A middle judicatory is an administrative structure or organization found in
religious denominations between the local
congregation and the widest or highest national or international level. The term is meant to be neutral with regard to
polity
A polity is an identifiable Politics, political entity – a group of people with a collective identity, who are organized by some form of Institutionalisation, institutionalized social relation, social relations, and have a capacity to mobilize ...
, though it derives from
Presbyterianism where the local, regional and national bodies are themselves respectively higher
courts.
Depending on the polity, the middle judicatory can have decisive authority over a local church, can offer standing for clergy members but little or no control over congregations, can offer counsel and services but no authority, or can serve as an informal vehicle for fellowship and communication.
Church of England
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Dioceses of the Church of England
There are 42 Church of England dioceses, each being an administrative territorial unit governed by a bishop. These cover England, the Isle of Man, the Channel Islands and a small part of Wales. The Diocese in Europe is also a part of the Church ...
Church of Scotland
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Synods and Presbyteries of the Church of Scotland
Episcopal Church in the United States of America
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* Provinces of the Episcopal Church in the United States of America
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
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Regions and Synods of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod
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Districts of the Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod
Presbyterian Church (USA)
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List of Presbyterian Church (USA) synods and presbyteries
Religious Society of Friends (Quakers)
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Yearly Meetings
United Church of Canada
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Conferences and Presbyteries of the United Church of Canada
United Church of Christ
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Associations of the United Church of Christ
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Conferences of the United Church of Christ
United Methodist Church
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Conferences of the United Methodist Church
Unitarian Universalist Association
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Districts of the Unitarian Universalist Association
References
{{reflist
* Lummis, Adair T. ''The Middle Judicatory as a System of Congregations Connected to the Regional Office'' Hartford Institute for Religious Researc
Accessed 20 July 2006.
Types of Christian organization