episcopate
Church leadership body
The episcopate is the office or term of service of a bishop, or bishops collectively as a group.
In churches with episcopal governance, the episcopate refers to the body of bishops who hold authority over clergy and congregations: He was elevated to the episcopate after decades of parish ministry.
The episcopate issued a joint statement on the matter.
Bishop's territorial jurisdiction
- ordinationClergy appointment ceremony
- apostolicOf the first disciples
- canonAccepted authoritative works
- ecclesiologyStudy of church theology
theology · creed · dogma · doctrine · papacy · clergy · laity · sacrament
Of a major city
- patriarchMale head of family
- prelateSenior church official
- primateHigher mammal order member
- cardinalOf foremost importance
synod · vicar · rector · dean · monsignor · deacon · curate · chaplain
Holding an official position
- termFixed period or word
- appointmentScheduled time for something
- serviceAid or maintenance
- durationLength of existence
administration · reign · succession · installation · enthronement · translation · resignation · emeritus
Legal authority's scope
- oversightSupervision or inadvertent omission
- pastoralOf countryside or clergy care
- canonicalAccepted as standard
- vestryChurch robing chamber
visitation · confirmation · encyclical · synodal · collegiality
diocese
Bishop's territorial jurisdiction
- ordinationClergy appointment ceremony
- apostolicOf the first disciples
- canonAccepted authoritative works
ecclesiology · theology · creed · dogma · doctrine · papacy · clergy · laity · sacrament · homily
metropolitan
Of a major city
cardinal · synod · vicar · rector · dean · monsignor · deacon · curate · chaplain · suffragan
incumbency
Holding an official position
- termFixed period or word
- appointmentScheduled time for something
- serviceAid or maintenance
duration · administration · reign · succession · installation · enthronement · translation · resignation · emeritus · vacancy
jurisdiction
Legal authority's scope
- oversightSupervision or inadvertent omission
- pastoralOf countryside or clergy care
- canonicalAccepted as standard
vestry · visitation · confirmation · encyclical · synodal · collegiality
- Catholic ChurchVatican, papacy, cardinals, popes, papal
- Catholic Clergypope, pontiff, cardinal, monsignor, priest
- Catholic hierarchypapacy, Holy See, Vatican, College of Cardinals, archdiocese
- religious councilschurch council, synod, conclave, convocation, general assembly
- religious groupscongregation, congregations, sect, parishes, fellowship
- dignitiespeerage, knighthood, nobility, rank, titles
episcopatelaity
Non-ordained church members
laypeople · congregation · parishioners · laypersons · flock