Episkopaalia

Episkopaalia, often anglicized as episkopalia or episcopacy, is the term used in some scholarly writings to refer to the office, jurisdiction, and institutional authority of bishops within Christian churches. It derives from the Greek words episkopos (bishop) and episkopé (oversight or governance), and in many traditions it denotes the collective body of bishops or the office they hold.

In broad terms, episkopaalia designates the governance structure by which bishops oversee local churches, affirm doctrine, and regulate matters of worship and discipline. In most Christian traditions, bishops are viewed as successors to the apostles, entrusted with teaching authority, sacramental duties, and pastoral governance. The concept rests on the principle of apostolic succession, whereby bishops are believed to receive their office through a continuous transmission of ordination.

Historically, the episcopate emerged in the early Christian communities as they grew beyond house churches. By late antiquity and into the Middle Ages, episcopal governance became more formalized, with distinct sees, hierarchical jurisdictions, and regional synods or councils. In Catholic and Eastern Orthodox churches, the episcopate holds fullness of the Holy Orders and exercises jurisdiction in communion with the church’s central authority or synodal bodies. In many Anglican and some Eastern Catholic contexts, episcopal leadership remains central but is organized within national or regional structures.

Variations exist across Christian traditions. Some churches maintain a robust, hierarchical episcopacy with strong central authority; others adopt more dispersed governance models or limits on episcopal power. In all uses, episkopaalia concerns the role and authority of bishops as a governing and sacramental office within the church.