Bishop

This article is about the office in religious institutions. For other uses, seeBishop (disambiguation).

"Episcopate" redirects here. For bishops as a group, seeHistorical episcopate.For forms of church government by bishops, seeEpiscopal polity.

Abishopis anordainedmember of theclergywho is entrusted with a position ofauthority and oversightin a religious institution. InChristianity,bishops are normally responsible for the governance and administration ofdioceses.The role or office of the bishop is calledepiscopacy.Organizationally, severalChristian denominationsutilize ecclesiastical structures that call for the position of bishops, while other denominations have dispensed with this office, seeing it as a symbol of power. Bishops have also exercised political authority within their dioceses.

Traditionally, bishops claimapostolic succession,a direct historical lineage dating back to the originalTwelve ApostlesorSaint Paul.The bishops are by doctrine understood as those who possess the fullpriesthoodgiven byJesus Christ,and therefore may ordain other clergy, including other bishops.A person ordained as adeacon,priest (i.e.presbyter), and then bishop is understood to hold the fullness of theministerialpriesthood, given responsibility by Christ to govern, teach andsanctifytheBody of Christ(the Church). Priests, deacons andlay ministersco-operate and assist their bishops inpastoralministry.

SomePentecostaland otherProtestantdenominations have bishops who oversee congregations, though they do not necessarily claim apostolic succession.

Terminology

The English termbishopderives from theGreekwordἐπίσκοπος,epískopos,meaning "overseer"; Greek was the language of the early Christian church.However, the termepískoposdid not originate in Christianity. In Greek literature, the term had been used for several centuries before the advent of Christianity. It later transformed into theLatinepiscopus,Old Englishbiscop,Middle Englishbisshopand lastlybishop.

In the early Christian era the term was not always clearly distinguished frompresbýteros(literally: "elder" or "senior", origin of the modern English wordpriest), but is used in the sense of the order or office of bishop, distinct from that of presbyter, in the writings attributed toIgnatius of Antioch(diedc. 110).

History in Christianity

The earliest organization of theChurch in Jerusalemwas, according to most scholars, similar to that ofJewishsynagogues,but it had a council or college of ordainedpresbyters(πρεσβύτεροι,'elders'). In Acts 11:30and Acts 15:22,a collegiate system of government in Jerusalem is chaired byJames the Just,according to tradition thefirst bishop of the city.In Acts 14:23,theApostle Paulordains presbyters inchurches in Anatolia.The wordpresbyterwas not yet distinguished fromoverseer(ἐπίσκοπος,episkopos,later used exclusively to meanbishop), as in Acts 20:17,Titus 1:5–7and 1 Peter 5:1.The earliest writings of theApostolic Fathers,theDidacheand theFirst Epistle of Clement,for example, show the church used two terms for local church offices—presbyters (seen by many as an interchangeable term withepiskoposor overseer) and deacon.

A 6th-century image ofSaint Augustine,bishop ofHippo Regius

In theFirst epistle to TimothyandEpistle to Titusin the New Testament a more clearly defined episcopate can be seen. Both letters state that Paul had left Timothy in Ephesus and Titus inCreteto oversee thelocal church.Paul commands Titus to ordain presbyters/bishops and to exercise general oversight.

Early sources are unclear but various groups of Christian communities may have had the bishop surrounded by a group or college functioning as leaders of the local churches.Eventually the head or "monarchic" bishop came to rule more clearly,and all local churches would eventually follow the example of the other churches and structure themselves after the model of the others with the one bishop in clearer charge,though the role of the body of presbyters remained important.

Eventually, asChristendomgrew, bishops no longer directly served individual congregations. Instead, the metropolitan bishop (the bishop in a large city) appointed priests to minister each congregation, acting as the bishop's delegate.

Apostolic Fathers

Around the end of the1st century,the church's organization became 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. While Ignatius of Antioch offers the earliest clear description of monarchial bishops (a single bishop over allhouse churchesin a city)he is an advocate of monepiscopal structure rather than describing an accepted reality. To the bishops and house churches to which he writes, he offers strategies on how to pressure house churches who do not recognize the bishop into compliance. Other contemporary Christian writers do not describe monarchial bishops, either continuing to equate them with the presbyters or speaking ofepiskopoi(bishops, plural) in a city.

Ignatius, bishop of Antioch, student ofJohn the Apostle

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 byChorbishop,an official rank of bishops. However, soon, presbyters and deacons were sent from the bishop of a city church. Gradually, 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.

Clement of Alexandria(end of the 2nd century) writes about the ordination of a certain Zachæus as bishop by the imposition ofSimon Peter Bar-Jonah'shands. The words bishop and ordination are used in their technical meaning by the same Clement of Alexandria.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 notordain."(cheirothetei ou cheirotonei).

At the beginning of the 3rd century,Hippolytus of Romedescribes 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.

Christian bishops and civil government

See also:State church of the Roman Empire

The efficient organization of theRoman Empirebecame the template for the organisation of the church in the4th century,particularly afterConstantine'sEdict of Milan.As the church moved from the shadows of privacy into the public forum it acquired land for churches, burials andclergy.In 391,Theodosius Idecreed that any land that had been confiscated from the church by Roman authorities be returned.

A bishop with other officials on an 11th-century grave inSweden

The most usual term for the geographic area of a bishop's authority and ministry, thediocese,began as part of the structure of the Roman Empire underDiocletian.AsRoman 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 twopopes:Pope Leo Iin the5th century,andPope Gregory Iin the6th century.Both of these men were statesmen and public administrators in addition to their role as Christian pastors, teachers and leaders. In theEastern churches,latifundiaentailed to a bishop'sseewere much less common, the state power did not collapse the way it did in the West, and thus the tendency of bishops acquiring civil power was much weaker than in the West. However, the role of Western bishops as civil authorities, often calledprince bishops,continued throughout much of theMiddle Ages.

Bishops holding political office

Johann Otto von Gemmingen,Prince-Bishop of Augsburg

As well as being Archchancellors of theHoly Roman Empireafter the 9th century, bishops generally served aschancellorsto medieval monarchs, acting as head of thejusticiaryand chiefchaplain.TheLord ChancellorofEnglandwas almost always a bishop up until the dismissal ofCardinalThomas WolseybyHenry VIII.Similarly, the position ofKanclerzin thePolish kingdomwas always held by a bishop until the16th century.

In modern times, the principality ofAndorrais headed byCo-Princes of Andorra,one of whom is theBishop of Urgelland the other, the sittingPresident of France,an arrangement that began with theParéage of Andorra (1278),and was ratified in the 1993 constitution of Andorra.

Theoffice of the Papacyis inherently held by the sitting Roman Catholic Bishop of Rome.Though not originally intended to hold temporal authority, since the Middle Ages the power of the Papacy gradually expanded deep into the secular realm and for centuries the sitting Bishop of Rome was the most powerful governmental office in Central Italy.In modern times, the Pope is also the sovereign Prince ofVatican City,an internationally recognizedmicro-statelocated entirely within the city of Rome.

InFrance,prior tothe Revolution,representatives of the clergy — in practice, bishops andabbotsof the largestmonasteries— comprised theFirst Estateof theEstates-General.This role was abolished after separation of Church and State was implemented during the French Revolution.

In the 21st century, the more senior bishops of theChurch of Englandcontinue to sit in theHouse of Lordsof theParliament of the United Kingdom,as representatives of theestablished church,and are known asLords Spiritual.TheBishop of Sodor and Man,whose diocese lies outside theUnited Kingdom,is anex officiomemberof theLegislative Council of the Isle of Man.In the past, theBishop of Durhamhad extensive vice-regal powers within his northern diocese, which was acounty palatine,theCounty Palatine of Durham,(previously,Liberty of Durham) of which he wasex officiotheearl.In the 19th century, a gradual process of reform was enacted, with the majority of the bishop's historic powers vested inThe Crownby 1858.

Eastern Orthodoxbishops, along with all other members of the clergy, arecanonicallyforbidden to hold political office.Occasional exceptions to this rule are tolerated when the alternative is political chaos. In theOttoman Empire,thePatriarch of Constantinople,for example, had de facto administrative, cultural and legal jurisdiction,as well as spiritual authority, over allEastern Orthodox Christiansof the empire, as part of the Ottomanmilletsystem. An Orthodox bishop headed thePrince-Bishopric of Montenegrofrom 1516 to 1852, assisted by a secularguvernadur.More recently, ArchbishopMakarios IIIofCyprus,served asPresidentof theCyprusfrom 1960 to 1977, an extremely turbulent time period on the island.

In 2001,Peter Hollingworth,AC,OBE– then the Anglican Archbishop ofBrisbane– was controversially appointedGovernor-General of Australia.Although Hollingworth gave up his episcopal position to accept the appointment, it still attracted considerable opposition in a country which maintains a formalseparation between Church and State.

Episcopacy during the English Civil War

Main article:English Civil War § Episcopacy during the English Civil War

During the period of theEnglish 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.Presbyterianismwas the polity of mostReformed Christianityin Europe, and had been favored by many in England since the English Reformation. Since in theprimitive churchthe offices ofpresbyterandepiskoposwere not clearly distinguished, manyPuritansheld that this was the only form of government the church should have. The Anglican divine,Richard Hooker,objected to this claim in his famous workOf the Laws of Ecclesiastic Politywhile, at the same time, defending Presbyterian ordination as valid (in particularCalvin'sordination ofBeza). This was the official stance of the English Church until the Commonwealth, during which time, the views of Presbyterians and Independents (Congregationalists) were more freely expressed and practiced.

Christian churches

Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox, Lutheran and Anglican churches

Further information:Bishops in the Catholic Church

Amitreis used as a symbol of the bishop's ministry in Western Christianity.

One form for thecoat of armsof a Catholic bishop

Bishops form the leadership in theCatholic Church,theEastern Orthodox Church,theOriental Orthodox Churches,certain Lutheran churches, theAnglican Communion,theIndependent Catholic churches,theIndependent Anglican churches,and certain other, smaller, denominations.

The traditional role of a bishop is as pastor of adiocese(also called a bishopric,synod,eparchyor see), and so to serve as a "diocesan bishop", or "eparch" as it is called in many Eastern Christian churches. Dioceses vary considerably in size, geographically and population-wise. Some dioceses around theMediterranean Seawhich were Christianised early are rather compact, whereas dioceses in areas of rapid modern growth in Christian commitment—as in some parts ofSub-Saharan Africa,South Americaand theFar East—are much larger and more populous.

Mitre worn by an Eastern bishop withiconsof Christ, theTheotokos(Mary, Mother of God) andForerunner(John the Baptist)

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.

Archbishop

An archbishop is the bishop of anarchdiocese.This is usually a prestigious diocese with an important place in local church history. In the Catholic Church, the title is purely honorific and carries no extra jurisdiction, though most archbishops are also metropolitan bishops, as above, and are always awarded apallium.In most provinces of the Anglican Communion, however, an archbishop has metropolitical and primatial power.

Area bishop

Some Anglican suffragans are given the responsibility for a geographical area within the diocese (for example, theBishop of Stepneyis anarea bishopwithin theDiocese of London).

Assistant bishop

Honorary assistant bishop, assisting bishop, or bishop emeritus: these titles are usually applied to retired bishops who are given a general licence to minister as episcopal pastors under a diocesan's oversight. The titles, in this meaning, are not used by the Catholic Church.

Auxiliary bishop

An auxiliary bishop is a full-time assistant to a diocesan bishop (the Catholic and Eastern Orthodox equivalent of an Anglican suffragan bishop). An auxiliary bishop is a titular bishop, and he is to be appointed as avicar generalor at least as anepiscopal vicarof the diocese in which he serves.

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.

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.

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.

General bishop

A title and role in some churches, not associated with a diocese. In the Coptic Orthodox Church the episcopal ranks from highest to lowest are metropolitan archbishops, metropolitan bishops, diocesan bishops, bishops exarchs of the throne, suffragan bishops, auxiliary bishops, general bishops, and finally chorbishops. Bishops of the same category rank according to date of consecration.

Major archbishop

Major archbishops are the heads of some of the Eastern Catholic Churches. Their authority within theirsui jurischurch is equal to that of a patriarch, but they receive fewer ceremonial honors.

Metropolitan bishop

A metropolitan bishop is an archbishop in charge of anecclesiastical 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,orautonomouschurch when the number of adherents of that tradition are small. In theLatin Church,metropolitans are always archbishops; in many Eastern churches, the title is "metropolitan", with some of these churches using "archbishop" as a separate office.

Patriarch

Patriarchs are the bishops who head certain ancientautocephalousorsui iurischurches, which are a collection of metropolitan sees orprovinces.After the First Ecumenical Council at Nicea, the church structure was patterned after the administrative divisions of the Roman Empire wherein a metropolitan or bishop of a metropolis came to be the ecclesiastical head of a civil capital of a province or a metropolis. Whereas, the bishop of the larger administrative district, diocese, came to be called an exarch. In a few cases, a bishop came to preside over a number of dioceses, i.e., Rome, Antioch, and Alexandria. At the Fourth Ecumenical Council at Chalcedon in 451, Constantinople was given jurisdiction over three dioceses for the reason that the city was "the residence of the emperor and senate". Additionally, Jerusalem was recognized at the Council of Chalcedon as one of the major sees. In 692, the Quinisext Council formally recognized and ranked the sees of the Pentarchy in order of preeminence, at that time Rome, Constantinople, Alexandria, Antioch, and Jerusalem. In the Catholic Church, Patriarchs sometimes call their leadersCatholicos;the Patriarch of the Coptic Orthodox Church of Alexandria, Egypt, is calledPope,meaning 'Father'. While most patriarchs in theEastern Catholic Churcheshave jurisdiction over aparticular churchsui iuris,all Latin Church patriarchs, except for the Pope, have only honorary titles. In 2006,Pope Benedict XVIgave up the title ofPatriarch of the West.The first recorded use of the title by a Roman Pope was byTheodore Iin 620. However, early church documents, such as those of theFirst Council of Nicaea(325) had always listed the Pope of Rome first among theAncient Patriarchs(first three, and later five: Rome, Constantinople,Alexandria,AntiochandJerusalem—collectively referred to as thePentarchy). Later, the heads of various national churches became Patriarchs, but they are ranked below the Pentarchy.

Te Pīhopa

TheAnglican Church in Aotearoa, New Zealand and Polynesiauses — even in English language usage — thisMāori languageterm for its tikanga Māori bishops.

Primate

A primate is usually the bishop of the oldest church of anation.Sometimes this carries jurisdiction over metropolitan bishops, but usually it is purely honorific. The primate of theScottish Episcopal Churchis chosen from among the diocesan bishops, and, while retaining diocesan responsibility, is calledPrimus.

Presiding bishopor 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.

Suffragan bishop

A suffragan bishop is a bishop subordinate to a metropolitan. In the Catholic Church this term is applied to all non-metropolitan bishops (that is, diocesan bishops of dioceses within a metropolitan's province, andauxiliary bishops). In the Anglican Communion, the term applies to a bishop who is a full-time assistant to a diocesan bishop: theBishop of Warwickis suffragan to theBishop of Coventry(the diocesan), though both live inCoventry.

Supreme bishop

Theobispo maximo,or supreme bishop, of thePhilippine Independent Churchis elected by the General Assembly of the church. He is the chief executive officer of the church. He also holds an important pastoral role, being the spiritual head and chief pastor of the church. He has precedence of honor and prominence of position among, and recognized to have primacy, over other bishops.

Titular bishop

A titular bishop is a bishop without a diocese. Rather, the bishop is head of atitular 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 theEcumenical Patriarchate,bishops of modern dioceses are often given a titular see alongside their modern one (for example, the archbishop ofThyateiraandGreat Britain).

Duties

A bishop administering Confirmation.Rogier van der Weyden,The Seven Sacraments,15th century. In the Latin Church of the Catholic Church the administration ofConfirmationis normally reserved to the local bishop.

Danish Lutheranbishopswearing acopeovercassock,surplice,ruffandpectoral cross

InCatholicism,Eastern Orthodoxy,Oriental Orthodoxy,High Church Lutheranism,andAnglicanism,only a bishop can ordain other bishops, priests, and deacons.

In the Eastern liturgical tradition, a priest can celebrate theDivine Liturgyonly with the blessing of a bishop. In Byzantine usage, anantimensionsigned by the bishop is kept on the altar partly as a reminder of whose altar it is and under whoseomophorionthe priest at a local parish is serving. In Syriac Church usage, a consecrated wooden block called athabilithois kept for the same reasons.

The bishop is the ordinary minister of thesacramentof confirmation in the Latin Church, and in theOld Catholiccommunion only a bishop may administer this sacrament. In theLutheranandAnglicanchurches, the bishop normatively administers the rite of confirmation, although in those denominations that do not have an episcopal polity, confirmation is administered by the priest.However, in theByzantineand other Eastern rites, whether Eastern or Oriental Orthodox orEastern Catholic,chrismationis done immediately afterbaptism,and thus the priest is the one who confirms, using chrism blessed by a bishop.

Ordination of Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox, Lutheran and Anglican bishops

Bishops in all of these communions areordainedby other bishops through the laying on of hands. Ordination of a bishop, and thus continuation of apostolic succession, takes place through a ritual centred on theimposition of handsandprayer.

Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox, Anglican, Old Catholic and some Lutheran bishops claim to be part of the continuous sequence of ordained bishops since the days of the apostles referred to as apostolic succession.

In Scandinavia and the Baltic region,Lutheranchurches participating in thePorvoo Communion(those of Iceland, Norway, Sweden, Finland, Estonia, and Lithuania), as well as many non-Porvoo membership Lutheran churches (including those of Kenya, Latvia, and Russia), as well as the confessionalCommunion of Nordic Lutheran Dioceses,believe that they ordain their bishops in the apostolic succession in lines stemming from the original apostles.The New Westminster Dictionary of Church Historystates that "In Sweden the apostolic succession was preserved because the Catholic bishops were allowed to stay in office, but they had to approve changes in the ceremonies."

Peculiar to the Catholic Church

While traditional teaching maintains that any bishop with apostolic succession can validly perform the ordination of another bishop, some churches require two or three bishops participate, either to ensure sacramental validity or to conform with church law.Catholicdoctrine holds that one bishop can validly ordain another (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 underCommunistrule.

The title of archbishop or metropolitan may be granted to a senior bishop, usually one who is in charge of a large ecclesiastical jurisdiction. He may, or may not, have provincial oversight of suffragan bishops and may possibly have auxiliary bishops assisting him.

Apart from the ordination, which is always done by other bishops, there are different methods as to the actual selection of a candidate for ordination as bishop. In the Catholic Church theCongregation for Bishopsgenerally oversees the selection of new bishops with the approval of the pope. The papal nuncio usually solicits names from the bishops of a country, consults with priests and leading members of a laity, and then selects three to be forwarded to theHoly See.In Europe, some cathedral chapters have duties to elect bishops. The Eastern Catholic churches generally elect their own bishops. Most Eastern Orthodox churches allow varying amounts of formalised laity orlower clergyinfluence on the choice of bishops. This also applies in those Eastern churches which are in union with the pope, though it is required that he give assent.

The pope, in addition to being theBishop of Romeand spiritual head of the Catholic Church, is also the Patriarch of the Latin Church. Each bishop within the Latin Church is answerable directly to the Pope and not any other bishop except to metropolitans in certain oversight instances. The pope previously used the titlePatriarch of the West,but this title was dropped from use in 2006,a move which caused some concern within the Eastern Orthodox Communion as, to them, it implied wider papal jurisdiction.

Recognition of other churches' ordinations

The Catholic Church does recognise as valid (though illicit) ordinations done by breakaway Catholic, Old Catholic or Oriental bishops, and groups descended from them; it also regards as both valid and licit those ordinations done by bishops of the Eastern churches,so long as those receiving the ordination conform to other canonical requirements (for example, is an adult male) and an eastern orthodox rite of episcopal ordination, expressing the proper functions and sacramental status of a bishop, is used; this has given rise to the phenomenon ofepiscopi vagantes(for example, clergy of the Independent Catholic groups which claim apostolic succession, though this claim is rejected by both Catholicism and Eastern Orthodoxy). With respect to Lutheranism, "the Catholic Church has never officially expressed its judgement on the validity of orders as they have been handed down by episcopal succession in these two national Lutheran churches" (theEvangelical Lutheran Church of Swedenand theEvangelical Lutheran Church of Finland) though it does "question how the ecclesiastical break in the 16th century has affected the apostolicity of the churches of the Reformation and thus the apostolicity of their ministry".

SincePope Leo XIIIissued the bullApostolicae curaein 1896, the Catholic Church has insisted that Anglican orders are invalid because of the Reformed changes in the Anglican ordination rites of the 16th century and divergence in understanding of the theology of priesthood, episcopacy and Eucharist. However, since the 1930s, Utrecht Old Catholic bishops (recognised by the Holy See as validly ordained) have sometimes taken part in the ordination of Anglican bishops. According to the writer Timothy Dufort, by 1969, all Church of England bishops had acquired Old Catholic lines of apostolic succession recognised by the Holy See.This development has been used to argue that the strain of apostolic succession has been re-introduced into Anglicanism, at least within the Church of England.However, other issues, such as the Anglican ordination of women, is at variance with Catholic understanding of Christian teaching, and have contributed to the reaffirmation of Catholic rejection of Anglican ordinations.

The Eastern Orthodox Churches do not accept the validity of any ordinations performed by the Independent Catholic groups, as Eastern Orthodoxy considers to be spurious any consecration outside the church as a whole. Eastern Orthodoxy considers apostolic succession to exist only within the Universal Church, and not through any authority held by individual bishops; thus, if a bishop ordains someone to serve outside the (Eastern Orthodox) Church, the ceremony is ineffectual, and no ordination has taken place regardless of the ritual used or the ordaining prelate's position within the Eastern Orthodox Churches.

The consecrated bishop is the only minister of Holy Orders. Photo of pre-Vatican II ceremony.

The position of the Catholic Church is slightly different. Whilst it does recognise the validity of the orders of certain groups which separated from communion with Holy See (for instance, the ordinations of the Old Catholics in communion with Utrecht, as well as thePolish National Catholic Church- which received its orders directly from Utrecht, and was until recently part of that communion), Catholicism does not recognise the orders of any group whose teaching is at variance with what they consider the core tenets of Christianity; this is the case even though the clergy of the Independent Catholic groups may use the proper ordination ritual. There are also other reasons why the Holy See does not recognise the validity of the orders of the Independent clergy:

• They hold that 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.
• They hold that the practice within Independent groups of ordaining women (such as within certain member communities of theAnglican Communion) demonstrates an understanding of priesthood that they vindicate is totally unacceptable to the Catholic and Eastern Orthodox churches as they believe that the Universal Church does not possess such authority; thus, they uphold that any ceremonies performed by these women should be considered being sacramentally invalid.
• The theology of male clergy within the Independent movement is also suspect according to the Catholics, as they presumably approve of the ordination of females, and may have even undergone an (invalid) ordination ceremony conducted by a woman.

Katharine Jefferts Schori,The 26th presiding bishop of theEpiscopal Church (United States)

Whilst members of theIndependent Catholicmovement 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 Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, Old Catholic, Oriental Orthodox and Assyrian Church of the East churches.

Some provinces of the Anglican Communion have begunordaining womenas bishops in recent decades – for example, England, Ireland, Scotland, Wales, the United States, Australia, New Zealand, Canada and Cuba. The first woman to be consecrated a bishop within Anglicanism wasBarbara Harris,who was ordained in the United States in 1989. In 2006, Katharine Jefferts Schori, the EpiscopalBishop of Nevada,became the first woman to become the presiding bishop of the Episcopal Church.

Mikael Agricola(1510–1557), aFinnishLutheranclergyman and theBishop of Turku

In theEvangelical Lutheran Church in America(ELCA) and theEvangelical Lutheran Church in Canada(ELCIC), the largest Lutheran Church bodies in the United States and Canada, respectively, and roughly based on theNordicLutheran national 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 six 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 theEpiscopal Church of the United Statesand the ELCIC and theAnglican Church of Canada,all bishops, including the presiding bishop (ELCA) or the national bishop (ELCIC), have been consecrated using the historic succession in line with bishops from theEvangelical Lutheran Church of Sweden,with at least one Anglican bishop serving as co-consecrator.

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 principal 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 ofMartin Lutheras well as the documentations of the Ninety-Five Theses and theAugsburg Confession.Unlike their counterparts in theUnited 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). The presiding bishop of the ELCA and the national bishop of the ELCIC, the national bishops of their respective bodies, are elected for a single 6-year term and may be elected to an additional term.

Although ELCA agreed with the Episcopal Church to limit ordination to the bishop "ordinarily", ELCA pastor-ordinatorsare 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 inPresbyterian Church USA,United Methodist Church,Reformed Church in America,andMoravian Churchcongregations, as the ELCA is in full communion with these denominations). TheLutheran Church–Missouri Synod(LCMS) and theWisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod(WELS), the second and third largest Lutheran bodies in the United States and the two largestConfessional Lutheranbodies in North America, do not follow an episcopal form of governance, settling instead on a form of quasi-congregationalism patterned off what they believe to be the practice of the early church. The second largest of the three predecessor bodies of the ELCA, theAmerican Lutheran Church,was a congregationalist body, with national and synod presidents before they were re-titled as bishops (borrowing from the Lutheran churches inGermany) in the 1980s. With regard to ecclesial discipline and oversight, national and synod presidents typically function similarly to bishops in episcopal bodies.

Methodism

Main article:Bishop (Methodism)

African Methodist Episcopal Church

In theAfrican Methodist Episcopal Church,"Bishops are the Chief Officers of the Connectional Organization. They are elected for life by a majority vote of the General Conference which meets every four years."

Christian Methodist Episcopal Church

In theChristian Methodist Episcopal Churchin the United States, bishops are administrative superintendents of the church; they are elected by "delegate" votes for as many years deemed until the age of 74, then the bishop 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.

United Methodist Church

United Methodist Episcopal Shield

In the United Methodist Church (the largest branch of Methodism in the world) bishops serve as administrative and pastoral superintendents of the church. They are elected for life from among theordained 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 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 the United Methodist Church function very much in the historic meaning of the term. According to theBook of Discipline of the United Methodist Church,a bishop's responsibilities are:

Leadership.—Spiritual and Temporal—

1. To lead and oversee the spiritual and temporal affairs of The United Methodist Church, which confesses Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, and particularly to lead the Church in its mission of witness and service in the world.
2. To travel through the connection at large as the Council of Bishops (¶ 526) to implement strategy for the concern of the Church.
3. To provide liaison and leadership in the quest for Christian unity in ministry, mission, and structure and in the search for strengthened relationships with other living faith communities.
4. To organize such Missions as shall have been authorized by theGeneral Conference.
5. To promote and support the evangelistic vision of the whole Church.
6. To discharge such other duties as the Discipline may direct.

Presidential Duties.—1. To preside in the General, Jurisdictional, Central, and Annual Conferences. 2. To form the districts after consultation with the district superintendents and after the number of the same has been determined by vote of the Annual Conference. 3. To appoint thedistrict superintendentsannually (¶¶ 517–518). 4. To consecrate bishops, to ordain elders and deacons, to consecrate diaconal ministers, to commissiondeaconessesand home missionaries, and to see that the names of the persons commissioned and consecrated are entered on the journals of the conference and that proper credentials are furnished to these persons.

Working with Ministers.—1. To make and fix the appointments in the Annual Conferences, Provisional Annual Conferences, and Missions as the Discipline may direct (¶¶ 529–533).

2. To divide or to unite a circuit(s), stations(s), or mission(s) as judged necessary for missionary strategy and then to make appropriate appointments. 3. To read the appointments of deaconesses, diaconal ministers, lay persons in service under the World Division of the General Board of Global Ministries, and home missionaries. 4. To fix the Charge Conference membership of all ordained ministers appointed to ministries other than the local church in keeping with ¶443.3. 5. To transfer, upon the request of the receiving bishop, ministerial member(s) of one Annual Conference to another,providedsaid member(s) agrees to transfer; and to send immediately to the secretaries of both conferences involved, to the conference Boards of Ordained Ministry, and to the clearing house of the General Board of Pensions written notices of the transfer of members and of their standing in the course of study if they are undergraduates.

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, withMarjorie Matthewsbeing the first woman to be consecrated a bishop in 1980.

Francis Asbury's ordination as bishop byThomas Cokeat the 1784Christmas Conference

The collegial expression of episcopal leadership in the United Methodist Church is known as theCouncil 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.The Conference of Methodist Bishops includes the United MethodistCouncil of Bishopsplus bishops from affiliated autonomous Methodist orUnitedChurches.

John Wesleyconsecrated Thomas Coke a "General Superintendent", and directed that Francis Asbury also be consecrated for the United States of America in 1784, where theMethodist Episcopal Churchfirst became a separatedenominationapart 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,andThomas Bickerton.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

Main article:Bishop (Latter Day Saints)

Inthe Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints,theBishopis the leader of a local congregation, called award.As with most LDS priesthood holders, the bishop is a part-time lay minister and earns a living through other employment. As such, it is his duty to preside, call local leaders, and judge the worthiness of members for certain activities. 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 theHoly 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 (for example, women's and youth leaders, teachers) referred to as callings. The bishop is especially responsible for leading the youth,in connection with the fact that a bishop is the president of theAaronic priesthoodin his ward (and is thus a form of MormonKohen). Although members are asked to confess serious sins to him, unlike the Catholic Church, he is not the instrument of divine forgiveness, but 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 collectstithingandfast offeringsand distributes financial assistance where needed.

A literal descendant of Aaron has "legal right" to act as a bishopafter being found worthy and ordained by theFirst Presidency.In the absence of a literal descendant of Aaron, ahigh priestin theMelchizedek priesthoodis called to be a bishop.Each bishop is selected from resident members of the ward by thestake presidencywith approval of the First Presidency, and chooses twocounselorsto form abishopric.An priesthood holder called as bishop must be ordained a high priest if he is not already one, unlike the similar function of branch president.In special circumstances (such as a ward consisting entirely of young university students), a bishop may be chosen from outside the ward. Traditionally, bishops are married, though this is not always the case.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 Aaronic priesthood office of bishop. Church members frequently refer to a former bishop as "Bishop" as a sign of respect and affection.

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 toJoseph Smith,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.

At the global level, thepresiding bishopoversees the temporal affairs (buildings, properties, commercial corporations, and so on) 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.As opposed to ward bishoprics, where the counselors do not hold the office of bishop, all three men in the presiding bishopric hold the office of bishop, and thus the counselors, as with the presiding bishop, are formally referred to as "Bishop".

Irvingism

New Apostolic Church

TheNew Apostolic Church(NAC) knows three classes of ministries: Deacons, Priests and Apostles. TheApostles,who are all included in the apostolate with theChief Apostleas 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.

Pentecostalism

Church of God in Christ

In theChurch of God in Christ (COGIC),the ecclesiastical structure is composed of large dioceses that are called "jurisdictions" within COGIC, each under the authority of a bishop, sometimes called "state bishops". They can either be made up of large geographical regions of churches or churches that are grouped and organized together as their own separate jurisdictions because of similar affiliations, regardless of geographical location or dispersion. Each state in the U.S. has at least one jurisdiction while others may have several more, and each jurisdiction is usually composed of between 30 and 100 churches. Each jurisdiction is then broken down into several districts, which are smaller groups of churches (either grouped by geographical situation or by similar affiliations) which are each under the authority of District Superintendents who answer to the authority of their jurisdictional/state bishop. There are currently over 170 jurisdictions in the United States, and over 30 jurisdictions in other countries. The bishops of each jurisdiction, according to the COGIC Manual, are considered to be the modern day equivalent in the church of the early apostles and overseers of the New Testament church, and as the highest ranking clergymen in the COGIC, they are tasked with the responsibilities of being the head overseers of all religious, civil, and economic ministries and protocol for the church denomination.They also have the authority to appoint and ordain localpastors,elders,ministers,andreverendswithin the denomination. The bishops of the COGIC denomination are all collectively called "The Board of Bishops".From the Board of Bishops, and the General Assembly of the COGIC, the body of the church composed of clergy and lay delegates that are responsible for making and enforcing the bylaws of the denomination, every four years, twelve bishops from the COGIC are elected as "The General Board" of the church, who work alongside the delegates of the General Assembly and Board of Bishops to provide administration over the denomination as the church's head executive leaders.One of twelve bishops of the General Board is also elected the "presiding bishop" of the church, and two others are appointed by the presiding bishop himself, as his first and second assistant presiding bishops.

Bishops in the Church of God in Christ usually wear black clergy suits which consist of a black suit blazer, black pants, a purple or scarlet clergy shirt and a whiteclerical collar,which is usually referred to as "Class B Civic attire". Bishops in COGIC also typically wear the Anglican Choir Dress style vestments of a long purple or scarlet chimere, cuffs, and tippet worn over a long white rochet, and a gold pectoral cross worn around the neck with the tippet. This is usually referred to as "Class A Ceremonial attire". The bishops of COGIC alternate between Class A Ceremonial attire and Class B Civic attire depending on the protocol of the religious services and other events they have to attend.

Church of God (Cleveland, Tennessee)

In the polity of theChurch of God (Cleveland, Tennessee),the international leader is the presiding bishop, and the members of the executive committee are executive bishops. Collectively, they supervise and appoint national and state leaders across the world. Leaders of individual states and regions are administrative bishops, who have jurisdiction over local churches in their respective states and are vested with appointment authority for local pastorates. All ministers are credentialed at one of three levels of licensure, the most senior of which is the rank of ordained bishop. To be eligible to serve in state, national, or international positions of authority, a minister must hold the rank of ordained bishop.

Pentecostal Church of God

In 2002, the general convention of thePentecostal Church of Godcame to a consensus to change the title of their overseer from general superintendent to bishop. The change was brought on because internationally, the termbishopis more commonly related to religious leaders than the previous title.

The titlebishopis 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.

Seventh-day Adventists

According to the Seventh-day Adventist understanding of the doctrine of the church:

"The" elders "(Greek,presbuteros) or "bishops" (episkopos) were the most important officers of the church. The term elder means older one, implying dignity and respect. His position was similar to that of the one who had supervision of the synagogue. The term bishop means "overseer". Paul used these terms interchangeably, equating elders with overseers or bishops (Acts 20:17,28;Titus 1:5, 7).

"Those who held this position supervised the newly formed churches. Elder referred to the status or rank of the office, while bishop denoted the duty or responsibility of the office—" overseer ". Since the apostles also called themselves elders (1 Peter 5:1; 2 John 1; 3 John 1), it is apparent that there were both local elders and itinerant elders, or elders at large. But both kinds of elder functioned as shepherds of the congregations."

The above understanding is part of the basis of Adventist organizational structure. The world wide Seventh-day Adventist church is organized into local districts, conferences or missions, union conferences or union missions, divisions, and finally at the top is the general conference. At each level (with exception to the local districts), there is an elder who is elected president and a group of elders who serve on the executive committee with the elected president. Those who have been elected president would in effect be the "bishop" while never actually carrying the title or ordained as such because the term is usually associated with the episcopal style of church governance most often found in Catholic, Anglican, Methodist and some Pentecostal/Charismatic circles.

Others

Some Baptists also have begun taking on the title ofbishop. In some smaller Protestant denominations and independent churches, the termbishopis used in the same way aspastor,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 US.

In theChurch 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. In thePresbyterian Church (USA),the term bishop is an expressive name for a Minister of Word and Sacrament who serves a congregation and exercises "the oversight of the flock of Christ."The term is traceable to the 1789 Form of Government of the PC (USA) and the Presbyterian understanding of the pastoral office.

While not considered orthodox Christian, theEcclesia Gnostica Catholicauses roles and titles derived from Christianity for its clerical hierarchy, including bishops who have much the same authority and responsibilities as in Catholicism.

TheSalvation Armydoes not have bishops but has 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.

Jehovah's Witnesses do not use the title 'Bishop' within their organizational structure, but appoint elders to be overseers (to fulfill the role of oversight) within their congregations.

Ludwig Ingwer Nommensen,theGermanLutheran missionary fromRhenish Missionary Society,also first Ephorus of the Batak Christian Protestant Church

TheBatak Christian Protestant ChurchofIndonesia,the most prominent Protestantdenominationin Indonesia,uses the termEphorusinstead ofbishop.

In the Vietnamese syncretist religion ofCaodaism,bishops (giáo sư) comprise the fifth of nine hierarchical levels, and are responsible for spiritual and temporal education as well as record-keeping and ceremonies in their parishes. At any one time there are seventy-two bishops. Their authority is described in Section I of the textTân Luật(revealed through seances in December 1926). Caodai bishops wear robes and headgear of embroidered silk depicting the Divine Eye and the Eight Trigrams. (The color varies according to branch.) This is the full ceremonial dress; the simple version consists of a seven-layered turban.

Dress and insignia in Christianity

Main article:Pontifical vestments

Traditionally, a number of items are associated with the office of a bishop, most notably the mitre and thecrosier.Other vestments and insignia vary between Eastern and Western Christianity.

In the Latin Rite of the Catholic Church, thechoir dressof a bishop includes the purple cassock with amaranth trim,rochet,purplezucchetto(skull cap), purplebiretta,and pectoral cross. Thecappa magnamay be worn, but only within the bishop's own diocese and on especially solemn occasions.The mitre,zucchetto,andstoleare generally worn by bishops when presiding over liturgical functions. For liturgical functions other than theMassthe bishop typically wears the cope. Within his own diocese and when celebrating solemnly elsewhere with the consent of the localordinary,he also uses the crosier.When celebrating Mass, a bishop, like apriest,wears thechasuble.TheCaeremoniale Episcoporumrecommends, but does not impose, that in solemn celebrations a bishop should also wear adalmatic,which can always be white, beneath the chasuble, especially when administering the sacrament ofholy orders,blessing an abbot or abbess, and dedicating a church or an altar.The Caeremoniale Episcoporum no longer makes mention ofepiscopal gloves,episcopal sandals,liturgical stockings(also known asbuskins), or the accoutrements that it once prescribed for the bishop's horse. The coat of arms of a Latin Church Catholic bishop usually displays agalerowith a cross and crosier behind theescutcheon;the specifics differ by location and ecclesiastical rank (seeEcclesiastical 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 retains its late mediaeval form, and looks quite different from that of their Catholic counterparts; it consists of a long rochet which is worn with achimere.

In theEastern Churches(Eastern Orthodox,Eastern Rite Catholic) a bishop will wear themandyas,panagia(and perhaps anenkolpion),sakkos,omophorion and an Eastern-style mitre. Eastern bishops do not normally wear an episcopal ring; the faithful kiss (or, alternatively, touch their forehead to) 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 occur based upon jurisdiction and national customs.

Cathedra

In Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox, Lutheran and Anglicancathedralsthere is a special chair set aside for the exclusive use of the bishop. This is the bishop'scathedraand is often called thethrone.In some Christian denominations, for example, 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.

• 
  Byzantine Rite Catholic bishop in non-liturgical clothing
• 
  An Anglican bishop with a crosier, wearing a rochet under a red chimere and cuffs, a black tippet, and a pectoral cross
• 
  An Episcopal bishop immediately before presiding at the Great Vigil of Easter in thenarthexof St. Michael's Episcopal Cathedral inBoise, Idaho.
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  An Ephorus of theBatak Christian Protestant ChurchinIndonesia,one of the largestLutheranchurches inSoutheast Asia,wearing uses whitebandsandGeneva gown

The term's use in non-Christian religions

Buddhism

The leader of theBuddhist Churches of America(BCA) is theirbishop,The Japanese title for the bishop of the BCA issochō,although the English title is favored over the Japanese. When it comes to many otherBuddhist terms,the BCA chose to keep them in their original language (terms such assanghaanddana), but with some words (includingsochō), they changed/translated these terms into English words.

Between 1899 and 1944, the BCA held the name Buddhist Mission of North America. The leader of the Buddhist Mission of North America was calledkantoku(superintendent/director) between 1899 and 1918. In 1918 thekantokuwas promoted to bishop (sochō).However, according to George J. Tanabe, the title "bishop" was in practice already used by Hawaiian Shin Buddhists (inHonpa Hongwanji Mission of Hawaii) even when the official title waskantoku.

Bishops are also present in other Japanese Buddhist organizations.Higashi Hongan-ji's North American District,Honpa Honganji Mission of Hawaii,Jodo Shinshu Buddhist Temples of Canada,aJodo Shutemple in Los Angeles, theShingontempleKoyasan Buddhist Temple,Sōtō Mission in Hawai‘i (aSoto ZenBuddhist institution),and the Sōtō Zen Buddhist Community of South America (Comunidade Budista Sōtō Zenshū da América do Sul) all have or have had leaders with the title bishop. As for the Sōtō Zen Buddhist Community of South America, the Japanese title issōkan,but the leader is in practice referred to as "bishop".

Tenrikyo

Tenrikyois a Japanese New Religion with influences from both Shinto and Buddhism.The leader of the Tenrikyo North American Mission has the title of bishop.

See also

• Anglican ministry#Bishops
• Appointment of Catholic bishops
• Appointment of Church of England bishops
• Bishop in Europe
• Bishops in the Catholic Church
• Bishop of Alexandria,or Pope
• Bishops in the Church of Scotland
• Diocesan bishop
• Ecclesiastical polity(church governance)
  • Congregationalist polity
  • Presbyterian polity
• Ganzibra
• Gay bishops
• Hierarchy of the Catholic Church
• List of Catholic bishops of the United States
• List of Metropolitans and Patriarchs of Moscow
• List of types of spiritual teachers
• List of Lutheran bishops and archbishops
• Lists of patriarchs, archbishops, and bishops
• Lord Bishop
• Order of precedence in the Catholic Church
• Shepherd in religion
• Spokesperson bishops in the Church of England
• Suffragan Bishop in Europe

References

Sources

• Hill, Jonathan (2007).The History of Christianity.Lion.ISBN978-0-7459-5156-0.
• Ignatius of Antioch(1899)."Epistles of to the Ephesians, Magnesians, Trallesians, and Smyrnans".In J. B. Lightfoot (ed.).The Apostolic Fathers.Macmillan.ISBN978-1-4209-2948-5.
• Mathews, James Kenneth (1985).Set Apart to Serve: The Meaning and Role of Episcopacy in the Wesleyan Tradition.Abingdon Press.ISBN978-0-687-38100-5.
• Moede, Gerald F. (1964).The Office of Bishop in Methodism: Its History and Development.Gotthelf-Verlag.
• Cross, Frank Leslie; Livingstone, Elizabeth A. (2005).The Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church.Oxford University Press.ISBN978-0-19-280290-3.
• Mitchell, Margaret M.; Young, Frances M.; Scott Bowie, K. (2006).Cambridge History of Christianity: Volume 1, Origins to Constantine.Cambridge University Press.ISBN978-0-521-81239-9.
• Van Hove, A. (1907)."Bishop".The Catholic Encyclopedia.New York: Robert Appleton Company.Retrieved13 April2012.
• O'Grady, John F. (1997).The Roman Catholic Church: Its Origins and Nature.Paulist Press.ISBN978-0-8091-3740-4.
• Stehle, Aurelius (1914).Manual of Episcopal Ceremonies: Based on the Caeremoniale Episcoporum, Decrees of the Sacred Congregation of Rites, Etc., and Approved Authors.St. Vincent Seminary.
• Anon (1980).The book of discipline of the United Methodist Church, 1980.United Methodist Pub. House.ISBN978-0-687-03705-6.
• Handl, András (2016). "Viktor I. (189?-199?) von Rom und die Entstehung des" monarchischen "Episkopats in Rom".Sacris Erudiri.55:7–56.doi:10.1484/J.SE.5.112597.

External links

• Methodist/Anglican Thoughts On Apostolic Successionby Gregory Neal
• Methodist Episcopacy: In Search of Holy Ordersby Gregory Neal
• Phillips, Walter Alison(1911)."Bishop".Encyclopædia Britannica.Vol. 4 (11th ed.). pp. 1–4.
• The Old Catholic Church, Province of the United States
• The Ecumenical Catholic Communion*The United Methodist Church: Council of Bishops
• Vatican Website with Canon Law of Catholic Church
• Episcophobia: The Fear of bishops