The Orthodox and Roman Catholic churches are organized around the office of the bishop. As the development of the episcopacy has been covered above (under Evolution of the episcopal office), this section will examine the organization of the Reformation churches. Occupying a special position among these churches is the episcopal polity of the Anglican Communion. Despite the embittered opposition of Puritan and independent groups in England during the 16th and 17th centuries, this polity has maintained the theory and practice of the episcopal office of apostolic succession. The Low Church tradition of the Anglican Communion views the ... (100 of 126,760 words)Church polity
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Christ as Ruler, with the Apostles and Evangelists (represented by the beasts). The female figures are believed to be either Santa Pudenziana and Santa Práxedes or symbols of the Jewish and Gentile churches. Mosaic in the apse of Santa Pudenziana basilica, Rome, ad 401–417.
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Detail from Expulsion of Adam and Eve, fresco by Masaccio, c. 1427; in the Brancacci Chapel, Church of Santa Maria del Carmine, Florence.
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Moses expounding the law, illuminated manuscript page from the Bury Bible, about 1130. In Corpus Christi College, Cambridge.
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Greek Bible. Page from The Gospel According to Matthew, 6th century ad.
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Statue of Diocletian’s tetrarchy, red porphyry, c. ad 300, brought to Venice in 1258.
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Marble colossal head of Constantine the Great, part of the remains of a giant statue from the Basilica of Constantine, in the Roman Forum, c. ad 313.
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Apse of the church of St. Apollinare in Classe, Ravenna, Italy, second half of the 6th century.
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World distribution of Christianity, c. 2000.
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Communion of the Apostles, panel by Justus of Ghent, c. 1473–74; in the Palazzo Ducale, Urbino, Italy.
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St. Augustine, fresco by Sandro Botticelli, 1480; in the Church of the Ognissanti, Florence.
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St. Thomas Aquinas Enthroned Between the Doctors of the Old and New Testaments, with Personifications of the Virtues, Sciences, and Liberal Arts, fresco by Andrea da Firenze, c. 1365; in the Spanish Chapel of the church of Santa Maria Novella, Florence.
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Stained glass window depicting God the Father and angels.
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Satan leaves the presence of God to test God’s faithful servant Job. Engraving by William Blake, 1825, for an illustration of The Book of Job.
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Transfiguration of Christ, mosaic icon, early 13th century; in the Louvre, Paris.
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The so-called “Beautiful Window”; stained glass depicting the Virgin Mary on her throne, 12th–13th century; Chartres Cathedral, France.
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The Trinity represented by Christ as a man, the Holy Spirit as a dove, and God as a hand; Armenian miniature of the baptism of Jesus, 1273; in the Topkapi Museum, Istanbul.
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St. Athanasius, detail of a 12th-century mosaic; in the Palatine Chapel, Palermo, Italy.
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Universal Man, manuscript illumination from Scivias (1141–52) by Hildegard of Bingen.
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St. Peter’s Basilica on St. Peter’s Square, Vatican City.
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The Landing of the Pilgrims at Plymouth, Mass., Dec. 22, 1620, lithograph by Currier & Ives, c. 1876.
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The Temptation of Saint Anthony, oil painting by Hiëronymus Bosch, in the Städtisches Museum Simeonstift Trier, Germany.
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The Annunciation, tempera on wood by Simone Martini, 1333 (saints on either side of the central panel by Lippo Memmi); in the Uffizi Gallery, Florence.
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The Last Judgment, fresco by Michelangelo; 1533–41, in the Sistine Chapel, Vatican, Rome.
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Emanuel Swedenborg, painting by Per Krafft the Elder, 1766; in Gripsholm Castle, Sweden.
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St. Anselm (centre), terra-cotta altarpiece by Luca Della Robbia (1399/1400–82); in the Museo Diocesano, Empoli, Italy.
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The Adoration of the Magi, oil painting by Albrecht Dürer, 1504; in the Uffizi Gallery, Florence.
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Detail of The Deeds of the Antichrist, fresco by Luca Signorelli, c. 1505; in the Duomo, Orvieto, Italy.
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Bartolomé de Las Casas, Spanish line engraving, 1791.
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Justus Sustermans, portrait of Galileo Galilei, date unknown, oil on canvas.
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The extent of Christianity during the period of the Crusades.
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Paul’s missionary travels in the eastern Mediterranean.
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Geographical distribution of the religions of the world in the early 1980s.
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The Aztec civilization was decimated within 50 years of the Spanish conquest.
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Every culture has been shaped by its own mythology.
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In some villages of Greece, ancient customs are still performed.
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Celtic spirituality evolved from a very primitive state into a belief system that is mostly concerned with how spirituality works in everyday life.
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Learn how Christianity came about in Ireland.
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A letter written by Pliny the Younger in the second century is one of the first non-Christian records of Christianity
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Whitby is important in church history because it is where it was decided to unify the Christian church with Roman rule.
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Christianity has played an important part in the history of the Isle of Man.
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Israel’s capital city has a long and tumultuous past.
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Learn how the fish became a symbol of Christianity.
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Prayer means different things to different people.
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Christians look to the bible for proof that prayer sometimes changes God’s will.
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Christians discuss the importance of confessional prayers.
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Christians believe it is important to be unceasing in prayer.
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Experts discuss the Christian concept of intercessory prayer.
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Here are the words to the Lord’s Prayer.
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Chapter 11 of Luke’s Gospel outlines the parts of a Christian prayer.
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Christians believe miracles happen because of prayers to their God.
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Christians ask for God’s help with petitionary prayers.
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Christians discuss the role of praise and thanksgiving in their prayers.
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Power prayer is an exciting, charismatic part of praying for a Christian.
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Many different religions are practiced in Kenya.
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This ancient city has great religious significance.
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Learn how the city of Dion was destroyed and what became of it.
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Learn about the impact Mary had on the rise of Christianity over paganism.
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The World Council of Churches is concerned with unity and peace throughout the world’s faith communities.
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Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams discussing the history of Christian attitudes toward bodily self-denial, Gresham College, London, June 4, 2008. Click here to view the video at Fora.tv.