episcopalism: Meaning and Definition of

e•pis•co•pal•ism

Pronunciation: (i-pis'ku-pu-liz"um), [key]
— n.
  1. the theory of church polity according to which the supreme ecclesiastical authority is vested in the episcopal order as a whole, and not in any individual except by delegation.
Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Copyright © 1997, by Random House, Inc., on Infoplease.