Bishops

Bishops today have a very different lifestyle to those in medieval times, when they were very wealthy, with rents coming in from multiple manors, churches and other properties in the ownership of their allotted region, or diocese. It was also once believed by all that they possessed a special holy aura handed down in a direct line from the Apostles through the consecration ceremony. They were trusted with judging court cases and were given ‘palaces’ as official residences.

Nevertheless, Bishops retain their seniority among clergy, with the two Archbishops at the top. In the past they were based at cathedrals and would lead many services but as congregations grew and Bishops, as learned men, were often called away on state business, assistants took over and Bishops now generally take only 10-15 key services per year, e.g. Easter, Christmas, ordinations.

The Archbishops and 24 fellow Bishops sit in the House of Lords as ‘Lords Spiritual’, a convention which sprang from their ability to help the monarchs with administration. There are perhaps 150 Bishops in the UK currently, including those allocated to particular groups such as the armed forces. Bishops in the Church of England, as the Established Church, are appointed ultimately by the King.

(Image of Bishop of Oswestry being consecrated: KHardie at Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 4.0)