Monarchial Episcopate — Three is a Very Good Number

The “monarchial episcopate” was a three-tiered structure that placed a single bishop as the authoritative leader over a particular city. Beneath him were lower authoritative positions: elders and deacons.

Monarchial: Pertaining to, characteristic of, befitting to or having the status of a monarch (a hereditary sovereign, as a king, queen, or emperor; one who holds a dominant position).

Episcopate: the territorial jurisdiction of a bishop.

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American Christians might well wonder why a system of church government didn’t involve a more democratic approach. Why trickle down government — the division of clergy and laity — in preference to spreading the gospel as equals, or at least the process of “electing” one’s leaders? But when you consider the time period in which church government evolved, there was no democratic government from which to model it. As Jesse Hurlbut comments, “Christianity arose not in a republic where citizens chose their own rulers, but in an empire ruled by authority.” (1)

As church government became more and more necessary, bishops rose to fill the leadership void. The church willingly submitted to this leadership because they were accustomed to a similar form outside the church.

The monarchial episcopate system worked well in governing a particular city — but what do you do when you have doctrinal disputes between cities? Well, that was the next hurdle to be overcome. Enter the Pope.

Over the slow course of three centuries, “the church” moved from a body of believers (ecclesia) — to a people who were loosely governed by a ruling presbytery (elders) — to the addition of an overseeing bishop for each city (bishop) — to a full-blown Catholic structure where the Pope was the ultimate authority at the very top.

Soon Christianity would have a new King — or at least the earthly representation of such — and for all practical purposes the same thing.

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Next up: Papal Infallibility
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Footnote References:
(1)  Jesse Lyman Hurlbut, The Story of the Christian Church, page 48
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