Editing Diocese (section)

==Lutheran churches==
{{Further|List of Lutheran dioceses and archdioceses}}

Certain [[Lutheran]] denominations such as the [[Church of Sweden]] do have individual dioceses similar to Roman Catholics. These dioceses and archdioceses are under the government of a bishop (see [[Archbishop of Uppsala]]).<ref>[http://hbar.phys.msu.su/gorm/chrons/bremen.htm Adam of Bremen, Gesta Hammaburgensis ecclesiae pontificum] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050207105412/http://hbar.phys.msu.su/gorm/chrons/bremen.htm |date=2005-02-07 }}, online text in Latin; scholia 94.</ref> Other Lutheran bodies and synods that have dioceses and bishops include the [[Church of Denmark]], the [[Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland]], the [[Evangelical Church in Germany]] (partially), and the [[Church of Norway]].<ref>see ''[[List of Lutheran dioceses and archdioceses]]''.</ref>

From about the 13th century until the [[German mediatization]] of 1803, the majority of the bishops of the [[Holy Roman Empire]] were [[prince-bishop]]s, and as such exercised political authority over a principality, their so-called [[Hochstift]], which was distinct, and usually considerably smaller than their diocese, over which they only exercised the usual authority of a bishop.

Some American Lutheran church bodies such as the [[Evangelical Lutheran Church in America]] have a bishop acting as the head of the synod,<ref>[http://www.elca.org/Who-We-Are/Our-Three-Expressions/Churchwide-Organization/Office-of-the-presiding-bishop.aspx Office of the Presiding Bishop] on ELCA.org. Retrieved 2010-16-04.</ref> but the synod does not have dioceses and archdioceses as the churches listed above. Rather, it is divided into a [[middle judicatory]].<ref>[http://www2.elca.org/ecumenical/lern/lerning_vol2_no4.pdf LERNing newsletter from July 2005] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091216171608/http://www2.elca.org/ecumenical/LERN/lerning_vol2_no4.pdf |date=2009-12-16 }} at ELCA.org. Retrieved 2010-16-04.</ref>

The [[Lutheran Church - International]], based in [[Springfield, Illinois]], presently uses a traditional diocesan structure, with four dioceses in North America. Its current president is Archbishop Robert W. Hotes.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://lutheranchurchinternational.org/home|title=Welcome to Lutheran Church International|first=Lutheran Church|last=International|website=Lutheran Church International}}</ref>