Episcopal
The word
episcopal is derived from the
Greek επίσκοπος, transliterated
epískopos, which literally means "overseer"; the word, however, is used in religious contexts to refer to a
bishop.
Episcopal churches are churches that use an
episcopalian church governance, i.e. that use
bishops regarded as being in
Apostolic succession. It is also commonly used to distinguish between the various organizational structures of
Protestant churches; for instance the word "
presbyterian" (from the
Greek πρεσβύτης) is used to describe churches governed by elected
elders, while "episcopal" is used to describe churches governed by bishops (Greek
επίσκοπος). Self-governed Protestant churches, governed neither by elders nor bishops, are usually referred to as "
congregational". More specifically, the term "episcopal" is applied to those churches historically based within
Anglicanism including those still in communion with the
Church of England.
Examples of specific episcopal churches include:
* The
Roman Catholic Church* The
Eastern Orthodox Churches
* The
Oriental Orthodox Churches
* The
Assyrian Church of the East* The
Old Catholic Church* The
Mar Thoma Church* Numerous smaller
Catholic churches
* Churches of the
Anglican Communion* Certain national churches of the
Lutheran confession
* Any of several churches listed in the article titled
Episcopal churches* The
Charismatic Episcopal Church Many
Methodist churches (see The
United Methodist Church, among others) retain the form of episcopal governance, however since all trace their ordinations to an Anglican priest -
John Wesley -- it is frequently charged that their bishops do not share in the historic
apostolic succession. The argument runs that, since the apostolic succession of bishops can only be maintained through the
consecration of bishops by bishops, Methodist episcopacy should not considered apostolic in the "true," historical sense. While some United Methodists would disagree with this assessment, for their own part the bishops in the
United Methodist Church do not claim to be within the historic episcopate in the same way as Catholic, Anglican, and Orthodox bishops. They do, however, claim a corporate ("connectional") and theological form of Apostolic succession, and are not adverse to ecumenical acts which would further establish their ministry within the historic episcopate, though such would have to be accomplished without repudiating or otherwise questioning the validity of their current orders and ministries. Methodist episcopal succession derives from
John Wesley, who was an ordained presbyter of the Church of England but not himself a bishop and thus not officially authorized to consecrate others. Wesley justified his practice of ordaining bishops (which he called "general superintendents") and elders (i.e., presbyters) for the methodists in the new
United States of America in 1784 by appealing to a perceived need and by citing a minority opinion among the early Church Fathers (and an ancient precedent from the Church of Alexandria) which held that presbyters ("priests" or "elders") could, at least collectively, indeed ordain other such presbyters and even consecrate, or "set apart" bishops in certain emergency situations. Based upon this argument, the
United Methodist Church understands all of its Elders, not just its Bishops, as being part of an Apostolic succession of the entire body (or "conference") of ministers: "In ordination, the church affirms and continues the apostolic ministry through persons empowered by the Holy Spirit." (Book of Discipline paragraph 303). In other words, they understand apostolic succession as being
rooted within the Presbyterate. This does not mean, however, that all elders may ordain; quite the contrary, only those elders who have been elected and consecrated as bishops can further the apostolic succession through the ordination of bishops, elders, and deacons within the
United Methodist Church. In this way, the United Methodist episcopacy
functions as if it were within the historic episcopate. Churches that are members of the
Anglican Communion are episcopal churches in polity, and some are named "Episcopal." However, some churches that self-identify as Anglican do not belong to the Anglican Communion, and not all episcopally-governed churches are Anglican. The
Roman Catholic Church, the
Old Catholic Churches (in full communion with, but not members of, the Anglican Communion), and the
Eastern Orthodox churches are recognized, and also their bishops, by
Anglicans.
*
Episcopal see*
Episcopal Youth Community*
Anglicanism*
Church of England*
Episcopal Church Official Page*
Episcopalian Christianity
