On utilizing "Bishop" and "Archbishop"as titles in the Lutheran Church
For the 2026 LCC National Convention, Overture 2.02 proposes renaming LCC's Regional Pastors as "Bishops" and the Synod President as "Archbishop." Therefore, it deserves very careful attention, because this overture raises genuinely important questions about Biblical language, Confessional integrity, and what our church offices actually are and mean. OVERTURE 2.02: Terminology — “Bishop” and “Archbishop” Strengths of the Proposal • “Bishop” is Genuinely Scriptural and Confessional – Episkopos (επίσκοπος) is the New Testament term for an overseer of the church. The Augsburg Confession and its Apology use “bishop” as the standard term for ecclesiastical overseers. Luther himself retained it. They state they wished to retain bishops if only the bishops would allow the Gospel to be preached. • Practical Honesty – The overture makes a fair observational point: LCC already functions with a stru...
