episcopacy, in some Christian churches, the office of a bishop and the concomitant system of church government based on the three orders, or offices, of the ministry: bishops, priests, and deacons. The origins of episcopacy are obscure, but by the 2nd century ad it was becoming established in the main centres of Christianity. It was closely tied to the idea of apostolic succession, the belief that bishops can trace their office in a direct, uninterrupted line back to the Apostles of Jesus.
A 2nd-century bishop was charged with the spiritual welfare of his congregation; he was the chief liturgical minister, and he baptized, celebrated the Eucharist, ordained, absolved, controlled finances, and settled matters of dispute. With state recognition of Christianity in the 4th century, the bishop came to be regarded not only as a church leader but also as an important figure in secular affairs.
As the bishops’ duties increased and congregations grew in size and number, it became necessary either to have more bishops or to delegate some of their functions to others. Congregations in an area (diocese) were entrusted to presbyters (priests), assisted by deacons, under the supervision of a bishop. It was this system of church government that became established throughout the church. The bishop retained as his exclusive right the power to confirm church members, ordain priests, and consecrate other bishops.
As the Middle Ages advanced, the system of delegation of duties became excessively organized, and an ecclesiastical bureaucracy came into being. A complex hierarchy of subordinate officials acted on the bishop’s behalf. Although bishops made important contributions to the medieval state, this activity interfered with the office of church leader.
During the Reformation in the 16th century, episcopacy was repudiated by most Protestant churches, partly on the grounds of its involvement in political rule but also because many believed the system was not based on the New Testament. The Roman Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, Anglican, Old Catholic, and Swedish Lutheran churches have the episcopal form of church government, as do some German Lutheran churches, the United Methodist Church, and others.
In the 20th-century ecumenical movement, episcopacy was problematic for churches seeking reunion. Some maintained its necessity to the church, others thought it beneficial to the church, and still others considered it neither necessary nor beneficial. Most Christians agreed that episkopos in its original Greek sense of “overseer” is essential to the church, but they differed as to the functions of the overseer. See also ministry; bishop.