Bishop, in some Christian churches, is a high-ranking official who administers an area containing a number of churches. The word bishop comes from a Greek word meaning overseer. The Anglican, Eastern Orthodox, Roman Catholic, and some other churches have bishops, as do certain Lutheran and Methodist groups.
Bishops are appointed or elected, depending on their church. In the Anglican, Eastern Orthodox, and Roman Catholic churches, each bishop administers a district called a diocese. These churches teach that only bishops possess full priesthood and, therefore, only they can ordain clergy and perform certain other priestly functions. Such churches consider bishops the successors of the apostles of Jesus Christ. This relationship is called apostolic succession. In the Lutheran and Methodist churches, all ministers, including bishops, have equal rank.
