Why does the Pope appoint all the bishops?

[NFrancis]

Is this what was done in the Early Church? Or were there something like bishops conferences that elected the bishops or something.

 

[Advocatus_Fidei]

For the same reason Christ picked all the Apostles and the Bishop chooses all the Priests in his diocese.

 

[utunumsint]

Is this what was done in the Early Church? Or were there something like bishops conferences that elected the bishops or something.

Sometimes they were elected by the local populace, sometimes appointment came from other bishops, sometimes bishops were appointed by an emperor, and sometimes by the pope.

There was definitly a sense in the early church that the bishops were successors to the apostles, especially for the sees of Rome, Antioch, and Alexandria. The see of Jerusalem was destroyed so many times that it never really had much of a presense.

At the first ecumenical council, you got official declaration of Rome, Antioch, and Alexandria as Apostolic sees with Rome as the first in honor. The bishops of these cities were called metropolitans. It was defined that three or more bishops could appoint another bishop, but their local metropolitan had to confirm the appointment. Later on, another level of authority was added. The bishops of Rome, Antioch, Alexandria, Constantinople, and Jerusalem were called patriarchs. Metropolitans (now equivalent to Archbishop) were over any large city. They answered to patriarchs. Bishops were under metropolitans.

Because there were always people claiming that the election of a bishop was invalid, Rome was often appealled to in order to settle these issues and to confirm elections. Emperors, especially for important cities like Constantinople, loved to meddle in the election of the patriarchs of that city.

When a layman meddles in episcopal elections, this is called lay investiture. It became a really big problem in the dark ages and the early middle ages. During the dark ages, the office of the pope became very much a political chess peice for Roman, German, or Frankish Aristocrates. During the time of Leo IX, and Gregory the VII, you get the erradication of lay investiture. The Pope had to clash with many of the ruling nobility to get this settled, because bishoprics had become cash cows by then to be given to whomever a king or emperor favoured. It was also during this time that the electoral body of cardinals was established, who alone could elect the next pope. The pope also had the sole right to approve the appointment of bishops.

Anyway, to make a long story short, the Pope decided to appoint all bishops to remove secular control over the office of bishop. It was definitly the right decision for those days. If it still is a good decision now…I don’t know.

God bless,
Ut

 

[rwoehmke]

In addition, because a Bishopric was often a “cash cow” for a Bishop there was also an abuse called simony, whereby the office was put for bids. Another abuse was that some Bishops obtained more than one diocese and were sometimes “bishop in absentia.” They did not live in their diocese, but only collected the income. Some Bishops kept the office in the family by appointing a son or nephew to replace them; a problem called nepotism. So one can easily understand why the Pope became the final arbiter as to who was going to be appointed Bishop.

 

[mardukm]

The Pope generally does not appoint the bishops of Eastern/Oriental Catholic Churches.

Even in the Western Church, I think the Pope’s role is generally to confirm bishops, not to appoint them directly. As always, I’m open to correction on this.

Blessings,
Marduk

 

[tafan]

Is this what was done in the Early Church? Or were there something like bishops conferences that elected the bishops or something.

utunumsint gave a pretty good summary. I would only add this point. Why do you ask only about the early churching? While there is much to be learned by studying the early church and the teachings of the church fathers, we should be careful not to think everything should go back to the form of the early church. Would you like to do awayt with private confessions and only have the sacrament available through a public confession of sin?
With respect to bishops and the early church is to recognize that they existed in much the same role as they hold now. And they existed from the start and in all areas of the church. It is a testament to the inherent hierarchical nature of the true church.