Autocephalous

Autocephalous, from Greek auto "self" + cephalous "head", literally means "self-governing".

Autonomous churches of Christianity do not recognize a single ruling doctrinal and ecclesiastical governmental authority such as the Pope. Both Orthodox and Protestant churches boast autocephalous assemblies, local, regional and international.

The autocephalous "jurisdictions" of Orthodoxy recognize each other as holding the same basic doctrine of Christianity as received from the time of the apostles.

Protestant churches which do not recognize a central authority (congregational polity) consists of groups that broke away from a larger hierarchal ecclesiastical body to form independent denominational groups and churches, and those that broke away from other congregational groups. In both cases, these churches officially declare that they are locally self-governed ("independent and autonomous") and generally recognize only the Bible as the rule of faith (sola scriptura). Protestant churches are noted for divisions based on differences of interpretation of biblical doctrines, disputes over meanings of legitimate church government authority, and often over personality conflicts.

See also

• Churches of Christ

• Denomination

• Non-denominational church

• Anglican Communion

• Independent Catholic churches

• Society of St. Pius X
• Roman Catholic Church
• Orthodox Church
• Ethiopian Orthodox church
• Coptic_Church
• Indian Orthodox Church
• Pentarchy

• Protestant Reformation

• Apostolic succession

• American Christianity
• Canadian Christianity
• Biblical Canon
• Global Christianity
• Christianity by continent
• Future of Christianity
• Christianity in Africa
• Christianity in Asia
• Christianity in Australia, Oceania, New Zealand
• Christianity in Europe
• Christianity in North America, Caribbean
• Christianity in South America, Central America
• Christianity in South America

External links

• List of autocephalous and autonomous churches (orthodoxWiki.org)
• The Autocephalous Churches and the Institution of the 'Pentarchy' – The OCP media network (theorthodoxchurch.info)
• The Anglican Free Communion: The Free Protestant Episcopal Church – Since 1897 (anglicanfreecommunion.org.uk)
• List of Christian denominations - Wikipedia