Episcopal polity is the form of government common to congregations of the Church of the Holy Light in which the chief local authorities are called bishops.
Purpose and Function[]
The Church teaches that the authority of the government of the church is not the product of any mortal ambition, but rather an organization that was ordained by the Holy Light. The philosophy of the Holy Light is one of rational debate and authentic conviction. The Church and its institutions are a visible sign and instrument of the communion of all believers, for without such an instrument, the philosophy of the Three Virtues would become misused and misunderstood, perilous to the unknowing soul as the philosophy of the Holy Light indeed is.
Most bishops in the Church of the Holy Light have authority over dioceses, which are effectively the administrative bodies that act between local congregations and clergy to the international body of the Church of the Holy Light. The bishops oversee their local courts and are immediately responsible for the education of the clergy in their jurisdiction. Bishops are often subject is some wise to bishops of higher rank, including the bishop of their provincial seat and, finally, the Archbishop.
The bishop, which is most usually a priest, has all faculties afforded to a priest. However, they differ from priests in three fundamentally sacral aspects: the faculty to consecrate bishops, anoint paladins, and ordain priests.
The bishop's presidency is both sacramental and political. The local bishop, in addition to consecration, ordination, anointment, and other ecclesiastic responsibilities, is also representative of the church to all civic structures within the jurisdiction, including legislatures, courts, militaries, nobles, and any other structure according to the specific needs and customs of his area.
In addition, bishops gather in the Council of Bishops, the advistory and legislative, and contribute to the body of the worldwide church. Some participate in Congregations which serve the worldwide church at the pleasure of the Archbishop and his cabinet. In some ways, these congregation, subject to the presidency of a hierarchy, govern the dioceses and in others they are advisory bodies.
Bishops gain their teaching authority from an unbroken succession of clerics dating back to the foundation of the church in prehistory. Therefore, succession of bishops is transmitted through other bishops.