Bishops

[helen roche]

What do we call a group of bishops?

[Quizmonster]

Helen, here's my last contribution to the discussion. There is great current controversy over the appointment of the Bishop of Reading because of his sexual orientation. It seems that about half of the Anglican episcopate - ie all Church of England bishops - is for the appointment and the other half against. Can we, therefore, say: "One bench of bishops is on his side and another bench of bishops isn't"? Of course we can't...it's nonsense! It is, therefore, as plain as a pikestaff that 'bench of bishops' does not mean 'group of bishops' in any kind of generalised way at all.

Go with Einstein's answer from 'way back...there isn't a word for a group of bishops...and with my earlier answer that 'the bench of bishops' exists only in the House of Lords.