Congregationalism and episcopal
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....sign manual the words of Jesus: 'Where 2 or 3 are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them'." In Black's Law Dictionary 'Congregation' is explained thus: "An assembly or gathering; specifically, an assembly or society of persons who together constitute the principal supporters of a particular Parish, or habitually meet at the same church for religious exercises." The word is explained in the Faiths of the World Vol.1 at page 589 thus: "This word, like the term Church (which see) is sometimes used in a more extended and at other times in a more restricted sense. In its widest acceptation, it includes the whole body of the Christian people. It is thus employed by the Psalmist when he says, "Let....
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....ernment which recognises a distinction of ranks among the ministers of religion, having as its fundamental article that a bishop is superior to a presbyter". 'Bishop' in the same book is defined as under:- "one who in Episcopalian churches has the oversight of the clergy of a diocese or district". These definitions of 'congregationalism' and 'episcopal' have been extracted to give an idea how the expressions are understood as the entire submission of autonomy of the Churches is based on whether the Parishes are congregational or episcopal. The basic or essential characteristic as appears from the above definitions and explanation of 'congregationalism' and 'episcopal' is that in the former the aut....


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