Episcopal Baptist
Encyclopedia
Although most Baptist groups are congregationalist in polity, some have different ecclesiastical organization and adopt an Episcopal polity
governance. In those churches the local congregation has less autonomy and the bishop oversees them, assigning pastors and distributing funds.
denomination in Democratic Republic of the Congo
. It began with evangelical missionaries who accepted the baptist
doctrines in and organized this denomination retaining the episcopal polity
. The Church became autonomous in 1956.
In 2007 there are ten bishops, and 105,000 baptized members in 110 territorial parishes. Most of them in the nine provinces of DRC and some in Angola
and Zambia
. The pastor are under supervision from the bishops, who assign them a church.
The EPB is member of the World Council of Churches
and the Église du Christ au Congo
.
, but without changing a congregational polity.
received Baptists when in its constitution and had the Baptist Rt Rev Dr Samson Das (1963- ), ordained Bishop of Cuttack in 2006.
Episcopal polity
Episcopal polity is a form of church governance that is hierarchical in structure with the chief authority over a local Christian church resting in a bishop...
governance. In those churches the local congregation has less autonomy and the bishop oversees them, assigning pastors and distributing funds.
Evangelical Baptist Union of Georgia
The Evangelical Baptist Union of Georgia historically have an episcopal polity, with an archbishop as the primate. Archbishop Malkhaz Songulashvili, pastor of the Cathedral of Tbilisi is a charismatic figure and social activist.Union of Baptist Churches in Latvia
The Baptists of Latvia are result from a revival among German and Latvian Lutherans and organized their first church in 1861. The Union is headed by a Bishop.Episcopal Baptist Church in Congo
The Église Épiscopale Baptiste is a baptistBaptist
Baptists comprise a group of Christian denominations and churches that subscribe to a doctrine that baptism should be performed only for professing believers , and that it must be done by immersion...
denomination in Democratic Republic of the Congo
Democratic Republic of the Congo
The Democratic Republic of the Congo is a state located in Central Africa. It is the second largest country in Africa by area and the eleventh largest in the world...
. It began with evangelical missionaries who accepted the baptist
Baptist
Baptists comprise a group of Christian denominations and churches that subscribe to a doctrine that baptism should be performed only for professing believers , and that it must be done by immersion...
doctrines in and organized this denomination retaining the episcopal polity
Episcopal polity
Episcopal polity is a form of church governance that is hierarchical in structure with the chief authority over a local Christian church resting in a bishop...
. The Church became autonomous in 1956.
In 2007 there are ten bishops, and 105,000 baptized members in 110 territorial parishes. Most of them in the nine provinces of DRC and some in Angola
Angola
Angola, officially the Republic of Angola , is a country in south-central Africa bordered by Namibia on the south, the Democratic Republic of the Congo on the north, and Zambia on the east; its west coast is on the Atlantic Ocean with Luanda as its capital city...
and Zambia
Zambia
Zambia , officially the Republic of Zambia, is a landlocked country in Southern Africa. The neighbouring countries are the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the north, Tanzania to the north-east, Malawi to the east, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Botswana and Namibia to the south, and Angola to the west....
. The pastor are under supervision from the bishops, who assign them a church.
The EPB is member of the World Council of Churches
World Council of Churches
The World Council of Churches is a worldwide fellowship of 349 global, regional and sub-regional, national and local churches seeking unity, a common witness and Christian service. It is a Christian ecumenical organization that is based in the Ecumenical Centre in Geneva, Switzerland...
and the Église du Christ au Congo
Eglise du Christ au Congo
The Church of Christ in Congo or CCC , is a union of 62 Protestant denominations, in the Democratic Republic of the Congo...
.
Among African-American Baptists
A few African-American Baptist congregations have ordained or started calling their senior minister bishopBishop
A bishop is an ordained or consecrated member of the Christian clergy who is generally entrusted with a position of authority and oversight. Within the Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox Churches, in the Assyrian Church of the East, in the Independent Catholic Churches, and in the...
, but without changing a congregational polity.
India
The uniting Church of North IndiaChurch of North India
The Church of North India , the dominant Protestant denomination in northern India, is a united church established on 29 November 1970 by bringing together the main Protestant churches working in northern India...
received Baptists when in its constitution and had the Baptist Rt Rev Dr Samson Das (1963- ), ordained Bishop of Cuttack in 2006.