May 2023, at St. John the Divine. Photo by The Episcopal Diocese of New York.
What Is a Bishop?
- The bishop is the leader of their respective diocese
- The bishop leads and serves the entire Episcopal church together with other bishops
A bishop is one of the three orders of ordained ministers in the church – specifically, bishop, priest, and deacon. They are responsible for the apostolic work of leading, supervising, and uniting the church.
The Diocese of Olympia is one of more than one hundred dioceses in the United States and is part of the worldwide Anglican communion.
What Is the Primary Role of a Bishop?
A bishop represents Christ and his church and is called to provide Christian vision and leadership for their diocese.
The Book of Common Prayer (p. 855) notes that the bishop is “to act in Christ’s name for the reconciliation of the world and the building up of the church; and to ordain others to continue Christ’s ministry.”
Apostolic tradition is the belief that the church continues the faith and work of the Apostles. Bishops stand in the apostolic succession, maintaining continuity in the present with the ministry of the Apostles.
Apostolic succession is the belief that bishops are the successors to the apostles and that episcopal authority is derived from the apostles by an unbroken succession in the ministry. This authority is specifically derived through the laying on of hands for the ordination of bishops in lineal sequence from the apostles, through their performing the ministry of the apostles, and through their succession in episcopal sees traced back to the apostles. The apostolic succession is continued in the bishops of the Episcopal Church, who seek to “carry on the apostolic work of leading, supervising, and uniting the Church ” (BCP, p. 510).
The apostolic succession may also be understood as a continuity in doctrinal teaching from the time of the apostles to the present.
What Is a Bishop’s Key Responsibilities?
- Serves as chief sacramental officer and pastor of their diocese
- Ordains priests and deacons
- Performs confirmations, receptions, reaffirmations, and church consecrations
- Blesses altars and fonts and blessings of chalices, patens, and church bells
- Visits all congregations in their diocese at regular intervals
- Presides at diocesan conventions and has administrative responsibility for diocesan activities
Bishops serve as chief pastors of the church, exercising a ministry of oversight and supervision. Diocesan bishops hold jurisdiction in their dioceses, with responsibility for the doctrine, discipline, and worship of the church.
Bishops serve as the focus for diocesan unity and for the unity of their dioceses with the wider church.
How Are Bishops Elected?
In the Episcopal Church, diocesan and suffragan (assisting) bishops are elected by Diocesan Convention.
Bishops-elect are ordained and consecrated once a majority vote of clergy and lay leaders on the same ballot is achieved, consents have been received from a majority of the diocesan standing committees, and a majority of the bishops exercising jurisdiction in the Episcopal Church. Three bishops are required to participate in the ordination and consecration of a bishop.
What Is a Presiding Bishop?
A Presiding Bishop serves as chief pastor to the House of Bishops, representing nine ecclesiastical provinces across The Episcopal Church. Dioceses are organized into these ecclesiastical provinces. Our current Presiding Bishop is Michael Curry, who serves out of the Episcopal Church Center in New York City.
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