InEastern Orthodoxy,autonomy designates a type of limited self-government of a church (group) toward itsmother church. Anautonomous church is self-governing in some aspects, which differentiates it from a non-autonomous church. The aspects on which the autonomous church is self-governing depends on the decision of the mother church. A church that is autonomous has its highest-rankingbishop, such as anarchbishop ormetropolitan, approved (orordained) by theprimate of the mother church.[1][2][3]
Kephale (κεφαλή) means "head" inGreek,[4] whereasnomos (νόμος) means "law".[5] Hence,autocephalous (αὐτοκέφαλος) denotes self-headed,[6] or a "head unto itself"; andautonomous denotes "self-legislated".
There are in addition several Churches which, while self-governing in most respects, do not possess full independence. These are termed 'autonomous' but not 'autocephalous'
ThisEastern Orthodox Christianity–related article is astub. You can help Wikipedia byexpanding it. |