Becoming a Bishop : A Theological Handbook of Episcopal Ministry

Why Bishops? What's So Special About Bishops? What Are Bishops Called To And How Best Can They Do It? This Book Is The Single Resource Of Answers To All The Questions One Could Conceivably Have About What A Bishop Is And Their Function And Purpose In The Church. Paul Avis Offers A Fascinating Account Of The Ministerial Identity Of The Bishop, And In Particular The Tasks And Roles Of Episcopal Ministry. Placing The Bishop Within His Wider Ecclesiological Framework, Avis Illuminates The Role Of The Individual In Episcopal Ministry. The Book Sets The Vital Work Of A Bishop Within An Ecclesiological Framework: The Bishop In The Anglican Communion, Within The Church Of Christ, Within The Purposes Of God. The Office And Work Of A Bishop In The Church Of God -- The Bishop's Identity And Tasks -- The Bishop's Authority -- The Bishop In Leadership -- The Bishop And Collaborative Ministry -- The Bishop In The Anglican Communion -- The Bishop And Christian Unity -- The Bishop And The Historic Episcopate -- The Bishop As Scholar And Theologian -- The Bishop In The Public Square -- The Bishop And The Liturgy. By Paul Avis. Includes Index. Includes Bibliographical References And Index. Cover Contents Foreword Preface 1 The office and work of a bishop in the Church of God Becoming a Bishop Anglican orders The good-enough bishop 2 The bishop’s identity and tasks Baptized disciple of Jesus Christ Deacon Presbyter Chief pastor Minister of word and sacrament Overseer (episkopos) Guardian of true doctrine Successor of the apostles Leader in mission Focus and sign of unity Minister of ordination The bishop’s tasks Understanding episcopacy: Some useful resources 3 The bishop’s authority Defining authority Authority and conflict The bishop’s role as the Church seeks to discern God’s will Hearing the word Conciliarity Three constitutional principles Anglican conciliarity Theological foundations 4 The bishop in leadership A biblical basis for leadership Strategic communication The bishop as manager? The bishop as leader Leaders are made, not born 5 The bishop in collaborative ministry Episcopal collegiality How does episcopal collaboration work in practice? 6 The bishop and the Anglican Communion The ecclesiology of the Anglican Communion Separation and breaking communion 7 The bishop and Christian unity Full visible unity The bishop as a sign and focus of unity The bishop working for Christian unity 8 The bishop and the historic episcopate Apostolic communion in time and space Bishops in communion Historic episcopacy and diocesan boundaries 9 The bishop as scholar and theologian Church papers and theological journals Bible study A sense of the Church Nourishing the imagination The bishop as theologian Acceptable exploring 10 The bishop in the public square The naked public square? Anglican contexts Church, state and society 11 The bishop and the liturgy The liturgy – The bishop’s proper work Mutual care and support Catholicity The liturgy preaches the gospel The bishop is not a visitor An evangelistic opportunity Vesture and protocols The bishop and the healing ministry Index of Names