episcopacy
Rule by bishops
Episcopacy is a system of church governance by bishops.
The term refers both to the structure itself and to the collective body of bishops within a church.
Churches with episcopacy—including Catholic, Orthodox, Anglican, and some Lutheran and Methodist denominations—vest authority in bishops who oversee clergy and congregations within their territories.
The debate over episcopacy divided English Protestants in the seventeenth century.
Britain's state religion
- Book of Common PrayerAnglican official worship text
- AnglicanismEnglish Protestant denomination
- Thirty-Nine ArticlesAnglican doctrinal foundation
- dioceseBishop's territorial jurisdiction
Thomas Cranmer · synod · vestry · parish · rector · vicar · curate
Pope's office and authority
- VaticanPapal city-state
- PopeCatholic Church's supreme leader
- pontiffSupreme Catholic leader
- curiaAdministrative assembly hall
cardinals · conclave · Holy See · Roman Catholic · suffragan · coadjutor · mitre · crozier
Ranked authority structure
- jurisdictionLegal authority's scope
- authorityPower to enforce obedience
- oversightSupervision or inadvertent omission
- administrationOrganizational oversight and control
polity · collegiality · succession · appointment · consecration · investiture · canon law · visitation
Ceremonial religious attire
- mitrePointed clerical headwear
- crozierHooked episcopal symbol
- copeHandle difficulties adequately
- chasubleLiturgical overgarment for clergy
blessing · confirmation · laying on of hands · anointing · processional · throne · cathedra · consecration
Perceive with eyes
- cathedralBishop's principal church
- archdioceseArchbishop's jurisdictional territory
- provinceRegional administrative district
- deanerySenior cleric's jurisdiction
chapter · consistory · residence · throne · cathedra · confirmations · ordinations
Early church doctrinal assembly
- ConstantineEmperor who embraced Christianity
- ReformationReligious movement splitting Christianity
- Counter-ReformationChurch's internal reform movement
- Investiture ControversyMedieval papal-royal appointment conflict
Henry VIII · Church Fathers · Ignatius of Antioch · early church · medieval church · Avignon · schism
Male head of family
- metropolitanOf a major city
- ConstantinopleHistoric Turkish metropolis
- ByzantineOf Constantinople's civilization
- Eastern OrthodoxAncient Christian communion
Church of England
Britain's state religion
- Book of Common PrayerAnglican official worship text
- AnglicanismEnglish Protestant denomination
- Thirty-Nine ArticlesAnglican doctrinal foundation
Thomas Cranmer · diocese · synod · vestry · parish · rector · vicar · curate
papacy
Pope's office and authority
curia · cardinals · conclave · Holy See · Roman Catholic · suffragan · coadjutor · mitre · crozier · cathedral
hierarchy
Ranked authority structure
- jurisdictionLegal authority's scope
- authorityPower to enforce obedience
- oversightSupervision or inadvertent omission
administration · polity · collegiality · succession · appointment · consecration · investiture · canon law · visitation · discipline
vestments
Ceremonial religious attire
chasuble · blessing · confirmation · laying on of hands · anointing · processional · throne · cathedra · consecration
see
Perceive with eyes
- cathedralBishop's principal church
- archdioceseArchbishop's jurisdictional territory
- provinceRegional administrative district
deanery · chapter · consistory · residence · throne · cathedra · confirmations · ordinations
Council of Nicaea
Early church doctrinal assembly
- ConstantineEmperor who embraced Christianity
- ReformationReligious movement splitting Christianity
- Counter-ReformationChurch's internal reform movement
Henry VIII · Investiture Controversy · Church Fathers · Ignatius of Antioch · early church · medieval church · Avignon · schism
patriarch
Male head of family
- metropolitanOf a major city
- ConstantinopleHistoric Turkish metropolis
- ByzantineOf Constantinople's civilization
- church authoritypapacy, papal authority, popes, papal supremacy, deacons
- Anglican ChurchAnglicanism, Church of England, parish, diocese, Anglican
- Anglican DoctrineThirty-Nine Articles, prayer book, holy orders, ecclesiology
- Anglican historyChurch of England, Anglican Church, English Reformation, Book of Common Prayer, Henry VIII
- AnglicanismBook of Common Prayer, Canterbury, Anglicans, Church of England, vicars
- church governancediocese, polity, parish councils, archdiocese, papacy