ARCHBISHOP, a metropolitan churchman, who has authority over several bishops, called his suffragans.
This title seems, at first, to have been wholly of a personal nature ; and given to those who, by their ta lents and respectability, were most distinguished in the church. It appears to have been introduced about the time of Athanasius, (A. D. 320,) who applied it to his predecessor in the see of Alexandria; and Athanasius himself is spoken of by Gregory Nazianzen, under the same title; hut in neither of these circumstances was it conceived to imply any specific jurisdiction or prece dency. In early times, the archbishop and the metropo litan were distinct from each other. The former ap pears to have been nothing more than a bishop, or pres byter, of high respectability ; while the latter, as the name imports, was the chief ecclesiastical person in a a large city ; whose authority, limited at first to the churches of that city, was afterwards extended to those of the towns and villages, either situated in its vicinity or dependent upon it. In some countries of Europe, and especially in Italy, the distinction between the arch bishop and the metropolitan still exists; and in these countries there are individuals, who, though they are addressed by the former appellation, and hold the same rank which it implies, have no such jurisdiction or au thority in the church as is included in the latter. Sec Bower's Hist. Pop. i. p. 110. See also BISHOP.
Wherever Christianity has been established, and en joyed the protection of the state, the form of ecclesi astical administration has been regulated, in a good measure, by the existing character of the civil consti tution. This vas the case when presbyterianism was introduced into Switzerland, under the direction and authority of Calvin ; and it was very particularly the case at a time long before the reformation, when Con stantine the Great, having professed himself a Chris tian, determined that the religion which he had adopted should be received throughout the Roman dominions, and acknowledged as the religion of the empire. Leav ing whatever respected the doctrine of the church to the cognizance of its immediate functionaries, he re solved that its external constitution should be regulated solely by his own authority. The form of ecclesiastical administration was made to approximate to the civil, and degrees of rank and eminence, hitherto little known, were introduced among the teachers of religion. Ac cording to the new arrangement, the patriarchs held the first place of distinction. These exalted person ages were the bishops of Rome, Antioch, and Alexan dria, who seem to have acquired, at a very early period, a certain eminence above the rest of the episcopal or der; and to these was added the bishop of Constanti nople, about the time when the seat of authority, and the imperial residence, were transferred from Italy to the banks of the Euxine. The patriarchs, therefore, were four in number, corresponding to the four praeto rian prafects appointed by Constantine; and the eccle siastical interests of the whole empire, in as far at least as respected the doctrine of the church and the instruc tion of its members, were committed to their jurisdic tion and care. Next to the patriarchs, came the officers styled *emoi -r7); (3‘;tug4G-Eeds. Their authority extended to several provinces, and answered to that of the impe rial officers, who were distinguished by the same title. The Eiapxci 111; or metropolitans, (sometimes likewise called archbishops,) held the third place. And, last of all came the bishops, a class of men who were originally the instructors each of one church or con gregation; but who, at the time of Constantine, bore certain rule over the districts in the immediate vicinity of the places where they resided.
In England there are two archhishops,*, those of Can terbury and York ; the former styled primate of all Eng land, and the latter primate of England ; but with regard to the exact distinctions between these appellations, there is no little obscurity in the books of such as treat upon this subject. We are informed by Dr Burn, (Ecclesiastical Law, vol. i. p. 176) that the archbishop of Canterbury is styled primate of all England ; because, when the popes took the archiepiscopal authority into their own hands, he exercised a legatine jurisdiction, both in the province of Canterbury and in that of York ; and because he still has the right secured to him by act of parlialknt, of granting licences and conferring de grees in either of these provinces. But while this is stated, and appears to be satisfactory, we are not told how in such circumstances the archbishop of York came to be denominated the primate of England, or what specific meaning we are to attach to that designation.
It is not to he questioned, however, that the archbishop of Canterbury is an ecclesiastic superior, both in rank and authority, to the metropolitan of York. In ancient times, his primacy extended to Ireland as well as Eng land ; and there is good reason for asserting, that, dur ing the reigns of William the conqueror and his imme diate successors, Scotland and the adjacent isles were included within his jurisdiction. Hence, lie was styled a patriarch; had the titles of 44 Orbis Britannici Ponti fex," and of "Papa alterius orbis ;" and in the general councils abroad, he took place of every other archbi shop. At home, the archbishop of Canterbury is the first peer of the realm, having precedency before all dukes not of royal issue, and all the great officers of state ; it belongs to him to crown the sovereigns of Eng land ; and when he is vested in his archbishoprick, he is said to be inthroned. He can retain and qualify eight chaplains. By authority of the king, he summons the bishops and clergy of his province to meet in convoca tion, and presides in it. He is addressed by the titles of Your Grace, and Most Reverend Father in God, and writes himself, by Divine Providence, Archbishop of Canterbury, &c. The first prelates in England are his officers. Thus, the bishop of London is his provincial dean, the bishop of Winchester his chancellor, the bi shop of Salisbury his precentor, the bishop of Worcester his chaplain ; and while the authority of the pope con tinued to be acknowledged, the bishop of Rochester carried the cross before him. The metropolitan juris diction of Canterbury extends to 21 dioceses, viz. those of Rochester, London, Winchester, Norwich, Lincoln, Ely, Chichester, Salisbury, Exeter, Bath and Wells, Worcester, Coventry and Lichfield, Hereford, Landaff, St Davids, Bangour, St Asaph, of ancient foundations ; and Gloucester, Bristol, Peterborough, and Oxford, erected out of the ruins of dissolved monasteries by king Henry VIII. Within his province, the rights and privileges of the archbishop of Canterbury are very con siderable. He holds several courts of judicature ; as the prerogative court, the court of peculiars, the court. of audience, and the court of arches. An appeal lies to him from any of the bishops under his superintend ance ; and from the consistory court of any diocese to the archiepiscopal court. While the king is guardian of the temporalities in vacant sees, the archbishop is guar dian of the spiritualities ; and the latter is entitled to present, jure devoluto, to all the livings in the gift of his diocesan bishops, if these are not disposed of within six months after the death of the incumbent. It belongs to the archbishOp to consecrate the bishops in his pro vince ; and at each consecration, he has the privilege of nominating a clerk, or chaplain, to be provided for by the bishop ; though of late years, it has been custo mary, instead of exercising this privilege, to accept of what is called an option. (Burn, Eccles. Law, i. p. 218.) He has likewise, by common law, the power of " probate of wills and testaments," and of granting letters of ad ministration. The episcopal jurisdiction of the arch bishop of Canterbury extends only to a certain portion of Kent, and some parishes irregularly situated in differ ent counties of England ; and, at present, he confines himself almost entirely to his peculiar diocese, rarely interfering with any of his bishops in the exercise of their functions. The first archbishop of Canterbury was Austin, appointed A. D. 598.
Next in dignity to the Archbishop of Canterbury, is the Archbishop of York. He takes place of all dukes not of the blood-royal, and of all the great officers of the crown, except the Lord High Chanceller of Eng land. His privileges, within his own jurisdiction, are nearly the same with those of his illustrious superior. It belongs to him to crown the queen-consort. The suffragans of York are the Bishops of Chester, Dur ham, Carlisle, and the Bishop of Sodor and Man. This last ecclesiastic has at present no seat in parliament; though, from a ',Umber of circumstances, it appears, that, in ancient times, and on some occasions of great magnitude and interest, his attendance and advice were required. Paulinus, nominated by Pope Gregory, A. D. 622, was the first Archbishop of York. Scotland acknowledged two archbishops, those of St. Andrews and Glasgow ; and in Ireland there are four, those of Dublin, Armagh, Tuam, and Cashel. See Bingham's Works, vol. i. Hooker's Eccles. Pohl. junta finenz. Moshcim, vol. i. Burn's Ecclesiastical Law, vol. i. (h)