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[edit]

Churches of Christ

Denomination

Non-denominational church

Anglican Communion

Independent Catholic churches

Society of St. Pius X

Orthodox Church

Pentarchy

Protestant Reformation

Apostolic succession

## External links[edit]

* 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