What does a bishop do?

[Lazerboy]

What is the role of a bishop within the Lutheran church? Is it similar to that of a Baptist elder?

 

[Tangible]

The LCMS doesn't have bishops, they have presidents.
The ELCA has a presiding bishop, Bishop Hansen.

In other Lutheran synods and bodies the office of bishop fills the role of presiding head of the synod.

I'm not really familiar with the role of a Baptist elder. Lutheran elders are local church leaders, similar to Baptist deacons. The LCMS doesn't really have deacons, but we do have deaconesses - seminary trained women who fill non-pastoring, executive offices, such as in Lutheran schools and humanitarian organizations.

 

[DaRev]

A 'bishop' (which means 'overseer') in a heirarchial church body is one who oversees a number of congregations within a particular area. In the RCC these areas are called 'dioceses'. In the ELCA they are called 'synods'. The LCMS is not a heirarchial church body, but rather a congregational church body, thus we don't have 'bishops' in the ecclesiastical sense. Our district 'overseers' are referred to as presidents, but they serve a similar purpose.

In the Bible, the term 'bishop' refers mainly to pastors, the overseers of a congregation.

 

[Lazerboy]

The LCMS doesn't have bishops, they have presidents.
The ELCA has a presiding bishop, Bishop Hansen.

In other Lutheran synods and bodies the office of bishop fills the role of presiding head of the synod.

The synod... acts in a similar way... to the Presbyterian presbytery?

I'm not really familiar with the role of a Baptist elder. Lutheran elders are local church leaders, similar to Baptist deacons. The LCMS doesn't really have deacons, but we do have deaconesses - seminary trained women who fill non-pastoring, executive offices, such as in Lutheran schools and humanitarian organizations.

In our Baptist church we have offices of deacon and elder. The deacons look after the physical church building, while the elders help the pastor take care of the spiritual needs of the congregation.

 

[Lazerboy]

A 'bishop' (which means 'overseer') in a heirarchial church body is one who oversees a number of congregations within a particular area. In the RCC these areas are called 'dioceses'. In the ELCA they are called 'synods'. The LCMS is not a heirarchial church body, but rather a congregational church body, thus we don't have 'bishops' in the ecclesiastical sense. Our district 'overseers' are referred to as presidents, but they serve a similar purpose.

In the Bible, the term 'bishop' refers mainly to pastors, the overseers of a congregation.

The LCMS is congregational? I had no idea. Coming from a demonimation with a congregational structure, I know such an organizational system certainly has its advantages and disadvantages.

 

[Kalevalatar]

The Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland is divided into nine dioceses which in turn are made up of parishes that have the same bishop. Within a diocese parishes are grouped into deaneries. A bishop is the spiritual overseer of a diocese (parishes and clergy), and he leads the administration of each diocese by acting as the chairman of a council called “diocesan chapter” that takes care of the administration of the diocese. Pastors are ordained by a bishop, and a bishop also leads ceremonies to receive deacons and deaconesses into the service of the church.

As an exception to the rule the Archdiocese of Turku has two bishops: the archbishop and another bishop. The archbishop acts as the chairperson of several national church bodies including the General Synod (the highest authority), the Church Council, the Bishops’ Conference and the Board of International Relations. The archbishop also presides the consecration of other bishops, but he does not have command over them or the affairs of other dioceses. Among the bishops the archbishop is primus inter pares, the first among equals.

In addition, the chaplain general of Finland’s armed forces is called military/field bishop and is an ex officio member of the General Synod and Bishops’ Conference like all the other bishops.

Kalevalatar