On the Role of a Bishop

By: Leon Tillery, Communications Chair of the Bishop Search Committee

“The gospel of peace is the hope for the world.”  Bishop John Thomas Walker

The role of a bishop in The Episcopal Church differs from that in other denominations. In The Episcopal Church, bishops are part of the historic episcopate, meaning they trace their ordination lineage back to the earliest bishops of the Christian Church, including the apostles. In many other Protestant denominations, bishops (if they even have them) may function more like regional supervisors or administrative leaders, without the same sacramental or apostolic role. In The Episcopal Church, the priest (rector) leads congregations, and bishops hold authority over these priests and groups of churches, with the “Presiding Bishop,” often referred to as the “Primate,” above them. While bishops primarily act as leaders and overseers within specific geographical regions (dioceses), they are responsible for providing pastoral care to pastors and congregations, overseeing the administration of sacraments, ordaining new ministers, interpreting church doctrine, and advocating for the church’s mission within their area. They essentially serve as the chief shepherd and spiritual leader.

As successors of the apostles, bishops are recognized as authentic teachers of the faith. Each bishop has pastoral care of the particular church entrusted to them and shares responsibility for the apostolic mission of the Church with other bishops. They serve as the chief shepherd, guiding and nurturing the spiritual growth of the clergy and laity, and as the spiritual leader, setting the direction and tone for the diocese’s mission and ministry.

Bishops hold a unique role in the governance and pastoral care of the Church. Their responsibilities include:

• Ordaining priests and deacons, thereby continuing the ministry cycle.
• Providing oversight and pastoral leadership to the work of deacons under their
  authority.
• Upholding the doctrine and discipline of the Episcopal Church.
• Offering guidance and support to both clergy and laity.
• Confirming baptized persons.
• Offering oversight and pastoral leadership to the dioceses they serve.

As chief administrative officers of their dioceses, bishops chair the bodies that are empowered with the management of the diocese, bodies such as the Executive Council, the Standing Committee, the Board of Trustees, and the like. Bishops are responsible for overseeing the work of their diocesan staff and for ensuring that the missions of the Church in the diocese fulfill their missions effectively and, whenever possible, efficiently. Beyond their administrative and liturgical functions, bishops have an essential pastoral role. They care for the spiritual well-being of clergy and laity within their dioceses. The Book of Common Prayer establishes the bishop as a key figure in the Episcopal branch of the Anglican Church. The bishop is responsible for maintaining the continuity of apostolic ministry, providing leadership, and ensuring the faithful administration of the Church’s teachings and sacraments.

The prayer book further underscores the bishop’s role. The sections titled ‘Ordination Rites in General’ (page 510) and ‘The Ordination of a Bishop’ (pages 511-523) are probably the most useful, along with the Catechism (page 855).

“A bishop, as a steward of God, must be blameless; not arrogant or irritable or a drunkard or a fighter or a lover of money, but a lover of hospitality, a lover of goodness, master of himself, upright, holy, and self-controlled; he must keep hold of the sure word as taught, that he may be able to teach in sound doctrine and also be able to rebuke those who oppose.” (Ti 1:7-9)