Role of a metropolitan

[Alex Haig]

Dear all

This has been something that I have been thinking about for a long time: if I make an error in my assumptions, they are not intended and I would be grateful for correction.

It seems obvious that in the early Church, there was a structure of one metropolitan with bishops under him. These bishops were not 'assistant' bishops in the modern sense, but had their own diocese. (I know that there were some 'country' bishops who may have acted as assistants to the city bishop/metropolitan, but they had their own diocese, not a titular one). These 'suffragans' would meet together with their metropolitan in synod and discuss issues of common importance.

Now, we have a situation that, both in the Slav and Byzantine world, we have metropolitans who do not preside over a synod of bishops. Further, the Greeks (I'm not sure about others) now use the title metropolitan for a bishop who does not even have a (real) diocese.

Now, several (!) questions:


When did this change of usage come in?
Was this change necessary or did it just evolve?
Do we have a definition of metropolitan? (except that he is a bishop)
If no to the above, can any individual autocephalous church give a definition of metropolitan?
(I exclude from this question those where a definition is obvious, such as where the metropolitan is the primate of the church.)
What about those churches where all diocesan bishops are metropolitans?
Is it possible to have a metropolitan who does not have suffragans?
Where does the title 'archbishop' come into all this? Why do some churches have him ranked above a metropolitan (which seems to go against ancient custom)?


Question 5 is particularly interesting to me. Is it to suggest that a diocesan bishop is not a suffragan, therefore is able to act in a way that only the early church metropolitans could act?

I know there are many questions here, and possibly many more too. Please feel free to jump in with answering any of them.

With love in Christ

Alex

[Father David Moser]

I don't know that I can address all these questions, but I think that it is important to note first that the titles "Metropolitan" and "Archbishop" are simply indications of the temporal organization and governance of the Church. All bishops have the same spiritual authority and responsibility no matter of the earthly "rank". Also it is important to note that while the structure of Church organization is the same, there is a very real difference in how the terms "Metropolitan" and "Archbishop" are used between the Russian/Slav Tradition and the Greek/Byzantine Tradition such that they are in fact reversed (ie. Greek "Archbishop" = Russian "Metropolitan while Greek "Metropolitan" = Russian "Archbishop" - or possibly simply a Russian "ruling bishop") As I am in the Russian tradition, my answers will be from within that tradition



Do we have a definition of metropolitan? (except that he is a bishop)

A Metropolitan is the ruling bishop of the primary diocese of a Metropolitan district. There are other dioceses in a metropolitan district, each of which is governed by a distinct "ruling bishop" (who may be, but is not necessarily, an archbishop). There may also be vicar or suffragen bishops in those various dioceses according to need who will function as "assistants" to the ruling bishop of the diocese in which they are found. The bishops of the metropolitan district do in fact gather in a council (sobor) which is chaired by the Metropolitan and work out matters of practice and cooperation within the metropolitan district. A metropolitan district is often (but not always) part of a larger national Church and are part of the Patriarchal Sobor (Council of bishops). There are of course self governing (autonomous) and independent (autocephalus) metropolitan districts (for example ROCOR and the OCA respectively).


What about those churches where all diocesan bishops are metropolitans?

Generally these are within the Greek/Byzantine tradition where all "ruling bishops" regardless of the size or importance of the diocese are "Metropolitans" - in Russian/Slav tradition you will not find this. In this case it is simply a matter of how the term is applied and Greek/Byzantine "Archbishops" fill the role of a Russian/Slav Metropolitan


Is it possible to have a metropolitan who does not have suffragans?

Certainly it is, since the Metropolitan is always a "ruling bishop" and he may or may require a vicar/suffragen bishop as an assistant in his diocese. Any "ruling bishop" may or may not have a vicar/suffragen bishop/cathedra within his diocese, however, if you note the implications in the question below a ruling bishop who has a vicar will most likely be an Archbishop or above in rank.


Where does the title 'archbishop' come into all this? Why do some churches have him ranked above a metropolitan (which seems to go against ancient custom)?

In the Russian/Slav tradition an archbishop is generally a ruling bishop who has a certain number of years of seniority/experience who is given additional responsibilities in the governance of the Church - no different than an "archpriest" is a priest who after a certain amount of time is given additional responsibilities (which includes instructing/being a model for the priests of lower rank)

The important thing to remember here is that "metropolitan" and "archbishop" have different - sometimes almost completely reversed - definitions depending on whether you are speaking of Russian/Slav or Greek/Byzantine tradition.

Fr David Moser

[Alex Haig]

Dear Fr David

Your blessing!

Thank you for your reply. In my original post I did not mention something which I had in mind. In the early Church, the title of metropolitan went with a particular city, whereas in the modern Russian practice it seems to go with the person. For example, the Moscow Patriarchate diocese in Britain was previously headed by the Metropolitan of Sourozh but is now lead by the Bishop of Sourozh. Can you comment on this practice?

In Xp

Alex

[Owen]

Sounds like Met. Anthony had a titular metropolis among his titles, which the presnet bishop doesn't have.