documents, such as those of the First Council of Nicaea (325) had always listed the Pope of Rome first among the Ancient Patriarchs (first four, and later five: Rome, Constantinople, Alexandria, Antioch and Jerusalem—collectively referred to as the Pentarchy). Later, the heads of various national churches became Patriarchs, but they are ranked below the Pentarchy.
- Catholicos:Catholicoi are the heads of some of the Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox, and Eastern Rite Catholic sui iuris churches (notably the Armenian), roughly similar to a Patriarch (see above).
- Primate:A primate is usually the bishop of the oldest church of a nation. Sometimes this carries jurisdiction over metropolitan bishops, but usually it is purely honorific. The primate of the Scottish Episcopal Church is chosen from among the diocesan bishops, and, while retaining diocesan responsibility, is called Primus.
- Presiding Bishop or President Bishop: These titles are often used for the head of a national Anglican church, but the title is not usually associated with a particular episcopal see like the title of a primate.
- Major archbishop:Major archbishops are the heads of some of the Eastern Catholic Churches. Their authority within their sui juris church is equal to that of a patriarch, but they receive fewer ceremonial honors.
- Metropolitan bishop:A metropolitan bishop is an archbishop in charge of an ecclesiastical province, or group of dioceses, and in addition to having immediate jurisdiction over his own archdiocese, also exercises some oversight over the other dioceses within that province. Sometimes a metropolitan may also be the head of an autocephalous, sui iuris, or autonomous church when the number of adherents of that tradition are small. In the Latin Rite, metropolitans are always archbishops; in many Eastern churches, the title is "metropolitan," with some of these churches using "archbishop" as a separate office.
- Archbishop:An archbishop is the bishop of an archdiocese. This is usually a prestigious diocese with an important place in local church history. In the Roman Catholic Church, the title is purely honorific and carries no extra jurisdiction, though most archbishops are also metropolitan bishops, as above. In most provinces of the Anglican Communion, however, an archbishop has metropolitical and primatial power.
]]
- Suffragan bishop: A suffragan bishop is a bishop subordinate to a Metropolitan. In the Roman Catholic Church this term is applied to all non-metropolitan bishops (that is, diocesan bishops of dioceses within a metropolitan's province, and auxiliary bishops). In the Anglican Communion, the term applies to a bishop who is a full-time assistant to a diocesan bishop: the Bishop of Warwick is suffragan to the Bishop of Coventry (the diocesan), though both live in Coventry. Some Anglican suffragans are given the responsibility for a geographical area within the diocese (for example, the Bishop of Stepney is an area bishop within the Diocese of London).
- Titular bishop:A titular bishop is a bishop without a diocese. Rather, the bishop is head of a titular see, which is usually an ancient city that used to have a bishop, but, for some reason or other, does not have one now. Titular bishops often serve as auxiliary bishops. In the Ecumenical Patriarchate, bishops of modern dioceses are often given a titular see alongside their modern one (for example, the Archbishop of Thyateira and Great Britain).
- Auxiliary bishop:An auxiliary bishop is a full-time assistant to a diocesan bishop (the Catholic equivalent of an Anglican suffragan bishop). An auxiliary bishop is a titular bishop, and he is to be appointed as a vicar general or at least as an episcopal vicar of the diocese in which he serves.
- Coadjutor bishop:A coadjutor bishop is an auxiliary bishop who is given almost equal authority in a diocese with the diocesan bishop, and the automatic right to succeed the incumbent diocesan bishop. The appointment of coadjutors is often seen as a means of providing for continuity of church leadership.
- Honorary Assistant bishop or Bishop Emeritus: The little is usually applied to retired bishops who are given a general licence to minister as episcopal pastors under a diocesan's oversight. The title, in this meaning, is not used by the Catholic Church.
- Chorbishop:A chorbishop is an official of a diocese in some Eastern Christian churches. Chorbishops are not generally ordained bishops – they are not given the sacrament of Holy Orders in that degree – but function as assistants to the diocesan bishop with certain honorary privileges.
- Cardinal:A cardinal is a member of the clergy appointed by the pope to serve in the College of Cardinals, the body empowered to elect the pope; however, on turning 80 a cardinal loses this right of election. Cardinals also serve as advisors to the pope and hold positions of authority within the structure of the Catholic Church. Under modern canon law, a man who is appointed a cardinal must accept ordination as a bishop, unless he already is one, or seek special permission from the pope to decline such ordination. Most cardinals are already bishops at the time of their appointment, the majority being archbishops of important archdioceses or patriarchs, and a substantial portion of the rest already titular archbishops serving in the Vatican. Recent popes have appointed a few priests, most of them influential theologians, to the College of Cardinals without requiring them to be ordained as bishops; invariably, these men are over the age of 80, which means they are not permitted to take part in a conclave. The purpose of these appointments is to recognise their tremendous contribution to the life of the Church.
Duties
In
Catholicism,
Eastern Orthodoxy,
Oriental Orthodoxy,
Lutheranism, and
Anglicanism only a bishop can ordain other bishops,
priests, and
deacons.
In the Eastern liturgical tradition, a priest can celebrate the
Divine Liturgy only with the blessing of a bishop. In Byzantine usage, an
antimension signed by the bishop is kept on the altar partly as a reminder of whose altar it is and under whose
omophorion the priest at a local parish is serving. In Syriac Church usage, a consecrated wooden block called a
thabilitho is kept for the same reasons.
The
pope, in addition to being the Bishop of
Rome and spiritual head of the
Catholic Church, is also the Patriarch of the
Latin Rite. Each bishop within the
Latin Rite is answerable directly to the Pope and not any other bishop except to metropolitans in certain oversight instances. The pope previously used the title Patriarch of the West, but this title was dropped from use in 2006
Catholic News Service 2nd March 2006 a move which caused some concern within the Orthodox Communion as, to them, it implied wider papal jurisdiction.
CNS 13 June 2006In Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox and Anglican
cathedrals there is a special chair set aside for the exclusive use of the bishop. This is the bishop's
cathedra and is often called the
throne. In some Christian denominations e.g. the Anglican Communion, parish churches may maintain a chair for the use of the bishop when he visits; this is to signify the parish's union with the bishop.
The bishop is also the proper minister of the
sacrament of
confirmation, and in the Anglican Communion and Liberal Catholic communion only a bishop may administer this sacrament. However, in Eastern Orthodox and Oriental Orthodox churches
chrismation is always done at the same time as
baptism, and thus the priest is the one who confirms. Within Catholicism, it is invariably the priest who confirms those being received as adults into the Church. Also, a Catholic bishop may delegate a priest to administer the sacrament in his place; these men are called
episcopal vicars and are usually responsible for a particular area of the diocese.
Ordination of Catholic, Orthodox and Anglican Bishops
The position of Roman Catholicism is slightly different. Whilst it does recognise the validity of the orders of certain groups which separated from communion with Holy See. The Holy See accepts as valid the ordinations of the
Old Catholics in communion with Utrecht, as well as the
Polish National Catholic Church (which received its orders directly from Utrecht, and was—until recently—part of that communion); but Roman Catholicism does not recognise the orders of any group whose teaching is at variance with core tenets of Christianity e.g. The
Liberal Catholic Church which has a strong theosophist tendency and permits belief in reincarnation; this is the case even though the clergy of the Independent Catholic groups may use the proper ordination ritual. There are other reasons why the Holy See does not recognise the validity of the orders of the Independent clergy: (a) the continuing practice among many Independent clergy of one person receiving multiple ordinations in order to secure apostolic succession, betrays an incorrect and mechanistic theology of ordination as far as the Holy See is concerned (b) the practice within Independent groups of ordaining women demonstrates an understanding of Priesthood which is totally unacceptable to the Catholic and Orthodox churches as they believe that the Universal Church does not possess such authority; thus, any ceremonies performed by these women are considered to be sacramentally invalid. (c) the theology of male clergy within the Independent movement is also suspect according to the Roman Catholics as they presumably approve of the ordination of females, and may have even undergone an (invalid) ordination ceremony conducted by a woman.
Whilst members of the
Independent Catholic movement take seriously the issue of valid orders, it is highly significant that the relevant Vatican Congregations tend not to respond to petitions from Independent Catholic bishops and clergy who seek to be received into communion with the Holy See, hoping to continue in some sacramental role. In those instances where the pope does grant reconciliation, those deemed to be clerics within the Independent Old Catholic movement are invariably admitted as laity and not priests or bishops.
There is a mutual recognition of the validity of orders amongst Roman Catholic,
Eastern Orthodox,
Old Catholic,
Oriental Orthodox and
Assyrian Nestorian churches.
Some
provinces of the
Anglican Communion have begun
ordaining women as bishops in recent decades e.g. the United States, New Zealand, Canada and Cuba. The first woman bishop within Anglicanism was
Barbara Clementine Harris, who was ordained in the United States in 1989. In 2006,
Katharine Jefferts Schori, the Episcopal
Bishop of Nevada, became the first woman to become the Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church.
Lutheranism
In the
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) and the
Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada (ELCIC), the largest Lutheran Church bodies in North America and roughly based on the
Nordic Lutheran state churches (similar to that of the
Church of England), bishops are elected by Synod Assemblies, consisting of both lay members and clergy, for a term of 6 years, which can be renewed, depending upon the local synod's "constitution" (which is mirrored on either the ELCA or ELCIC's national constitution). Since the implementation of concordats between the ELCA and the
Episcopal Church of the United States and the ELCIC and the
Anglican Church of Canada, all bishops, including the Presiding Bishop (ELCA) or the National Bishop (ELCIC), has been consecrated using the historic succession, with at least one Anglican bishop serving as co-consecrator.
[1] "Called to Common Mission," 1999. viewed 29 September 2006
[2] Wright, J. Robert, "The Historic Episcopate: An Episcopalian Viewpoint," Lutheran Partners, March / April 1999—Volume 15, Number 2, viewed 29 September 2006
Since going into ecumenical communion with their respective Anglican body, bishops in the ELCA or the ELCIC not only approve the "rostering" of all ordained pastors, diaconal ministers, and associates in ministry, but they serve as the principle celebrant of all pastoral ordination and installation ceremonies, diaconal consecration ceremonies, as well as serving as the "chief pastor" of the local synod, upholding the teachings of
Martin Luther as well as the documentations of the Ninety-Five Thesis and the
Augsburg Confession. Unlike their counterparts in the
United Methodist Church, ELCA and ELCIC synod bishops do not appoint pastors to local congregations (pastors, like their counterparts in the Episcopal Church, are called by local congregations), and are not "bishops for life," they revert to the title "Pastor" after completing their episcopal service. The Presiding Bishop of the ELCA and the National Bishop of the ELCIC, the national bishops of their respective bodies, is elected for a single 6-year term and may be elected to an additional term.
It should be noted that although ELCA agreed with the Episcopal Church to limit ordination to the bishop "ordinarily", ELCA pastor-ordinators are given permission to perform the rites in "extraordinary" circumstance. In practice, "extraordinary" circumstance have included disagreeing with Episcopalian views of the episcopate, and as a result, ELCA pastors ordained by other pastors are not permitted to be deployed to Episcopal Churches (they can, however, serve in
Presbyterian Church USA,
Reformed Church in America, and
Moravian Church congregations, as the ELCA is in full communion with these denominations). The
Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod (LCMS) and the
Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod (WELS), the second and third largest Lutheran bodies in the United States and the two largest
Confessional Lutheran bodies in North America, do not have a bishop as the head of the church or middle jurisdiction, practicing a form of congregationalism similar to the
United Church of Christ. It should also be noted that the largest of the three predecessor bodies of the ELCA, the
Lutheran Church in America (whose "Canada Section" became part of the ELCIC), was also a congregationalist body, with national and synod presidents before they were re-titled as bishops (borrowing from the Lutheran churches in Germany) in the 1980s.
Methodism
United Methodist Church
John Wesley consecrated
Thomas Coke a "General Superintendent," and directed that
Francis Asbury also be consecrated for the
United States of America in 1784, where the
Methodist Episcopal Church first became a separate
denomination apart from the
Church of England. Coke soon returned to England, but Asbury was the primary builder of the new church. At first he did not call himself bishop, but eventually submitted to the usage by the denomination.
Notable bishops in United Methodist history include
Coke,
Asbury,
Richard Whatcoat,
Philip William Otterbein,
Martin Boehm,
Jacob Albright,
John Seybert,
Matthew Simpson,
John S. Stamm,
William Ragsdale Cannon,
Marjorie Matthews,
Leontine T. Kelly ,
William B. Oden,
Ntambo Nkulu Ntanda,
Joseph Sprague,
William Henry Willimon, and
Thomas Bickerton.
Methodists in the
United Kingdom acquired their own bishops early in the nineteenth century, after the Methodist movement in Britain formally parted company with the Church of England. The position no longer exists in British Methodism.
Christian Methodist Episcopal Church
In the
Christian Methodist Episcopal Church, bishops are administrative superintendents of the church; they are elected by "delegate" votes for as many years deemed until the age of 74, then he/she must retire. Among their duties, are responsibility for appointing clergy to serve local churches as pastor, for performing ordinations, and for safeguarding the doctrine and discipline of the Church. The General Conference, a meeting every four years, has an equal number of clergy and lay delegates. In each Annual Conference, CME bishops serve for four year terms. CME Church bishops may be male or female.
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
In
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, the
Bishop is the leader of a local congregation, called a
ward. As with most Mormon priesthood, the Bishop is a part-time lay minister and earns a living through other employment; in all cases, he is a married man. As such, it is his duty to preside at services, call local leaders, and judge the worthiness of members for service. The bishop does not deliver sermons at every service (generally asking members to do so), but is expected to be a spiritual guide for his congregation. It is therefore believed that he has both the right and ability to receive divine inspiration (through the
Holy Spirit) for the
ward under his direction. Because it is a part-time position, all able members are expected to assist in the management of the ward by holding delegated lay positions (e.g. women's' and youth leaders, teachers) referred to as callings. Although members are asked to confess serious sins to him, unlike the
Roman Catholic Church, he is not the instrument of divine forgiveness, merely a guide through the repentance process (and a judge in case transgressions warrant excommunication or other official discipline). The bishop is also responsible for the physical welfare of the ward, and thus collects
tithing and
fast offerings and distributes financial assistance where needed.
A bishop is the president of the
Aaronic priesthood in his ward (and is thus a form of Mormon
Kohen; in fact, the church's
Doctrine and Covenants states that any "descendant of Aaron" who converts to Mormonism has no need to be ordained to the office of bishop as they descend from that lineage directly). A bishop is also a
High priest in the
Melchizedek priesthood. Each bishop is selected from resident members of the ward by the
stake presidency with approval of the
First Presidency, and chooses two counselors to form a bishopric. In special circumstances (such as a ward consisting entirely of young university students), a bishop may be chosen from outside the ward. A bishop is typically released after about five years and a new bishop is called to the position. Although the former bishop is released from his duties, he continues to hold the priesthood office of bishop, and is usually still referred to by the title "Bishop" as a term of respect.
Latter Day Saint bishops do not wear any special clothing or insignia the way clergy in many other churches do, but are expected to dress and groom themselves neatly and conservatively per their local culture, especially when performing official duties. Bishops (as well as other members of the priesthood) can trace their line of authority back to
Joseph Smith, Jr., who, according to church doctrine, was ordained to lead the Church in modern times by the ancient
apostles Peter,
James, and
John, who were ordained to lead the Church by Jesus Christ.
The
Presiding Bishop oversees the temporal affairs (buildings, properties, commercial corporations, etc.) of the worldwide Church, including the Church's massive global humanitarian aid and social welfare programs. The Presiding Bishop has two counselors; the three together form the Presiding Bishopric.
New Apostolic Church
The
New Apostolic Church (NAC) knows 3 classes of ministries: Deacons, Priests and Apostles. The
Apostles, who are all included in the apostolate with the
Chief Apostle as head, are the highest ministries.
Of the several kinds of priest-ministries, the bishop is the highest. Nearly all bishops are set in line directly from the chief apostle. They support and help their superior apostle.
Pentecostal Church of God
In 2002, the general convention of the
Pentecostal Church of God came to a consensus to change the title of their overseer from General Superintendent to Bishop. The change was brought on because internationally, the term Bishop is more commonly related to religious leaders than the previous title.
The title Bishop is used for both the General (International leader) and the district (state) leaders. The title is sometimes used in conjunction with the previous thus becoming General (District) Superintendent/Bishop.
Others
Some Baptists have begun taking on the title of Bishop.
[3]In some smaller Protestant denominations and independent churches the term bishop is used in the same way as pastor, to refer to the leader of the local congregation, and may be male or female. This usage is especially common in African American churches in the USA. In the
Church of Scotland, which has a Presbyterian church structure, the word "bishop" refers to an ordained person, usually a normal parish minister, who has temporary oversight of a trainee minister.
While not Christian,
Ecclesia Gnostica Catholica uses roles and titles derived from Christianity for its clerical hierarchy, including Bishops who have much the same authority and responsibilities as in Roman Catholicism.
The Salvation Army does not have bishops but have appointed leaders of geographical areas known as Divisional Commanders. Larger geographical areas, called Territories, are led by a Territorial Commander, who is the highest ranking officer in that Territory.
Dress and Insignia
Traditionally, a number of items are associated with the office of a bishop, most notably the
mitre,
crosier, and
ecclesiastical ring. Other vestments and insignia vary between Eastern and Western Christianity.
In the Latin branch of the
Catholic Church, the
choir dress of a bishop includes the purple
cassock with amaranth trim,
rochet, purple
zucchetto (skull cap), purple
biretta, and
pectoral cross. The accurements of a bishop include the
pontifical gloves and
pontifical sandals, but these items are rarely seen today except within the context of the Extraordinary Form (the
Tridentine Mass). The
cappa magna, which was once used as choir dress for bishops on solemn occasions, is also rarely seen although its use is permitted. The coat of arms of a Latin Rite Catholic bishop will usually display a
galero with a cross and crosier behind the
escutcheon; however, the specifics will differ by location and ecclesiastical rank (see
Ecclesiastical heraldry).
Anglican bishops generally make use of the
mitre,
crosier,
ecclesiastical ring, purple
cassock, purple
zucchetto, and
pectoral cross. However, the traditional
choir dress of Anglican bishops is quite different from that of their Catholic counterparts; it consists of a long
rochet which is worn with a
chimere.
In the
Eastern Churches (
Eastern Orthodox,
Eastern Rite Catholic) a bishop will wear the
mandyas,
panagia (and perhaps an
enkolpion),
sakkos,
omophorion and an Eastern-style
mitre. Eastern bishops do not normally wear an episcopal ring; the faithful will kiss the bishop's hand. To seal official documents, he will usually use an inked stamp. An Eastern bishop's coat of arms will normally display an Eastern-style mitre, cross, eastern style crosier and a red and white (or red and gold)
mantle. The arms of
Oriental Orthodox bishops will display the episcopal insignia (mitre or turban) specific to their own liturgical traditions. Variations will occur based upon jurisdiction and national customs.
See also
Notes
References
- Ignatius of Antioch, Epistles of to the Ephesians, Magnesians, Trallesians, and Smyrnans, Lightfoot, trans., Harmer, ed. (Kessinger, 1891/2003). ISBN 0-7661-6498-5
- Mathews, James, Set Apart To Serve: The Role of the Episcopacy in the Wesleyan Tradition (Nashville: Abingdon, 1985).
- Moede, Gerald, The Office of Bishop in Methodism: Its History and Development (Nashville: Abingdon, 1965).
External links
Anglican ecclesiastical offices Christian group structuringEcclesiastical titlesEpiscopacy in AnglicanismMethodismReligious leadership rolesReligious occupations
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