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Bishop |
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The word “bishop” stems from the Greek term episkopos, whose etymology suggests a “directing hand.” The New Testament makes it clear that the Apostles established local leaders in the communities they founded. The most frequent titles used to designate these leaders are presbuteroi (presbyters), episkopoi (bishops), and diakonoi (deacons). Many Scripture scholars say it is difficult to determine in every detail the respective functions of these men. Catholic faith affirms that bishops are true successors of the Apostles, and that the episcopacy is a determined order in the Church. “Amongst those various offices which have been exercised in the Church from the earliest times the chief place, according to the witness of tradition, is held by the function of those who, through their appointment to the dignity and responsibility of bishop, and in virtue consequently of the unbroken succession going back to the beginning, are regarded as transmitters of the apostolic line” (Vatican Council II, Dogmatic Constitution on the Church, Lumen Gentium, 20). Debated Questions • Since the end of the nineteenth century there has been some debate, fueled by studies in the history of early Christianity as well as by New Testament studies, concerning the exact nature of the ordained ministry the Apostles put in place. This debate affects the ordained ministry as a whole, but it has special implications for the office of bishop. Some present-day scholars, such as Hans Küng and Edward Schillebeeckx, argue for the position, one already advanced by Modernist theologians, that the Apostles instituted bishops and presbyters to provide leadership in the constantly growing Christian communities but not necessarily with a mind to continue their own apostolic authority as it had been received from Christ. The argument, it should be noted, is largely one of silence, that is, based on what is not explicitly to be found in the pages of the New Testament. The important theological question at stake in these discussions concerns the nature of the sacrament of Holy Orders. We can put the question in this way: Do the bishop and priest share uniquely in the very priesthood of Christ, which could only be the case if Christ himself so established their unique form of participation in it; or are they only recognized Church officeholders, instituted for the sake of the organizational convenience required to maintain any well-run group? Since the question pertains to the truth of the Catholic faith, the Magisterium of the Church is the only authority competent to resolve it. The Second Vatican Council in its Dogmatic Constitution on the Church, Lumen Gentium, declared: “This sacred Synod teaches that by divine institution bishops have succeeded to the place of the apostles as shepherds of the Church . . . so that he who hears them, hears Christ” (20). In a preeminent way, then, the bishop acts in the Person of Christ the head and shepherd. Another question debated by theologians before the Council was what distinguishes a bishop from a priest. Some medieval theologians held that the bishop remains a priest, though one to whom an office of jurisdiction is confided. The Church now teaches definitively that the bishop enjoys the fullness of the sacrament of Order (cf. Lumen Gentium, 21), from which flows his authority. One liturgical source, the Sacramentary of Verona, expresses this in a formulary used for the ordination of a bishop: “Complete in your priests the highest point of your mystery.” This fullness or acme is exercised in the threefold office or munus of the bishop, that of sanctifying, teaching, and governing. Office of the Bishop • Vatican II’s Decree on the Bishops’ Pastoral Office in the Church, Christus Dominus, underscores the place of preaching the Gospel in the episcopal office: “With the courage imparted by the Spirit, they should call men to faith or strengthen them in living faith. To them they must expound the mystery of Christ in its entirety. This involves those truths ignorance of which is ignorance of Christ” (11). As successors of the Apostles, then, bishops have been entrusted with the task of preserving, explaining, and spreading the word of God of which they are servants (cf. Vatican Council II, Dogmatic Constitution on Divine Revelation, Dei Verbum, 10). When this teaching is done in communion with the head and members of the College of Bishops, the Church recognizes an authentic exercise of the Magisterium of the Church’s pastors. The Council explained: “The infallibility promised to the Church is also present in the body of bishops when, together with Peter’s successor, they exercise the supreme Magisterium” (Lumen Gentium, 25). The diocesan bishop enjoys the pastoral care of the particular church entrusted to him; in some cases, he may be assisted by a coadjutor bishop and one or several auxiliary bishops. The hierarchical communion of the Church is revealed especially in the celebration by the bishop of the Eucharist. The distinctive ceremonies prescribed for episcopal liturgies emphasize the importance of this moment in the life of the local church. The bishop uses several insignia that are the signs of his office and rank: the pastoral ring, which symbolizes his bond or spiritual marriage to the local Church; the staff, or crozier, which is a symbol of his authority as chief shepherd of the flock; the miter (from the Greek word for turban), a shield-shaped headdress with two lappets at the back. It is the custom as well for bishops to wear pectoral crosses around their necks as signs of their special relationship to Christ and of their obligation to preach “Christ crucified” (1 Cor 1:23). The bishop is the ordinary, but not the only, minister of the sacrament of Confirmation, and he alone can confer the sacrament of Holy Orders. Because the Bishop of Rome is the supreme visible bond of the communion of the particular churches, the lawful ordination of a bishop requires a special intervention of the Pope. Some theologians, mostly of the Reformed traditions, consider this practice an exception to what they allege was the practice of the early Church. The point is moot for the most part, since only the Anglican and, in some countries, the Lutheran communions continue the practice of ordaining bishops. See: Apostolic Succession; Collegiality; Ecumenical Council; Episcopal Conference; Holy Orders; In Persona Christi Capitis; Magisterium; Modernism; Pope; Priesthood of Christ; Synod of Bishops. Suggested Readings: CCC 873, 893-894, 895, 879, 888, 1142, 1536, 1555-1561. Vatican Council II, Decree on the Bishops’ Pastoral Office in the Church, Christus Dominus. R. Brown, Priest and Bishop. Romanus Cessario, O.P Russell Shaw. Our Sunday Visitor's Encyclopedia of Catholic Doctrine. Copyright © 1997, Our Sunday Visitor.
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