episcopacy
1
9.9
- noun
- /ɪˈpɪskəpəsi/
- Formal
- The episcopacy plays a crucial role in maintaining the traditions and governance of the church.
- episcopacy and papacy
- primacy and episcopacy
- Catholic episcopacy
Examples
-
Nonetheless, throughout his episcopacy, he embraced the changes set out in Vatican II and the subsequent gatherings.
Academic text (1996) -
During his episcopacy, he began construction of a large leprosarium outside the capital.
Academic text (2006) -
To this end, the episcopacy continues to issue statements critical of the current political and economic environment in Mexico.
Academic text (1999) -
Leaders within the government and episcopacy share an interest in silencing the "people's Church."
Academic text (1999) -
Energized by this massive show of social influence, the Mexican episcopacy went on the offensive in the 1980s.
Academic text (1999) -
Though thankful for the ideological support of the episcopacy, the leaders of the conservative reaction still demanded control.
Academic text (1999) -
During the last phase of the struggle, the entire episcopacy fled Mexican territory, leaving the church bereft of leadership.
Academic text (1999) -
The same can be said for the praxis of the Church regarding the relation of papacy and episcopacy.
Academic text (2002) -
In fact, Vatican I did not present a distorted teaching either about the papacy or the episcopacy.
Academic text (2002) -
Richard Hooker was an Anglican conservative, a supporter of monarchy and episcopacy against Puritan insurgents.
Academic text (1998)
Synonyms
1
9.9
An office, rank, or group of senior church leaders in the Catholic Church
1
9.9
The group of bishops who lead a church
1
9.9
A form of Christian church government led by bishops, as in the Episcopal Church
1
9.9
A system where bishops and senior leaders lead the church
A group of church leaders who make official decisions
How Self-Governing
Surface Forms
Morphology
episcopacy = episcopate (opaque) = episcop + acy
The stem 'episcop-' (meaning 'bishop') is a specialized combining form unfamiliar to most learners, so adding '-acy' does not yield an obvious meaning.
Etymology
Episcopacy comes from an old Greek word episkopos meaning 'overseer', made of epi- 'over' and skopos 'watcher', and it is the same root that gave the English word bishop. So episcopacy means the system or group of those 'overseers'—the bishops—who are in charge of a church.