Mondays are for Church History
8/12/24
Schaff, Philip. (2014). "Chapter V. The Hierarchy and Polity of the Church." In History of the Christian Church. (The Complete Eight Volumes in One). Volume 3, Nicene and Post-Nicene Christianity A.D. 311-600, from Constantine the Great to Gregory the Great. (pp. 1993-2106). (Original work published 1889). Amazon Kindle Edition. (Personal Library). (sections 48-67).
"§54. Organization of the Hierarchy: Country Bishops, City Bishops, and Metropolitans." (pp. 2022-2026).
Schaff here observes that within the polity of the episcopate, there was a common recognition of different levels of bishops, with a greater authority being vested in those bishops located in areas which held greater political influence (Schaff 2014, p. 2023). Under Constantine, the Roman empire had been divided into four praefectures, and those into a number of subordinate territories, under a variety of names. After the church and state were joined, church governance naturally adopted the political boundaries held by the state, at least for the most part. Bishops in the various regions came to have titles which reflected, to some extent, the extent of their region of influence.
Bishops of rural congregations held the lowest rank (Schaff 2014, p. 2024). The city bishops, especially in the East, were recognized as of greater importance. The distinction between bishops and priests also grew larger, with priests becoming seen as adequate for rural parishes. Meanwhile, bishops in regional capitals came to be known as metropolitans in the East, and archbishops in the West (Schaff 2014, p. 2025). The metropolitans and archbishops gained the authority to ordain bishops and deacons, as well as to make churchly judicial decisions (Schaff 2014, p. 2026). This structure was present in northern Africa before it appeared in Europe.
"§55. The Patriarchs." (pp. 2026-2029).
Schaff notes that five Patriarchs held authority over the metropolitans during the fourth century. These patriarchs "were the bishops of the four great capitals of the empire, Rome, Alexandria, Antioch, and Constantinople; to whom was added, by way of honorary distinction, the bishop of Jerusalem" (Schaff 2014, p. 2027). The patriarchs did not operate as one council. Rather, each individually held sway over his region. Schaff notes that even among the patriarchs there was a ranking, with Rome, Alexandria, Antioch, then Jerusalem being in order from top to bottom. After the founding of Constantinople, it was placed in second position (Schaff 2014, p. 2028). Schaff notes there were periodic power struggles in which one patriarch would try to annex land from another. Various schismatic groups broke off of the recognized patriarchates, with some of the schisms still in existence (Schaff 2014, p. 2029).
8/12/24
Schaff, Philip. (2014). "Chapter V. The Hierarchy and Polity of the Church." In History of the Christian Church. (The Complete Eight Volumes in One). Volume 3, Nicene and Post-Nicene Christianity A.D. 311-600, from Constantine the Great to Gregory the Great. (pp. 1993-2106). (Original work published 1889). Amazon Kindle Edition. (Personal Library). (sections 48-67).
"§54. Organization of the Hierarchy: Country Bishops, City Bishops, and Metropolitans." (pp. 2022-2026).
Schaff here observes that within the polity of the episcopate, there was a common recognition of different levels of bishops, with a greater authority being vested in those bishops located in areas which held greater political influence (Schaff 2014, p. 2023). Under Constantine, the Roman empire had been divided into four praefectures, and those into a number of subordinate territories, under a variety of names. After the church and state were joined, church governance naturally adopted the political boundaries held by the state, at least for the most part. Bishops in the various regions came to have titles which reflected, to some extent, the extent of their region of influence.
Bishops of rural congregations held the lowest rank (Schaff 2014, p. 2024). The city bishops, especially in the East, were recognized as of greater importance. The distinction between bishops and priests also grew larger, with priests becoming seen as adequate for rural parishes. Meanwhile, bishops in regional capitals came to be known as metropolitans in the East, and archbishops in the West (Schaff 2014, p. 2025). The metropolitans and archbishops gained the authority to ordain bishops and deacons, as well as to make churchly judicial decisions (Schaff 2014, p. 2026). This structure was present in northern Africa before it appeared in Europe.
"§55. The Patriarchs." (pp. 2026-2029).
Schaff notes that five Patriarchs held authority over the metropolitans during the fourth century. These patriarchs "were the bishops of the four great capitals of the empire, Rome, Alexandria, Antioch, and Constantinople; to whom was added, by way of honorary distinction, the bishop of Jerusalem" (Schaff 2014, p. 2027). The patriarchs did not operate as one council. Rather, each individually held sway over his region. Schaff notes that even among the patriarchs there was a ranking, with Rome, Alexandria, Antioch, then Jerusalem being in order from top to bottom. After the founding of Constantinople, it was placed in second position (Schaff 2014, p. 2028). Schaff notes there were periodic power struggles in which one patriarch would try to annex land from another. Various schismatic groups broke off of the recognized patriarchates, with some of the schisms still in existence (Schaff 2014, p. 2029).
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