How is the Episcopal Church governed? Is each parish free to make its own choices and go its own way?
A. The Episcopal Church is a hierarchical church under the authority of bishops. A diocesan bishop, who in turn is accountable for his actions to the other bishops of the Episcopal Church, governs each diocese, or geographical grouping of parishes. A diocese elects its bishop. Episcopal bishops are not appointed by the Archbishop of Canterbury, as are Roman Catholic bishops appointed by the pope. Our government is both constitutional and democratic. Each parish has a counsel of elected lay persons, called a vestry, and this counsel represents the parish in all matters concerning its property and many matters concerning its daily life and practice. The vestry, in conjunction with the diocesan bishop, calls the parish priest. The governing body of the larger national church, The Episcopal Church in the United States, to whom the diocesan bishops are accountable, is governed by a “General Convention,” made up of all bishops of the Church and priests and lay people elected as representativ
