Wing 2 — Inside Christianity · Phase 2

Church Government

Episcopal, Presbyterian, and Congregational ecclesiology — government models scorecard, apostolic succession chain-of-custody analysis, and honest Filter-7 mapping.

All three models steelmanned — apostolic succession chain mapped with L1/L2/L3 evidence levels; Catholic/Orthodox responses presented in full

Framework Note

Ecclesiology — the theology of the church — determines who has authority to interpret Scripture, who may administer the sacraments, and what makes a gathering of Christians "the church" rather than a voluntary association. These are not merely organizational debates; they are ontologically loaded claims. Each of the three government models receives its strongest case here — none is presented as democratic, authoritarian, or indifferent.

The Three Government Models

Not a spectrum from "authoritarian" to "democratic" — each is a coherent theological system with biblical and historical grounds.

Episcopal

—Governance by bishops in apostolic succession

Christ's authority transmitted through an unbroken chain of ordained bishops. The bishop is not merely an administrator but the visible focus of the local church's unity and the bearer of sacramental authority. Catholic, Orthodox, Anglican, and many Lutheran bodies.

CatholicOrthodoxAnglicanMany Lutheran

Presbyterian

—Governance by ordained elders in assemblies

Authority is collegial, not monarchical. Local sessions, regional presbyteries, and general assemblies govern through representative ordained elders. The NT office of "elder" (presbyteros) and "overseer" (episkopos) are the same office — no separate bishop-rank above elders.

PresbyterianReformedSome Methodist

Congregational

—Each local congregation is fully the church

Each local congregation possesses all the authority Christ gives to his church. No binding external hierarchy. The New Testament church is a collection of local congregations, not a hierarchical institution. Matthew 18:15-20 (the local church as final court) is the primary locus.

BaptistCongregationalistMost evangelical

Why It Matters: The Stakes

Interpretive Authority

In the Catholic and Orthodox models, the Magisterium (Catholic) or Holy Tradition interpreted by the bishops (Orthodox) is the authoritative interpreter of Scripture. Sola Scriptura (Lutheran, Reformed) relocates authority to the text as interpreted by trained exegetes under the Spirit's guidance. Congregationalism locates interpretation in the gathered, Spirit-led congregation. These are not equivalent positions — they produce different hermeneutical results and different responses to doctrinal disputes.

Sacramental Validity

Who may legitimately celebrate the Eucharist or baptize? The Catholic position: only a validly ordained priest (ordained by a validly ordained bishop in apostolic succession) can celebrate a valid Eucharist. Invalid ordination = invalid Eucharist. Leo XIII's Apostolicae Curae (1896) formally declared Anglican orders "absolutely null and utterly void" — contested by Anglicans and Lutherans. The stakes of this claim are not abstract.

Schism & Reunion

The ecumenical dialogues of the 20th century (ARCIC — Anglican-Roman Catholic International Commission; Lutheran-Catholic Joint Declaration on Justification, 1999; Orthodox-Catholic dialogues at Chambésy) all run against the question of apostolic succession and ministerial orders. Understanding ecclesiology is prerequisite to understanding why Christian unity is so difficult.