Episcopi vagantes

Vagantenbischöfe (Latin episcopi vagantes, Sg episcopus vagans ) originally designated hiking bishops, ie bishops without fixed bishopric. Today, this clergy are particularly referred to colloquially, blessed by the church right in an irregular manner to the bishop or those who separated themselves from their mother church.

Conceptual history

Originally designated episcopi vagantes simply bishops without a bishop 's seat. One reason for this could, for example, be that they were sent on a journey to evangelize to. Such a function is found for the choir bishops in Karantania and Pannonia still in the 8th and 9th century or the missionaries of the Isle of Man. The term is also, for example, common for Irish missionaries of the 10th century with title of bishop. Illegitimate episcopal ordination outside large church structures is thus only one of several causes for the possible status of an episcopus vagans in the sense of historical and technical language word use.

Criteria

Mostly represented Vagantenbischöfe small groups. They act outside any agreement or juridical recognition by the Christian churches. Particular Vagantenbischöfe belong to neither of the Roman Catholic Church nor the Union of Utrecht of the Old Catholic Churches of the Anglican Communion or as bishops. Vagante bishops can cause a schism in the Church ( schism ).

Roman Catholic Church

The Roman Catholic Church distinguishes the effectiveness or validity of a sacramental consecration of their legality or lawfulness in accordance with the canon law. The effectiveness depends on the correct intention of the consecration donor and receiver, as well as complying with essential elements of the rite of ordination from. Furthermore, should the donor consecration in apostolic succession are. Therefore, the ordinations of different episcopi vagantes may indeed be valid, but will be judged without permission. According to church law, all Vagantenbischöfe be regarded as irregular, ineffectiveness for at least many.

In the Early Middle Ages - in the missionary work of Germania and Scandinavia - played Mission bishops without solid diocese a major role. This often acted on behalf of secular rulers or were equipped with an epistle of Pope. You should set up new bishoprics and expand through their work, the sphere of influence of the Christian rulers. The best known example is the holy Boniface, who was ordained 722 by Pope Gregory II in Rome as bishop and 732 received the pallium.

Old Catholic Church

Nulla ecclesia sine Episcopo, nullus episcopus sine ecclesia ( no church without a bishop not a bishop, without a church ): in addition to and notwithstanding the developed in the Mathew affair principle for the Old Catholic Church is true of the Roman Catholic position since Eduard Herzog ( 1915). During the first part of this maxim can be attributed to at Irenaeus of Lyons and Tertullian, the second part has not previously been generally formulated in this way. The statement means that it could - in contrast to the Roman Catholic view - " make the lack of a legitimate election or appointment of a consecration invalid" as well.

The International Episcopal Committee of the Utrecht Union of Old Catholic Churches has discussed the following features for a valid consecration outside of the Roman Catholic Church: they regard any episcopal ordination as valid, the

  • Of (at least) a validly ordained bishop
  • Public
  • For an actually existing diocese ( diocese ) or an actually existing community
  • Laying on of hands and calling down the Holy Spirit upon the consecration to ligand

Is completed.

If one of these are problematic, so it is called a " Vagantenbischof " or " vagrants bishop", depending on whether you want to emphasize more the invalidity or validity of the consecration.

Orthodox churches and Anglican Communion

In the Orthodox and the Anglican Church in addition applies the patristic principle that no municipality may be associated with two bishops at the same time (so-called overlapping jurisdiction ).

Examples

The existing today consecration lines called Vagantenbischöfe can usually be traced back to the following persons as consecrators:

Spiritual sedisvakantistischer groups and churches can also be referred to as " vagrants ".

In addition, there are theosophical communities - claim for their own bishops ordained a line in the apostolic succession - often with bestrittenem third party rights.

Religious law Chorbishop Holy orders Arnold Mathew First Council of Constantinople Lambeth Conferences Acta Apostolicae Sedis
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