Bishops

A bishop is a clergy member in many Christian traditions who holds a governing and pastoral role within an episcopal hierarchy. The word bishop derives from the Greek episkopos, meaning overseer, reflecting historically supervisory duties over local communities. In churches that maintain episcopal governance, a bishop typically oversees a diocese or equivalent jurisdiction and acts as guardian of doctrine, liturgy, and church discipline.

Bishops ordinarily perform or authorize ordinations of priests and deacons, confirm members, and preside at major liturgical celebrations such as the Eucharist. They usually reside in a cathedral, the principal church of their see, and provide teaching and guidance to clergy and laypeople alike. In most traditions they bear the fullness of the sacrament of Holy Orders and participate in the governance of the wider church through synods, councils, or other bodies.

Historically, bishops emerged in the early Christian communities as leaders and overseers of congregations, and their succession is often regarded as a guarantee of continuity of teaching and sacramental life. Over time, different Christian communions developed varying structures: the Catholic, Orthodox, and Anglican churches maintain an episcopal form with diocesan, metropolitan, or archiepiscopal hierarchies; in many Protestant churches, episcopal governance is present in some provinces or is replaced by other forms of church government.

In summary, bishops are central to episcopal churches, providing leadership, teaching, sacramental authority, and continuity within a diocese and the wider Christian community.