Presiding bishop

Last updated

A presiding bishop is an ecclesiastical position in some denominations of Christianity.

Contents

Lutheran

Evangelical Lutheran Church in America

The Presiding Bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) is the chief ecumenical officer of the church, and the leader and caretaker for the bishops of the synods. The presiding bishop chairs the biennial Church-wide Assembly and provides for the preparation of agendas for the assembly, the Church Council and its executive committee, the Conference of Bishops, and the Cabinet of Executives. The Presiding Bishop of the ELCA is elected to a six-year term, available for re-election and is charged with initiating policy, developing strategy and overseeing administration of the entire church. The presiding bishop also serves as a figurehead and speaks on behalf of the entire church.

The ELCA's third Presiding Bishop, Mark Hanson, served two six-year terms from 2001 to 2013. Elizabeth Eaton was elected as the fourth (and first female) presiding bishop in August 2013.

Evangelical Lutheran Church in Northern Germany

The Presiding Bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Northern Germany (Nordkirche) is the senior (metropolitan) bishop and principal leader of the Nordkirche, a Landeskirche (member church) of Evangelische Kirche in Deutschland. In German, Nordkirche uses the title Landesbischof (literally: State Bishop). She or he got her or his see in Schwerin. He or she is the primus inter pares of the three bishops in the dioceses (Sprengel). He or she chairs the Conference of Bishops (Bischofsrat) and the Church Executive Board (Kirchenleitung). First Presiding Bishop was Gerhard Ulrich. He was retired in spring of 2019. His successor is Kristina Kühnbaum-Schmidt.

Other Lutheran churches

The Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada (ELCIC), a mainline Lutheran body similar to the ELCA, uses the term "national bishop" for a similar position. Most other Lutheran churches in North America, especially the Confessional Lutheran bodies use a congregationalist structure and call their national leaders "president." The Lutheran Churches of Sweden, Finland, Estonia, Latvia, and Nigeria all use the term Archbishop .

Anglican

In the Anglican Communion (the worldwide family of independent churches following the tradition of the Church of England), several churches' primates are called Presiding Bishop. Among them are the Anglican Episcopal Church of Brazil, the Anglican Church of South America and the Episcopal Church (United States); the primate of Episcopal Church in Jerusalem and the Middle East is called "president bishop".

Episcopal Church in the United States

In the Episcopal Church in the United States of America, the Presiding Bishop is the chief pastor and primate of the national church and its nine ecclesiastical provinces. [1] The Presiding Bishop is charged with responsibility for leadership in initiating, developing, and articulating policy and strategy, overseeing the administration of the national church staff, and speaking for the church on issues of concern and interest. [1] He or she is the president of the House of Bishops and is elected by the church's General Convention to serve a non designated term. [2] The correct clerical style for the Presiding Bishop is "The Most Reverend".

The role and importance of the office has grown over time. [3] Originally, the Presiding Bishop was simply the senior diocesan bishop who presided over the House of Bishops. In 1919, the office was transformed into an elected one, and in the 1940s the decision was made that the Presiding Bishop should resign any other jurisdictions for which he or she might have pastoral responsibility. In this respect, the office is different from that of many archbishops found in other churches in the Anglican Communion which have diocesan responsibilities in addition to overseeing a national church. In the 1970s, the Presiding Bishop was given authority to enter dioceses for sacramental and preaching ministry, consulting with bishops, and related purposes. The Presiding Bishop was given the title of primate in 1982.

Presently, Michael Bruce Curry holds the position. Elected in 2015, he is the first African American to hold the position. [4]

Protestant Episcopal Church in the Confederate States of America

Stephen Elliott, first bishop of Georgia was the only Presiding Bishop of the Protestant Episcopal Church in the Confederate States of America.

Continuing Anglican

Reformed Episcopal Church

Ray R. Sutton is the current Presiding Bishop. This church claims to continue apostolic succession through George D. Cummins who left the Episcopal Church, USA in the 19th century.

Note: The Reformed Episcopal Church is not in communion with the Anglican Communion.

United Episcopal Church of North America

The Constitution of the United Episcopal Church of North America refers to the senior bishop as the Presiding Bishop, but within the denomination he is informally referred to as the Archbishop – a hangover from the 1981/4 version of the UECNA Constitution and Canons. The Presiding Bishop acts as Chairman of the House of Bishops and the National Council, and as primus inter pares or 'first among equals'. The Constitution and Canons were modified in 1992 (confirmed in 1996), with the title for the senior bishop reverting to 'Presiding Bishop.' However, the change of title never really caught on, and the 2011 General Convention of the UECNA codified the common custom of referring to the senior bishop as 'Archbishop' by modifying Canon 3 - Of the Presiding Bishop - to reflect this. However, the formal title remains 'Presiding Bishop' and is used in formal documents. The UECNA derives its historic episcopate from the Episcopal Church via Albert A. Chambers and the Anglican Catholic Church, and also from the Philippine Independent Catholic Church through that church's now defunct Anglican Rite Jurisdiction of the Americas. Unlike the Episcopal Church, the Presiding Bishop of the United Episcopal Church may retain his diocese after election, and does not serve a fixed term, but is expected to resign following the election of a successor at the General Convention prior to the incumbent's 72nd birthday. In the event of an unexpected vacancy occurring, the senior bishop by date of consecration having jurisdiction serves as Presiding Bishop until an election can take place. The present holder of the office is Peter D. Robinson.

Latter Day Saints

The Presiding Bishop is a role in the church hierarchy of several denominations of the Latter Day Saint movement. Each Presiding Bishop has two counselors; the three together form the Presiding Bishopric.

The position shares its origin with that of bishop. Edward Partridge was the first man ordained to the office of bishop in the early Church of Christ on February 4, 1831. Partridge became known as the First Bishop and later the "Presiding Bishop" when subordinate bishops were called in the Nauvoo period (1839–44).

After the 1844 succession crisis, the role of Presiding Bishop evolved separately in different denominations of the movement.

In the Remnant Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, a man recognized as a "literal descendant of Aaron" (or Kohanim ) can, under the direction of the First Presidency, hold the role of Presiding Bishop alone, without counselors. At this time, the only man to hold the title of Presiding Bishop under these conditions is W. Kevin Romer. [5]

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

In the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, the largest denomination of the Latter Day Saint movement, [6] the Presiding Bishop is the highest leadership position within the church's Aaronic priesthood. The three members of the Presiding Bishopric serve as church general authorities and oversee the church's temporal affairs (buildings, properties, commercial corporations, etc.) throughout the world.

Along with the First Presidency and the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, the Presiding Bishopric is a part of the Council on the Disposition of the Tithes, which oversees and authorizes the expenditure of all tithing funds. The Presiding Bishopric is also responsible for overseeing the church's Aaronic priesthood, although most of the work in this area is delegated to the Young Men General Presidency.

Since October 2015, the church's Presiding Bishop has been Gérald Caussé. [7]

Community of Christ

The Presiding Bishopric of Community of Christ, the second largest denomination, are the chief financial officers and trustees of the church. As such, they are trustees in trust for all church property, including local congregational facilities. They are responsible for the administration of the temporal affairs of the whole church. They lead the Order of Bishops in providing support and mentoring to the financial officers of congregations and mission centers. The Presiding Bishopric serves also as the presidency of the Aaronic priesthood and leads the Order of Bishops in providing support, training, and advocacy in empowering the Aaronic Ministers. They direct the stewardship education efforts of the church and lead financial development efforts with major donors. The Presiding Bishopric is a part of the World Church Leadership Council, along with the First Presidency and Council of Twelve Apostles. They also serve as members of the World Church Finance Board, which proposes budgets to the World Conference for approval.

The current Presiding Bishop of the church is Ronald D. Harmon Jr., with Wim van Klinken and Carla K. Long as counselors.

Church of God in Christ

The current presiding bishop of the Church Of God In Christ is Bishop J. Drew Sheard, [8] pastor of Greater Emmanuel Institutional Church Of God In Christ located in Detroit, Michigan. The Presiding Bishop is elected every four years by the COGIC General Assembly and Board of Bishops, along with eleven other Bishops who are in charge of executing and overseeing the religious, civil, and economic bylaws and ministries of the denomination, and who work alongside the delegates of the General Assembly and Board of Bishops to provide administration over the denomination. [8] [9] As a result of the 2020 global COVID-19 pandemic, the Quadrennial Election (usually held before the church's Holy Convocation) was postponed till 2021, where Sheard was elected.

See also

Related Research Articles

A bishop is an ordained member of the clergy who is entrusted with a position of authority and oversight in a religious institution. In Christianity, bishops are normally responsible for the governance and administration of dioceses. The role or office of the bishop is called episcopacy. Organizationally, several Christian denominations utilize 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.

Called to Common Mission (CCM) is an agreement between The Episcopal Church (ECUSA) and the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) in the United States, establishing full communion between them. It was ratified by the ELCA in 1999, the ECUSA in 2000, after the narrow failure of a previous agreement. Its principal author on the Episcopal side was theological professor J. Robert Wright. Under the agreement, they recognize the validity of each other's baptisms and ordinations. The agreement provided that the ELCA would accept the historical episcopate and the "threefold ministry" of bishop - priest - deacon with respect to ministers of communicant churches serving ELCA congregations; the installation of the ELCA presiding bishop was performed through the laying on of hands by Lutheran bishops in the historic episcopate. This provision was opposed by some in the ELCA, which after its founding merger in 1988, held a lengthy study of the ministry which was undertaken with divided opinions. In response to concerns about the meaning of the CCM, synod bishops in the ELCA drafted the Tucson resolution which presented the official ELCA position. It made clear that there is no requirement to ordain deacons or accept their ministry. It also provided assurance that the ELCA did not and was not required by CCM to change its own theological stance.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Episcopal polity</span> Hierarchical form of church governance

An episcopal polity is a hierarchical form of church governance in which the chief local authorities are called bishops. The word "bishop" here is derived via the British Latin and Vulgar Latin term *ebiscopus/*biscopus, from the Ancient Greek ἐπίσκοπος epískopos meaning "overseer". It is the structure used by many of the major Christian Churches and denominations, such as the Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox, Church of the East, Anabaptist, Lutheran, and Anglican churches or denominations, and other churches founded independently from these lineages. Many Methodist denominations have a form of episcopal polity known as connexionalism.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Holy orders</span> Sacraments in some Christian churches

In certain Christian denominations, holy orders are the ordained ministries of bishop, priest (presbyter), and deacon, and the sacrament or rite by which candidates are ordained to those orders. Churches recognizing these orders include the Catholic Church, the Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox, Anglican, Assyrian, Old Catholic, Independent Catholic and some Lutheran churches. Except for Lutherans and some Anglicans, these churches regard ordination as a sacrament.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Diocese</span> Christian district governed by a bishop

In church governance, a diocese or bishopric is the ecclesiastical district under the jurisdiction of a bishop.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ordination</span> Process by which individuals are consecrated as clergy

Ordination is the process by which individuals are consecrated, that is, set apart and elevated from the laity class to the clergy, who are thus then authorized to perform various religious rites and ceremonies. The process and ceremonies of ordination vary by religion and denomination. One who is in preparation for, or who is undergoing the process of ordination is sometimes called an ordinand. The liturgy used at an ordination is commonly found in a book known as an Ordinal which provides the ordo for celebrations.

The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) is a mainline Protestant Lutheran church headquartered in Chicago, Illinois. The ELCA was officially formed on January 1, 1988, by the merging of three Lutheran church bodies. As of 2022, it has approximately 2.9 million baptized members in 8,640 congregations.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Metropolitan bishop</span> Ecclesiastical office

In Christian churches with episcopal polity, the rank of metropolitan bishop, or simply metropolitan, pertains to the diocesan bishop or archbishop of a metropolis.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada</span> Protestant denomination in Canada

The Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada is Canada's largest Lutheran denomination, with 95,000 baptized members in 519 congregations, with the second largest, the Lutheran Church–Canada, having 47,607 baptized members. Together with the LCC and the Canadian Association of Lutheran Congregations, it is one of only three all-Canadian Lutheran denominations. It is a member of the Lutheran World Federation, the Canadian Council of Churches, the World Council of Churches, and the Anglican-Lutheran North American grouping Churches Beyond Borders. According to the 2021 Canadian census, a larger number of 328,045 adherents identify as Lutheran.

In the Latter Day Saint movement, a bishop is the highest office of the Aaronic priesthood. It is almost always held by one who holds the office of high priest in the Melchizedek priesthood. The Latter Day Saint concept of the office differs significantly from the role of bishops in other Christian denominations, being in some respects more analogous to a pastor or parish priest. Each bishop serves with two counselors, who together form a bishopric.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Primate of New Zealand</span> Leader of the Anglican Church in New Zealand

Primate of New Zealand is a title held by a bishop who leads the Anglican Church in Aotearoa, New Zealand and Polynesia. Since 2006, the Senior Bishop of each tikanga serves automatically as one of three co-equal Primates-and-Archbishops. Previously, one of these three would be Presiding Bishop and the other two Co-Presiding Bishops; and before that there was only one Primate.

In Community of Christ, formerly the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, priesthood is God's power and authority to minister in the church and to conduct God's business on Earth. Although the church believes that all Christians are called by their gifts and talents to the ministry, priesthood is seen as a particular expression of universal ministry to which all are called. In Community of Christ, both women and men can be ordained to the priesthood. All offices are deemed equal in importance, but the duties and responsibilities of each differ.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Robert Duncan (bishop)</span> American Anglican bishop

Robert William Duncan is an American Anglican bishop. He was the first primate and archbishop of the Anglican Church in North America (ACNA) from June 2009 to June 2014. In 1997, he was elected bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Pittsburgh. In 2008, a majority of the diocesan convention voted to leave the diocese and the Episcopal Church and, in October 2009, named their new church the Anglican Diocese of Pittsburgh. Duncan served as bishop for the new Anglican diocese until 10 September 2016 upon the installation of his successor, Jim Hobby.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Anglican ministry</span> Leadership and agency of Christian service in the Anglican Communion

The Anglican ministry is both the leadership and agency of Christian service in the Anglican Communion. Ministry commonly refers to the office of ordained clergy: the threefold order of bishops, priests and deacons. More accurately, Anglican ministry includes many laypeople who devote themselves to the ministry of the church, either individually or in lower/assisting offices such as lector, acolyte, sub-deacon, Eucharistic minister, cantor, musicians, parish secretary or assistant, warden, vestry member, etc. Ultimately, all baptized members of the church are considered to partake in the ministry of the Body of Christ.

The Convergence Movement, also known as the Ancient-Future Faith, whose foundation is primarily attributed to Robert E. Webber in 1985, is an ecumenical movement. Developed as an effort among evangelical, charismatic and Pentecostal, and liturgical Christians and denominations blending their forms of worship, the movement has been defined for its predominant use of the Anglican tradition's Book of Common Prayer; use from additional liturgical sources common to Lutheranism, Eastern Orthodoxy, and Catholicism have also been employed.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">United Episcopal Church of North America</span>

The United Episcopal Church of North America (UECNA) is a church in the Anglican tradition and is part of the Continuing Anglican movement. It is not part of the Anglican Communion.

The Young Men is a youth organization and official program of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Its purpose is to assist the church's Aaronic priesthood-aged young men in their growth and development. The organization serves young men from the year they turn 12 until they are 18.

The Presiding Bishop of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is a priesthood calling with church-wide authority. The Presiding Bishop is the highest leadership position within the church's Aaronic priesthood, although most of the work in this area is delegated to the church's Young Men general presidency.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Anglican Church in North America</span> Anglican realignment province

The Anglican Church in North America (ACNA) is a Christian denomination in the Anglican tradition in the United States and Canada. It also includes ten congregations in Mexico, two mission churches in Guatemala, and a missionary diocese in Cuba. Headquartered in Ambridge, Pennsylvania, the church reported 977 congregations and 124,999 members in 2022. The first archbishop of the ACNA was Robert Duncan, who was succeeded by Foley Beach in 2014.

The ordination of lesbian, gay, bisexual and/or transgender (LGBT) clergy who are open about their sexuality or gender identity; are sexually active if lesbian, gay, or bisexual; or are in committed same-sex relationships is a debated practice within some contemporary Christian denominations.

References

  1. 1 2 "Title I Canon 2 Section 4 (a)". Constitution and Canons. The Episcopal Church. 2009. p. 28.
  2. ↑ "Title I Canon 2 Section 2". Constitution and Canons. The Episcopal Church. 2009. p. 27.
  3. ↑ Roozan, David A.; Nieman, James R., eds. (2005). Church, Identity, and Change: Theology and Denominational Structures in Unsettled Times. Grand Rapids, Michigan: W.B. Eerdmans Pub. ISBN   0802828191. OCLC   57193221.
  4. ↑ "North Carolina Bishop Michael Curry elected as 27th Presiding Bishop". Episcopal News Service. The Domestic and Foreign Missionary Society. June 27, 2015. Retrieved June 27, 2015.
  5. ↑ "Remnant Doctrine and Covenants Section R-161". Archived from the original on July 13, 2018. Retrieved July 12, 2018.
  6. ↑ "Mormon Denominations". About Mormon denominations. Religion Facts.
  7. ↑ "New Presiding Bishopric Announced: Bishop Gérald Caussé is 15th presiding bishop in Church's history". Newsroom. LDS Church. October 9, 2015.
  8. 1 2 "The Presiding Bishop". Church of God In Christ. Archived from the original on April 13, 2014. Retrieved May 8, 2014.
  9. ↑ "The Executive Branch". Church Of God In Christ. Archived from the original on December 24, 2017. Retrieved September 4, 2017.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.