Chruch Structure (Episcopal)

The episcopal (or ruled by a bishop) churches are the Roman Catholic, the Anglican (which includes the church of England) and the Orthodox churches - see the flow diagram at the beginning of this section.

The church is divided into local areas known as diocese, each of which is headed by a bishop, who may have one or more assistant bishops known as auxiliaries in the R.C. church or suffragens in the Anglican church. The bishop is responsible for selecting candidates for the priesthood, and only he can ordain then. He appoints priests to parishes. No one can act as a priest in a diocese without the bishop's consent. Generally, only bishops administer confirmation, but in the R.C. church a priest may do so if given permission. The bishop supervises all the activities of his church, visits all religious institutions at regular intervals and is responsible for teaching the Christian faith in his diocese. Bishops also have a responsibility to arrange works of charity in their areas and to speak up for the poor.

The government of the whole church is done by bishops working collectively. In the R.C. Church the senior bishop is the Pope, the bishop of Rome. In some episcopal churches, i.e. the Roman Catholic and the Orthodox, laity play no part in Church government. In the Anglican Church there is a place for laity in the synod, the council, which makes decisions on matters of concern to the Church.

Bishops are assisted by priests. Bishops and priests are the only ones who may offer the eucharistic service and consecrate the eucharist. Only a priest may forgive sins. The priest has a pastoral responsibility to look after his people when in need. Priests are responsible for an area called a parish, in which they teach the people and hold services. In the Anglican Church women may become priests, but this is not so in the Roman Catholic or Orthodox churches.

Priests may be assisted by deacons. Often these are trainee priests, but there are permanent deacons who do not intend to become priests. They can preach but not consecrate the eucharist or forgive sins. They can conduct weddings, counsel people and work with the poor.

The laity are not ordained. They are allowed to read the scriptures at the eucharist service and to distribute the consecrated elements. They may be teachers of the faith, but they may not preach. The laity are considered to have important roles in bringing up children and doing charity work. Their task is to make the world into a better place through their daily jobs.

The idea underlying all thinking in the episcopal churches is that the eucharist is special. The bread and wine are believed to become the vehicle through which Christ is made present to his people. They are transformed into the body and blood of Christ. Power to transform is not inborn in humankind, and it must be given by God. Unless it is passed on to a person he or she does not possess it. It can only be transmitted by ordination.