An Episcopal Dictionary of the Church

Independent Bishops

Independent bishops are those persons who hold the title bishop or archbishop in an irregular manner. Although they derive their authority through the traditional lineage of bishops reaching back through the ancient patriarchical sees of Rome, Jerusalem, Alexandria, Antioch, Canterbury, and Constantinople to the Apostles, they have neither organizational connection nor intercommunion with these traditional centers of Christianity. They are also called “bishops irregular,” “bishops at large,” and “episcopi vagantes.” See Episcopi Vaganti.

Glossary definitions provided courtesy of Church Publishing Incorporated, New York, NY,(All Rights reserved) from “An Episcopal Dictionary of the Church, A User Friendly Reference for Episcopalians,” Don S. Armentrout and Robert Boak Slocum, editors.