A 'bishop' is an
ordained member of the
Christian clergy. In those
Christian churches that maintain an
episcopal form of church government, a bishop holds a position of authority. Their roles can differ significantly in the various denominations.
Etymology
''Bishop'' comes from the
Greek word ''episkopos'' (επίσκοπος, from επι "over" and σκοπος "seeing") which can be translated ''bishop'', ''overseer'', ''superintendent'', ''supervisor'', ''the first'', ''leader'' or ''foreman''. From the word ''episkopos'' are derived the English words ''episcopacy'', ''episcopate'' and ''episcopal''. The system of church government by bishops is called ''episcopacy.''
Bishops in the New Testament
The
New Testament uses the word ''episkopos'' five times.
★
Acts of the Apostles 20:28
★
Epistle to the Philippians 1:1
★
First Epistle to Timothy 3:2
★
Epistle to Titus 1:7
★
First Epistle of Peter 2:25
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 Christ 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 on hands. 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 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).
It is interesting to note that 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'').
Bishops in the Apostolic Fathers
At the turn of the first century AD, 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, [being 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 [according 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, but churches in the regions around an important city were served by presbyters and deacons from the bishop's city church. 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.
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.
[1] 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''
[2])
At the end of the
2nd century and the beginning of the
3rd century, we have
Hippolytus of Rome describing 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.
[3]
Bishops and civil government
The efficient infrastructure of the
Roman Empire became the template for the organization 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 geographical 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 ruling temporal states
Main articles: prince bishop
The most important of these
prince bishops was the
Pope, who ruled as monarch of the
Papal States by virtue of his title as Bishop of
Rome. His claim to this
fief rested on the forged
Donation of Constantine, but in fact his authority over this kingdom in central Italy grew slowly after the collapse of Roman and
Byzantine authority in the area. The Papal States were abolished when
King Victor Emmanuel II took possession of Rome in
1870 and completed the reunification of Italy. This became a perennial source of tension between the Papacy and the government of Italy. In
1929, a representative of
Pope Pius XI signed a concordat with the
Fascist government of
Benito Mussolini and the Pope became the independent sovereign of the
Vatican, while giving up any rights to the rest of the former Papal States. He was recognised as an independent, non-hereditary, elected
monarch by the
Lateran Treaties, a position the current Pope continues to hold. The only other bishop who currently is a
head of state is the
Bishop of Urgell, a
Co-Prince of Andorra.
Three senior bishops served as
Electors in the
Holy Roman Empire. By the terms of the
Golden Bull of
1356, the
Archbishops of
Mainz,
Trier, and
Cologne were made permanent electors, who chose the next
Holy Roman Emperor upon the death of his predecessor. The Archbishop of Mainz was President of the Electors and
Archchancellor of Germany. Likewise, the Archbishop of Cologne was Archchancellor of
Italy, and the Archbishop of Trier was Archchancellor of
Burgundy. A number of other bishops within the Holy Roman Empire, although not being Electors, were sovereign prince-bishops in their own lands.
Bishops holding political office
As well as the Archchancellors of the
Holy Roman Empire, bishops generally served as
chancellors to medieval monarchs, serving 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
''ex officio'' a 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.
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.
William Laud, Charles I's Archbishop of Canterbury.
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 lead 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
Catholic, Orthodox and Anglican churches
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A
mitre is used as a symbol of the bishop's ministry in Western Christianity.
::''Main article
Bishop (Catholic Church)''
Bishops form the leadership in the
Roman Catholic Church, the
Eastern Orthodox Church, the
Oriental Orthodox Churches, the
Anglican Communion, 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 their size of area and population. Some dioceses around the
Mediterranean Sea which were Christianized 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 juris churches, which are a collection of metropolitan sees 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.
;
Catholicos:Catholicoi are the heads of some of the
Eastern Orthodox,
Oriental Orthodox and Eastern Rite Catholic
sui juris 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 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 juris'', 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.
Monseigneur Roger Vangheluwe
;
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 Roman Catholic equivalent of an Anglican
suffragan bishop). Auxiliaries are
titular bishops, and are often appointed as the
vicar general or at least as
episcopal vicar of the diocese in which they serve.
Source.
;
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: This title 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 with 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.
Patriarch Alexius II of Moscow and All Russia consecrating a Russian Orthodox diocesan bishop. Ordination of a bishop, and thus continuation of apostolic succession, takes place through a ritual centered on the imposition of hands and prayer.
Bishops in all of these communions are
ordained by other bishops. Depending on the church, there need to be two or three bishops for validity (sacramental) or legality (liceity).
Roman Catholic doctrine holds that any bishop can validly ordain another male (priest) as a bishop. Though a minimum of three bishops participating is desirable (there are usually several more) in order to demonstrate collegiality, canonically only one bishop is necessary. The practice of only one bishop ordaining was normal in countries where the Church was persecuted under Communist rule.
Apart from the ordination, which is always done by other bishops, there are different methods as to the actual ''choosing'' of a candidate for ordination as bishop. In the
Roman Catholic Church today, the
Congregation for Bishops oversees the selection of new bishops with the approval of the
pope. The papal nuncio usually solicits names from the bishops of a country, and then selects three to be forwarded to Rome. Most Eastern Orthodox churches allow varying amounts of more or less formalized laity and/or lower clergy influence on the choice of bishops. This also applies in those Eastern churches which are in union with the pope, though he is required to give assent.
Only a bishop can ordain a bishop,
priest, or
deacon.
In the Eastern liturgical tradition, a priest can celebrate the
Divine Liturgy only with the blessing of a bishop. 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.
The
pope, in addition to being the Bishop of Rome and spiritual head of the
Roman Catholic Church, is the Patriarch of the
Latin Catholic Church. Each bishop within the Latin Catholic Church is answerable directly to the Pope and not any other bishop except to metropolitans in certain oversight instances.
In the Roman Catholic and Orthodox Churches and the Anglican Communion, the
cathedral of a diocese will have a special chair set aside for the exclusive use of the bishop. This is the bishop's ''
cathedra'', which is often called the bishop's
throne. In some Christian denominations, other churches besides the cathedral will maintain a chair for the use of the bishop when he visits their parish; this is to signify the parish's union with the bishop.
Catholic, Anglican, and Orthodox Christian bishops claim to be part of a continuous sequence of ordained bishops since the days of the apostles, the '
apostolic succession.' Since
Pope Leo XIII issued the bull ''
Apostolicae Curae'' in
1896, the Roman Catholic Church has insisted that Anglican orders are invalid because of that church's changes in the ordination rites and divergence in understanding of the theology of episcopacy and Eucharist. Since the 1930s Old Catholic bishops (whom Rome recognises as valid) have participated in the ordination of several Anglican bishops, and this has muddied the waters somewhat as it could be argued that the strain of Apostolic Succession has been re-introduced into Anglicanism. The Roman Catholic Church does recognise as valid (though illicit) ordinations done by breakaway Roman Catholic, Old Catholic, or Oriental bishops, and groups descended from them, and as valid and licit those ordinations done by Eastern Orthodox bishops,
[4] so long as those receiving the ordination conform to other canonical requirements (e.g. is an adult male) and an orthodox rite of episcopal ordination, expressing the proper functions and sacramental status of a bishop, is used; this gives rise to the phenomenon of ''
episcopi vagantes'' (e.g. clergy of the Independent Catholic groups claiming Apostolic Succession).
The Orthodox Churches would not accept the validity of any ordinations performed within the Independent Catholic groups, as Orthodoxy considers to be spurious any consecration outside of the Church as a whole. Unlike Roman Catholicism, Orthodoxy considers Apostolic Succession to exist only within the Church as a whole, and not through any authority held by individual bishops.
Having said this, although Roman Catholicism does recognise the validity of the orders of those Old Catholics in communion with Utrecht, as well as groups such as the
Polish National Catholic Church (which received its orders directly from Utrecht, and was - until recently - part of that communion), it would refuse to 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) even though they may use the proper ordination ritual. The recent practice within Independent Catholic groups of ordaining women has added a definite cloudiness to the matter. The act of ordaining women demonstrates an understanding of Priesthood which is unacceptable to the Roman Catholic and Orthodox churches; thus, any sacramental acts performed by these women are considered to be invalid. Further, the theology of male clergy is suspect as they presumably approve of the ordination of females (thereby demonstrating a belief in Orders different from that of Catholicism and Orthodoxy), 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 usually do not to respond to petitions from Independent Catholic bishops and clergy who seek to be received into communion with Rome, hoping to continue in some sacramental role. In those instances where Rome does grant reconciliation, those deemed to be clerics within the Independent Old Catholic movement are invariably admitted as laity and not priests or bishops.
Independent Old Catholicism has long been rife with power struggles, splinters, mutual 'excommunications' and the setting up of groups claiming to be religious orders with grandiose names, but often with no more than 2-3 members. The magnificent titles held by the clergy are not matched by the size of the congregations; these are often no more than a handful of people, if any at all. In an attempt to ensure Apostolic Succession, it is not uncommon for clergy within Independent Old Catholicism to undergo more than one ordination, as bishops and priests fall out with one another. Both the Orthodox the Old Catholic churches reject the validity of Independent Old Catholic orders, and Roman Catholicism does not look upon them with any seriousness.
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. Canada, the United States and New Zealand. The first woman bishop within Anglicanism was
Barbara Clementine Harris, who was ordained in the United States in
1989.
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
In the
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, the largest Lutheran denomination in the United States, and based largely 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 usually mirrors that of the national ELCA constitution). Since a 1999 Concordat with the Episcopal Church, they have been ordained in the historic episcopate of apostolic succession, by the laying on of hands of other bishops whose line passes back to the apostles, including Episcopal bishops and Lutheran bishops from church branches in apostolic succession.
[5][6] Currently, they are responsible for, since going into ecumenical communion with the
Episcopal Church in the United States, ordaining of all pastors, consecrating of all diaconal ministers, giving approvals to "roster" all current pastors (pastors are called by local congregations, like that of the Episcopal Church), and upholding the teachings of Luther, the ELCA and synod constitutions. The Presiding Bishop of the ELCA, the national bishop, is elected for a single 6-year term and is limited to 2 terms, and handles all episcopal consecrations, as well as presiding at the Churchwide Assembly, which is held every 2 years. A similar structure exists with the
Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada (ELCIC).
United Methodist Church
In
The United Methodist Church, bishops serve as administrative and pastoral superintendents of the church. They are elected for life from among the
ordained elders (Presbyters) by vote of the delegates in regional (called Jurisdictional) conferences, and are consecrated by the other bishops present at the conference through the laying on of hands. In The United Methodist Church bishops are not ordained in the
traditional sense (i.e. belonging to the threefold ministry of bishop, presbyter, deacon) but remain members of the "
Order of Elders" while being consecrated to the "
Office of the Episcopacy." Within The United Methodist Church only bishops are empowered to consecrate bishops and ordain clergy. Among their most critical duties is the ordination and appointment of clergy to serve local churches as pastor, presiding at sessions of the Annual, Jurisdictional, and General Conferences, providing pastoral ministry for the clergy under their charge, and safeguarding the doctrine and discipline of the Church. Furthermore, individual bishops, or the Council of Bishops as a whole, often serve a prophetic role, making statements on important social issues and setting forth a vision for the denomination, though they have no legislative authority of their own. In all of these areas, bishops of United Methodist Church function very much in the historic meaning of the term. According to the ''
Book of Discipline of the United Methodist Church'', a bishop's responsibilities are
In each Annual Conference, United Methodist bishops serve for four year terms, and may serve up to three terms before either retirement or appointment to a new Conference. United Methodist bishops may be male or female, with the Rev.
Marjorie Matthews being the first woman to be consecrated a bishop in 1980.
The collegial expression of episcopal leadership in the
United Methodist Church is known is the ''Council of Bishops''. The ''Council of Bishops'' speaks to the Church and through the Church into the world and gives leadership in the quest for Christian unity and interreligious relationships.
[7] The ''Conference of Methodist Bishops'' includes the United Methodist ''Council of Bishops'' plus bishops from affiliated autonomous
Methodist or
United Churches.
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 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, however, 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, are comprised of 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
Main articles: Bishop (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 married. 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 Ghost) 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. 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 arbiter 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
Doctrine and Covenants states that any "descendant of Aaron" who converts to Mormonism has a right to be a bishop), and is a
High priest in the
Melchizedek Priesthood. Each bishop is selected from resident members of the ward by the
stake presidency, and chooses two ''counselors'' to form a ''bishopric''. 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.
The '
Presiding Bishop' oversees the temporal affairs (buildings, properties, commercial corporations, etc.) of the entire LDS 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
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.
Insignia
Traditionally, a number of items are associated with the office of a bishop, most notably the
mitre and the
crosier. Insignia vary between denominations. Other insignia in the Catholic Church include the purple
biretta, the
bishop's ring, the
pectorale,
episcopal gloves, and specific
episcopal vestments.
See also
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Ecclesiastical polity (church governance)
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Congregational polity
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Episcopal polity
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Presbyterian polity
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Lists of patriarchs, archbishops, and bishops
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Bishops in the Church of Scotland
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How the Church of England is organised
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Gay bishops
Notes
1. Clem., "Hom.", III, lxxii; cfr. "Strom.", VI, xiii, cvi; cf. "Const. Apost.", II, viii, 36
2. "Didascalia Syr.", IV; III, 10, 11, 20; Cornelius, "Ad Fabianum" in Eusebius, "Historia Ecclesiastica", VI, xliii.
3. Bernard Botte, O.S.B., La Tradition apostolique de saint Hippolyte: Essai de reconstitution, LQF 39 (Munster-Westfalen, 1963). English Translation added at website.
4. ''Unitatis Redintegratio'' 16: "To remove, then, all shadow of doubt, this holy Council solemnly declares that the Churches of the East, while remembering the necessary unity of the whole Church, have the power to govern themselves according to the disciplines proper to them, since these are better suited to the character of their faithful, and more for the good of their souls."
5. [1] "Called to Common Mission," 1999. viewed 9/29/2006
6. [2] Wright, J. Robert, "The Historic Episcopate: An Episcopalian Viewpoint," Lutheran Partners, March / April 1999 — Volume 15, Number 2, viewed 9/29/2006
7. ''The Book of Discipline of the United Methodist Church: Council of Bishops — ¶ 526'' (retrieved 27 May 2007).
References
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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
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1 Timothy 3:1-7 (''
NRSV'')
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Titus 1:7-9 (''
NRSV'')
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Methodist/Anglican Thoughts On Apostolic Succession by Gregory Neal
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Methodist Episcopacy: In Search of Holy Orders by Gregory Neal
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The United Methodist Church: Council of Bishops
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What a bishop wears (Office of Worship of the Diocese of Harrisburg)
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Vatican Website with Canon Law of Roman Catholic Church
.svg)
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